Starry Skies
by Gold Sparrow
Summary: Would you say that it started at the end? Because that's where our story begins, in the ruins of a burning world. A girl dubbed the Princess made a promise to save said world, and goes to unimaginable lengths to achieve that goal, even though in the process she loses herself to a terrible darkness. But still, it's worth it...Right? (Chapter 5 is edited!)
1. Prologue: His Words and Her Promise

HEY EVERYONE! My name is Gold Sparrow, and this is my first Magi fanfic. I've written other fanfics before, but this particular fandom/manga/anime has really gotten to me. I've also fallen in love with SI-OC fics, and while I know it's a bit of a mainstream idea around here, I hope you enjoy my story. Please, keep reading!

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

PROLOGUE: His Words and Her Promise

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belong to me but to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called **'Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

_The fire is everywhere. _

There is no place it seems to not touch, wrapping it's long, sun colored hands across the Earth. Looming above the woman, the moon is bright and full and hateful, staring down without pity upon the broken, burning world. Is this fate? No...She knows better than that. This is so much worse than that.

_This is a broken fate._

She's so scared, all of a sudden. Curling up into a ball, tears overflow from her eyes and fall down her cheeks, sobs vibrating painfully in her skull. The roaring of the flames as they eat up bodies and broken structures tunes out her destructive wails. This is the end. This was the final stand, and now there is only her left in this world. There is nothing she can do anymore, no one she can save...Not that one can save the dead.

_The echoing of footsteps, a ghostly phantom of a memory._

The woman opens her eyes. Closer and closer...

Lightning fast, she whips upwards, realization hitting her. Someone's alive, alive, alive. Or, perhaps, the enemy is alive, alive, alive. But when she turns around, still on her knees, her shoulders relax. Then, she is pulled into an embrace. The man blocks out the overwhelming heat and holds her close, like she's a fragile doll to be kept well preserved. She looks up at him, and sees his eyes (his beautiful, beautiful eyes) blinded by blood. Slowly, she caresses his face, her other hand grasping the staff laid down at her side.

It's useless, they both know, but he still smiles in relief as she heals the cut and wipes away the blood. In return, he leans down and takes her face in his hands, brushing away the stray tears. As if a dam is broken, she collapses into tears again. Tears not of frustration or sadness or woe, but rather pure resignation. This is the end. This is all that they've been able to endure.

_But at least I'm dying with him, right?_

"T-this is all m-my fault." She sobs, placing her hands over his, gripping them for reassurance. He kisses her forehead, her cheeks, and her nose, gentle and reassuring.

"No." He says to her, pain sewn across his features. "It's not your fault at all."

"Then who's to b-blame?"

"Nobody. Everybody." Though vague, it's obvious and correct. This world has been broken ever since the Great War started, the fractured glass of what should've been cutting into men and women, causing atrocities that she never thought possible. She grips his robes as he strokes her back soothingly. There is the fire burning and death drawing close but she can only hear his heartbeat.

_If it's with you, you know..._

"I'm glad I'm with you." The woman says, and he chuckles, smoothing her hair.

"I'm glad too." And then, she's not alone and she's not scared. The fire comes closer, claiming the dirt before them, crawling desperately to the lovers. It roars pitifully as they stay just out of reach, greedily panting at their legs. She cannot see over the smoke, but his eyes and arms are still there and even if they are going to die then at least she's with the one she loves more than life itself.

_If it's with you, you know, I'm not scared. I'm really tired. It's been a long time. _

"Which is why I'm so sorry." She looks at him questionably and he kisses her like never before, filled with every ounce of passion and love and fear that he has within him. It's so distracting, because she doesn't remember the last time he's kissed her so desperately. Since the war began he has been careful, gentle, expressing his love in a delicate way so that she knows the depth of his feelings. It's not hard to understand why. The next day she's often sent to the front lines to fight beside ordinary soldiers destined for death.

_Their guardian angel, meant to protect them. _

No need to protect anyone anymore.

Then she notices the eight-pointed star beneath them, glowing a white light.

"_No_." Her voice is barely above a whisper, turning into a shout "No, No, NO! You _promised! _You promised we could _die together!"_

"I wanted to hold you one last time." He murmurs in her ear, squeezing her to him so she can't escape the circle and his magic. "I wanted you to know how much I care."

She sobs again and beats against his chest, shoulders shaking and body rattling with fear.

"How c-could you?" She almost screams, and then weaker, "I love you so _much_."

"Please understand." He says desperately, shaking like the final fall leaf on an old, hunched over tree. "I love you too! I need to protect _you_. I need to protect the world. I know that you're the only one who can do it, because I'm...I would be useless without you. This is...Cruel, but you must understand."

"I can't-"

"Yes you can!" More sobs fill the air, thicker than the fire's dark gray smoke. "I believe in you."

It's probably the hardest thing she's ever faced. The horrors of her life, from abandonment to kidnapping to brainwashing to war, and yet none has ever brought her so much pain. She grips his clothes again and with tiny nod of her head she finally gives up.

"It'll hurt so bad to be without you."

"I know."

"Can I really do it?"

"Of course you can. You're you."

With a final kiss and embrace the lovers part, one surrounded by white lights that look ever so slightly like birds and the other controlling them, both crying. The woman whispers out a final goodbye, her voice as shattered as her heart.

"I'll save this world..._I promise!"_

* * *

_**There are six souls in which you need.**_

_Who...Who are you?_

_**I will help you by calling them to your aid.**_

_Why would you do that for me?_

_**Because I want you to save this world as well.**_

_Who is coming with me?_

_**The Mountain, the Temptress, the Shadow, and the Bird. I have blessed each of them with powerful gifts, but be warned of the consequences. New lives shall enter the world to balance the course of fate. I am also sending back the Pearl and the Feather. The Alchemist isn't going to give up his memories either, so be prepared for him. You need all of them. So **_**save**_** them, Princess.**_

_I will...I promised him, after all!_

* * *

Thanks for reading! I tried really hard to make the first few chapters, and here comes chapter two!

ALSO- This story is based off another wonderful fan fiction called "Children of Solomon" which is totally amazing and is also a reincarnation fanfic. You all should definitely check it out, it inspired me to write this story in the first place!

BYE~~~~~~~


	2. Chapter 1: For the First (Second) Time

HI! Here's chapter 1, folks!

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIRST ARC:** The Temptress of Balbadd

CHAPTER 1: For the First (Second) Time

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Magi doesn't belong to me but to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called 'Children of Solomon' which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.

* * *

Jane _was_ brilliant.

_A book is not a tool, but a life. The delicacy of it's contents, personalities written into them by humans just as humans by God. Each page tells a separate and intertwining tale, the black letters stringing together like fate to create a passage that is and will be forever. The cover, hard sometimes and soft others, reflects the importance of what one is reading. Is this science or fantasy, fact or fiction?_

_She ponders this, hunched over a book, before lifting her gaze to the tall towers before her. Rows upon rows of other books awaiting use, stacked by genre and category and author. Slowly, a smile spreads across her face. A book is a life, and like all lives, it can be replaced. Her finger moves to turn the page, but stings harshly. She flinches and looks down, fascinated, as a tiny pin-prick of blood dribbles out from the cut, slowly forming a stream down her skin. _

_Her smile fades as she lifts the finger to her lips, tongue pressing down over the cut. _

_(Oh, how lonely you are. Must you think something so cruel of those you consider friends?)_

Jane _was_ a scholar.

_In chess, nothing matters more than understanding the uses of the pieces. _

_A rook is strong, but a Queen is stronger. But that makes the Queen more valuable, and, if carefully maneuvered, you can use that trait to your advantage in such a way that, as your opponent greedily inches toward your helpless Queen, they don't see the rook closing in from behind. Oh, but what a treat when they see that as well! A shift in gears, a change of course, and then..._

_"Checkmate," She says as politely as she can. The boy across from her pales, watching as she positions her knight before his King, trapping the piece in an inescapable bind. "Thank you for playing."  
_

_(Is that a glare? Oh well, brush it off, brush it off. No need for anyone but yourself.)_

Jane _is_ dead.

_She thought her parents were out of town. _

_So why are these men here?  
_

_Why are they looking through her parent's drawers?  
_

_Why do they turn to her, their faces visible and eyes bloodshot, then come barreling down the hallway towards her? She's frozen, she's frozen, she can't move an inch-_

_There's the railing, then there's above the railing, and the floor below._

_(Splat.)_

Her parents cry, but she wonders why they feel the need to. Granted, she's their only child, their only prize, but they always yelled so loudly through the echoing white walls of their house, and sat in dead-silence at the dinner table- when they came home. There was always this _pushing_, this nudge turning harder and harder for her to be greater, to be _better_.

_Why does it hurt, then?_

Jane _was_ going to become President.

_She was asked, as a child, what she would be. She had smiled robotically, remembered what her parents drilled into her, and responded, "The President!"_

_Her teacher gently laughed and turned to the next student, not paying enough attention to see Jane's smile fall from her face. _

_(You never could be just anything. Sorry.)_

Jane _was_ captain of the debate team.

_The debate team was boring, but hey, colleges go _nuts _for it. And, being as she's the captain who has gone to state four years in a row, she expects some recognition to be flowing in soon. The only fun- or borderline fun- part of the experience is when you're staring down your opponent. They something they think oh-so-cutely is clever, and then look so..._Crushed_, when you refute them. _

_Well. She doesn't really enjoy that part. It's just the thrill of being able to shoot off a rebuttal to someone's point, and have them come back with yet another response. It's electrifying._

_(But when no one can keep up with you, what's the point?)_

Jane _is_ now _dead_.

_She can't see, but she can. She can't breathe, but she can. Stuttering, stopping, begging God to _end this _or _save her_. __Thud, thud, thud, two faces are above her, distorted faces twisted by withdrawal and hysteria and shaking, sweaty palms. _

_"W-what do we do?"  
_

_"S-she saw us, she _saw _us!" One of them, the one who pushed her, seems to understand this. He picks up a trophy on a nearby bookshelf. She won it for outstanding attendance in ninth grade-  
_

_Held up high, almost a beacon for her to see, before her accomplishments are coming down upon her head, over and over and over._

_(Splat. Again.)_

Her fellow students give speeches and her neighbors offer their condolences, but she wonders why they feel the need to. They always expected her to perfect, their smiles cold and distant. "Jane, help me on this assignment" and "Jane, wanna collaborate with us on this?" became the hallmark of her interactions with her peers. They thought they were so clever, using her mind and then offering her flimsy excuses about why they couldn't hang out with her.

_I did it too, though._

Jane _had_ over 180 hours of volunteer work under her belt.

_"Miss Hullburg?"  
_

_"Yes?"  
_

_"Today we'll be needing you in the west wing. If you would, please attend to this girl...She's quite ill, you see."  
_

_Cancer, is what the nurse meant by ill. And by _that_, she means a very, very bad cancer. The girl's head is shiny and bald like an egg, her skin pale like snow. Beneath the frail cover of white skin, blue and red veins criss cross up and down her arms, intertwining like two snakes fighting over a meal. But somehow..._

What pretty blue eyes.

_The color of the sky, or perhaps the sun-covered ocean. How a delicate, dying, cold, empty, hateful person like her could have such beautiful eyes escapes Jane, but looks don't matter. At least, that's what she thinks as she stares at herself in the mirror, looking at the blandness of her features. No one had ever called her beautiful. But if this girl and her swapped places, she's sure everyone would call her pretty. A blonde with vibrant blue eyes, she bets. No one would expect anything from her._

But no one does, anyway.

_Jane reaches into her satchel and retrieves her guilty pleasure book. Then, she leaves it with that __delicate, dying, cold, empty, hateful girl._

Jane had offers from Ivy League schools.

_Stanford, Harvard, Princeton..._

_Jane closes her eyes. _

_How hard did she work to get into these colleges? Now that she can pick from any of them, it doesn't seem worth it at all. She sighs. Perhaps if her parents let her go..._

_No. Doesn't matter. She straightens, looking over the acceptance letters. She must calculate their acceptance rates, political science and pre-law courses, and library sizes. Things like the campuses and dorms and, um, food courts(?) can come later. For now, it's her future that she must focus on. And, of course, the ever looming reminder that tick, tock, her parents want an answer. _

Jane Hullburg _is_ dead.

But Jane does not worry, nor care. It's a relief in a way, actually. No more studying or worrying or college decisions. She'll move on. She will move on. Right? Heaven or something.

Actually...Now that she thinks about it...

_How am I thinking-?_

* * *

_Why does it feel so warm?_

**_You're safe now._**

_Are you God?_

**_Please do me a favor._**

_I'm scared._

**_You'll do great, O Great Temptress of the Sun._**

* * *

The crescent moon in the sky is almost like an arc of light, reflecting off of the black-green waters where seals sing lullabies in hushed calls to their pups. The sky, though dark and effortlessly smooth, is peppered with stars. Reds and blues and silvers, dotting the clear, open air with certainty and hushed resilience. They break through the atmosphere with their colors, hitting the eye with beckoning hands. A traveler would be heartbroken looking upon such a night, knowing that they'd never be able to dance in the sky like the teasing, distant stars.

But, search as they will, the stars cannot find a single person to cast their colors upon this night. The country they sit over, with it's dusty brick buildings and hushed, sailor-less docks, sleeps soundly through the night, as if for once sparing the tired King a break from worrying over those who lurk when the darkness is free and plentiful. So, they take it upon themselves to search the streets, flinging themselves through the veins of the city to find just _one _to grasp onto, one to hold in place with their beauty.

But even when they find her, she is much too busy to pay attention to them.

A young woman enters the Slums of Balbadd carrying a basket of towels. She hurries along the dirt roads and scamperes down familiar alleyways with the mindset of a woman completely dead set on her task at hand. The darkness is pierced only by the occasional lamp or torch, but other than that the streets are pitch black. The woman isn't scared or afraid however, because she has lived in these same Slums for two years, and memorized the layout like the backside of her hand.

(Only smart women can live in this place. The others...Well, that's a bit sad.)

The woman finally reaches her destination, a small shack with cracked brown walls and dirt floors. She enters, knowing that knocking will be the least bit of her friend's worries and hears the shrill cries of a newborn baby. She smiles a bright smile and hurries in, taking in the sight before her. Her friend, a fellow young woman with striking green eyes cradles a little baby in her arms, looking exhausted yet prideful. Her friend smiles, the bags under her eyes from being in a ten hour long labor crinkling slightly.

"It's a girl!" She says, her voice strained but her eyes shining. The woman smiles wider and strides over, setting the towels down and dipping them in the water by the other's cot. She first wipes her friend's face before gently taking the baby girl from her and beginning to wash the child. The girl still cries, but she doesn't struggle, a trait the woman finds extremely helpful.

"You did a great job, Lilliana." Lilliana, the woman who just bore the babe seems even more proud and looks fondly on her newborn's face, now free from the blood that came with it.

"Thank you for everything, Anise." Lilliana murmurs softly, looking at her friend with the kind of fondness that comes only with a long shared bond. Anise merely shakes her head, blushing at Lilliana's kind tone.

"You did it for me when I had Alibaba!" Anise giggles, and then remembering her own son, she adds, "Where is he, exactly?" Lilliana bites her lip to keep from laughing and replies,

"My favorite one year old decided to spend some quality time with the _lovely _Shana." Anise restrains her laughter and cradles the baby in her arms, remembering how her Alibaba loves to press his face onto Shana's, looking at her like she is the prettiest girl in the world. It's almost enough to make her jealous, but she sees no harm in the mindless adoration of a small child- a _baby._

"I swear, he's too smart for a child that young." They both smile, but the silence hovers over them. For the first time, Anise truly looks at the child. She has stopped crying for the moment, but her face makes her look as though she is concentrating on something. Anise notices how she has her mother's cheeks, and also coos over her tiny button nose and little cold ears. Then Anise sees her wisps of hair and instantly feels herself paling.

She looks at Lilliana, who also seems struck with panic and guilt and another emotion that flickers in her eyes.

"I...I though you said the father was just some man...?" Anise whispers, staring straight at Lilliana with a touch of fear in her eyes. Lilliana collapses back onto the thin cot, looking years beyond her time. Her sharp green eyes turn watery and she slowly reaches out a hand to touch her daughter's hair.

"I thought she was...But...Oh dear God..." Lilliana's cheeks are now red, and tears tread across her face though her soft voice doesn't waver.

"She's..._This_ child is his baby." Anise's eyes widen with surprise and she looks once again at the object of their conversation.

"Your secret lover? I though that he wanted you to join him and you left...Unless..."

"I was pregnant before he asked me to leave with him." It is a startling realization, but Lilliana and Anise both are pale and shaking. Anise struggles to continue rocking the little one in her arms. Long-fingered hands reach out to pick up the half conscious infant, pulling the girl to her chest. Tears still fall down the green-eyed woman's face, but she is smiling now.

"I was wrong, sweetie! Your daddy _was_ the man I loved! Oh thank you, God! Thank you so much for answering my prayers!" The laugh is filled with happiness, and the fingers continue to stroke the girl's cheek.

"Thank you my little girl! Thank you my dear-"

* * *

Jane understands.

She is not religious, and has no idea _(now, especially)_ if there is truly an afterlife, but she understands that she is being..._Reborn_. Jane isn't born yet, but she somehow knows what is happening as it happens.

Wait.

She's aware...She's _aware_ that she's in her mother's _womb_.

_Oh sweet Jesus. _

She first hears soft words and promises, and a gentle touch. Then the cheering of a crowd as it roars excitedly, men and women raising their faces and hands, praising her mother's voice. She feels the sobs of an inconsolable woman and can almost see the moon as her would-be mother escapes into the night, wanting to avoid the detection of her unborn child's father. A lie being told to a friend about the paternity.

This is not Jane's world, but somehow she knows it by heart.

_Why is it so familiar?_

It's all a quick tumble of situations and emotions, and then Jane is suddenly thrust into the world of the living. She breaths her first breath (for the second time) and tired of being tumbled around and around in a brief whirlwind of life, Jane cries. Once she begins to cry, she can't stop. It just comes and comes, tears flying down her tiny baby cheeks.

It's as if all the emotions she has kept up inside her for all these years have finally been allowed out, and once those tears flow to her eyes, they never want to leave. They continue to scamper out the corners and crawl through the center despite the fact that she can't even open her eyes. Almost painfully, and as a result of her sobs, her eyes squeeze together harshly, blocking her sight.

Warm, familiar arms embrace her. While she still cries, it is reduced to a pitiful whimper. The person cradles her head and holds her close, and with a startled jerk Jane realizes that she is being held against a woman's rather large chest. Slowly and with some difficulty Jane finally relaxes, finding the woman's soft hum to be rather refreshing. A loud sound that is probably just a person entering brings her back to tears. It hurts her new ears, and she is suddenly very scared- very _nervous_ for the woman holding her.

Another person must have actually entered the room, because the woman holding her starts to speak.

"It's a girl!" The language isn't English, but Jane can understand it for some reason. She begins to think that the language seems to be similar to Arabic or Persian.

Footsteps bring the person closer. It's probably the woman's husband, she thinks.

_Father_.

She crushes that thought. A hand gently dislodges Jane from her original holder and the absence of those arms makes her cry some more. She forces herself to stop struggling, however because a warm and wet cloth presses against her cold body and she suddenly knows what being hand-washed is like.

"You did a great job, Lilliana." So it isn't her fath...The husband, but another woman. A nurse, perhaps? Lilliana must be that woman's name.

_It's so pretty._

Jane never liked being Jane. Her name is her name, but she wishes that her parents had given her a better, more suiting name. It's in her opinion that every girl looks like a Jane. Every girl can be a Jane. Which is the very reason she doesn't _want_ to be Jane. No, she wants to be something that showed off her inner self, the person she strives so hard to be.

_But I failed to be that person, didn't I? So isn't being Jane alright?_

The women continue their conversation, unaware of the baby's predicament.

"Thank you for everything, Anise." Her mother- Lilliana says, and Jane frowns internally. Anise...Anise...She has never met an Anise before, but why does it sound so familiar?

_I remember everything...I have to try harder._

"You did it for me when I had Alibaba!" Alibaba? The woman giggles happily, and she seems too young to have children. "Where is he, exactly?" The woman adds, suddenly realizing her son isn't there.

_Anise...Alibaba...Where is this all from?_

"My favorite one year old decided to spend some quality time with Shana." Lilliana replies, and Jane is suddenly all too aware of how her voice is the equivalent to sweet honey.

"I swear, he's too smart for a child that young." Anise says, and Jane can hear the love in her voice. The quiet is all too sudden and Jane squirms slightly, feeling Anise staring at her. Anise's voice is slightly horrified and scared as she says the next few words.

"I...I though you said the father was just some man...?" Jane's blood turns cold and she knows what it means, even though her new mind is a bit behind. A hand suddenly touches her head, and it's so familiar that Jane wants to start bawling again.

"I thought she was...but...Oh dear God...She's...this child is his baby."

"Your secret lover? ... I though that he wanted you to join him and you left...unless..." Secret lover? Where _is_ she? Last time she checked, the correct term is mistress.

_What happened to mo- Lilliana?_

"I was pregnant before he asked me to leave with him." The realization that dawns upon both woman just confuses Jane more. Abruptly she gives out, her body processing that she's tired, little limbs weakening and head drooping.

But first, hands reach out and grasp her, and once again she is back on Lilliana's chest and it feels so good that Jane can no longer keep back her emotions and embraces the fact that this woman is her _mother_.

_Why didn't my other mom ever hold me like this?_

"I was wrong, sweetie! Your daddy _was_ the man I loved! Oh thank you, God! Thank you so much for answering my prayers!" The laugh that comes to her is so relieved and happy that if she wasn't just born Jane would have laughed along with her. But more than that, the laugh is also so melodious that Jane feels like she is flying on the scales she learned from _The Sound Of Music._

Her cheek is stroked and she leans into the touch.

"Thank you my little girl! Thank you my dear Centola!" As Jane slips into unconsciousness, she has only one thought.

_Centola...It's definitely unique._

* * *

Early the next morning, Jane finds that she can open her eyes a crack. The first time that she does she burns her eyes with the light coming in through the windows. But as her eyes adjust ever so slightly, her mother comes into view. She has brown hair that is as shiny as the sun and pale green eyes that look like two pieces of glass...Or, given their reflective nature, mirrors. Her mother kisses her forehead and strokes her hair.

"You have soft hair, Centola." That soothing, honey-like voice murmurs to her. Jane knows she needs to get used to the name, especially since it is her's now.

The day progresses, and Centola can't seem to shake her boredom. As a day old baby, either her mother or her 'Auntie Anise' holds and rocks her. She drifts in and out of sleep, thinking and planning and accidentally crying a few times. Now that she is reborn, where is she? Who are these people? Why did they live in a shack with dirt floors and windows without glass?

Well, that could be explained simple. Third world country, obviously. But the language is so _strange_. Having been forced to learn the basics of many languages, she can understand that the origins of this tongue are some sort of deluded, distorted latin mixed with a distinctly arabic vibe. She does not know of any country holding such a language, nor has she ever heard an accent like it.

She ponds on this until, at noon, the first visitor comes by. And after that, groups of woman and a few men keep coming and coming.

The girls all coo over the babe and the men merely nod or give a gruff sound to signify their approval. Centola isn't very happy with the men, their bored expressions not matching the open, loving actions of adults toward children where she comes from. They even strike up conversations with Anise after giving Centola a once over, asking for appointments with her once she returns to work the next day.

It's late in the afternoon, or what she assumes by the shade of golden light outside, when the last visitor comes by. It's a woman, holding the hand of a little boy who stumbles along ungracefully on new legs.

"Yoohoo~! Anise, Lilliana! I have a little boy to deliver." Anise, who hasn't left Lilliana's side since she gave birth, smiles her bright smile and opens her arms wide. The boy shakily runs to her and throws his arms around her neck, cuddling close. In her head, something clicks and Centola realizes what had been haunting her as long as she's been alive.

* * *

Jane read books to learn. She studied every day, and in the end, while revered for her mind and cleverness, Jane became alone. It was, probably, inescapable for her; after all, in the beginning a long, long time ago, she had read because she loved it with her entire heart and no one told her it would isolate her from the rest of the world.

Within little Jane's books, she found friends. Heroes, villains, damsels in distress. There was the lovable comic relief and the occasional side story- and every little detail she learned about a character she preserved with tenderness. But soon, as she began to thirst for explanations about the world around her, her friends became people who existed at some point. The often overshadowed Friedrich Nietzsche, the beautiful descriptions of William Wordsworth, the brilliance of Bismark, a politician who's carefully crafted plans kept Europe at peace- until he was dismissed by the narrow minded Emperor William I.

There was wonder and intrigue and thousands of years of stories and knowledge for her to devour, and she spent her childhood holding the hands of the greatest writers, scientists, politicians and philosophers through the pages of her books. Studying was all that mattered. Books were all she needed. So the day she was browsing the library and found a comic with a blue haired boy on the cover, she expected herself to put it down so she could find a copy of "The Hand that Swept the Sounding Lyre" by Frances Sargent Locke.

She didn't.

Perhaps it was a memory of her childhood, when things were simple. Perhaps it was the promise of adventure. The librarian ordered the entire series for her, and every time she went to the library her parents thought that she was reading, as she always did at home.

But she wasn't. She was reading the tale of Aladdin and Alibaba in the amazing story called Magi.

* * *

The little boy with golden hair stumbles over to Centola and peers at her with matching eyes, the same color as the light shining outside. It reminds her of colors she's seen in her mind, images placed into her life by vivid descriptions of warm suns and bright dandelions. He lifts a hand to pat her hand. He isn't very gentle, but he isn't hard either, using a strength that he's not conscious of.

Lilliana smiles at the other child and motions him to sit like her, cross-legged on the cot. The boy does so with difficulty, pouting and making child-like noises of complaint. Then Lilliana places Centola onto his lap. He fits her head into the crook of his elbow and he plays with her tiny hand, so much bigger than her's but infinitely small himself. His eyes look straight into her face, and Centola has to try hard not to feel as though he's seeing straight past her facade of innocence.

Anise does her little giggle again.

"Lilliana~ looks like Alibaba has a crush on your tiny Centola," Her mother laughs and nods her head in agreement. But Centola doesn't listen to the replies, her mind going blank. All of a sudden she is thinking about is his golden eyes, his name, and the fact that she was reborn into a manga.

_This. Is. Awesome._

* * *

_And it begins._

* * *

Centola learns a lot in her first few years.

**Year 1: **As it turns out, she's born in the Slums of Balbadd, and her mother is a singer in a beat up old tavern. Lilliana is forced to dress up in skimpy outfits and be gone most nights, but it brought money to the table and her sweet mom never complains. Alibaba and her become close companions because of this reason, and due to the fact they are close in age, leading to a sort of "buddy-system". Centola stays over at Anise and Alibaba's house during the nights when her mother is performing, often sleeping over there due to the late evenings her mother's job requires of her. In the morning Lilliana picks her and Alibaba up, bringing them back home while Anise is tending to, well, _her job_.

The day is quite a bore, she learns. Being an infant who can't walk _nor _talk is bothersome- though she tries her best to imitate a child's actions. Alibaba proves to be a good study reference, and she eagerly copies his innocent, dumb actions with gusto. There are limits to this skill, but Lilliana doesn't seem to mind and coos over her baby with an overwhelming amount of love.

The most annoying thing about not being able to walk is that Alibaba starts to be able to do things without her. Alibaba is a wanderer, walking on stick legs here and there and everywhere, exploring their home and leaving his crawling friend in the dust. But Centola remains patient. She spent her idle days memorizing the landscape and thinking hard about math formulas. Years of hard work aren't going to go to waste just because she is now reduced to the form of a small child.

_Why must I be so tiny?_

* * *

**Year 2: **Eventually Centola grows enough to be able to walk after Alibaba, and finds herself entertained by chattering with him in incoherent, mumbled words. Of course, soon enough, Alibaba left her behind with that as well. It happens during the change of children, when the sun is low in the sky and Lilliana gives a tittering Centola over to Anise. Centola began walking a few days before, and now she's trying to exercise to build up strength. It's hard work for a little girl barely over one, but luckily her young form gives her lots of energy and her mind gives her resilience. She takes one step forward, forgets to bend her knee and comes tumbling downward. Alibaba reaches out, and she falls on him, sending them both spiraling in the dirt.

But before they land on the ground, Alibaba says something.

"Centola!" He cries. The women stand still for a moment, until they both look at one another and begin to laugh.

"I hoped it would be 'Mama'!" Anise reaches down and picks up the two children, checking them for any scraps. Other than a slightly bruised elbow, Centola is fine, as is Alibaba. Her first injury isn't as bad as she was thinking it was going to be. They walk slowly toward Anise's home and both hold the older woman's hands.

For the first time (in both this world and the last) a heat blossoms across Centola's cheeks and her heart beats faster than normal.

She hopes Anise doesn't notice.

* * *

For the longest time, Centola wonders what her first word should be. Not everyone gets this sort of chance, and somehow Centola knows that she is going to have to use it wisely. Or, perhaps, she's thinking too much about it. Days pass and turn into weeks and finally, when she is almost two and Alibaba is almost three, Centola finally decides to say something. She can't wait to have conversations with Lilliana and Anise and Alibaba. But Alibaba can only blather random words with improper grammar, as of now.

_One of them is my name._

She shakes that thought aside.

_Well, of course. It's natural for the repetition of names to stick in a developing child's mind. I shall use this as reference for my later conversations._

She first speaks the day Alibaba becomes sick and Lilliana decides not to bother Anise by leaving Centola with her. Lilliana instructs her to be silent and not annoy anyone, but Lilliana already knows her daughter will follow her orders, as she always seems to do.

They travel down a dusty, dirty path that leads around and through buildings with broken walls and shattered windows (if they even had any). As she walks with her mother, Centola takes in the sights, her lips curving as she takes in the new sights of her home she was previously sheltered from. The sunset is always pretty, even in the Slums. It makes everything glow orange and gold, and her mother's brown hair captures the light and turns into a shining auburn. Nobody in the Slums seems to notice the sun's fading warmth or it's glorious beauty, however. The dirt dwellers, either retreating into their dens of filth or emerging from a whore's house to get to the bars, all walk with their heads down, eyes averted. They don't want any trouble because they already have enough.

The pair eventually came to a wooden building with open shutters, allowing lantern light and jovial calls to spill from the inside onto the street like a cascade of frothy beer. Men and women alike eagerly enter the building, smiles gracing their tired old faces as today's pay sits awaiting use in their pockets.

_Not bad, for a bar._

Her mother goes around the side and knocks on a door, which is opened by an old woman. She seems to have had broad shoulders once, and now sports wrinkles and a scowl. The elderly woman glares with milky eyes at Centola who fidgetes quietly behind her mother.

"Who's the brat, Lilliana?" She growls at her mom, bony hand on bony hip. Lilliana pats Centola's hair reassuringly and replies,

"This is my daughter, Centola, Mrs. Gamela." Mrs. Gamela scowls and eyes Lilliana.

"You never said you had a daughter."

"You never asked." Her mother isn't sarcastic, just smooth and proper. Centola learns a lesson in that moment. In the Slums of Balbadd, women can't be educated. Women are underestimated and expected to become dancers like her mother or prostitutes like Anise. But the women of the Slums _can_ become _more_, if they are a little witty and a little clever.

_Good thing I'm a little of both._

Lying is an essential she will need to learn in order to survive in her new home of troubles and filth.

Mrs. Gamela huffs with anger and annoyance but lets Lilliana in, muttering under her breath about whores and their wiles. Lilliana takes Centola's little hand to lead her through the thin hallway into a dressing room. It smells of perfume and heavy spices, the lingering taste of jasmine oil and powder in the air stinging her tongue despite their alluring scents. Women dressed in skimpy outfits and braiding one another's hair sit on long benches facing an old, stained, but undeniably large mirror, gossiping with bright smiles. Lanterns over head illuminate the vials of lotion and make up spread over the tables pressed up against the wall under the mirror, and behind the women in racks hang brightly colored scarves and skirts and shirts and dresses. Lilliana greets them and they flock to see her child, the "famous" Centola.

"You're so adorable!" They squeal, and when Lilliana asks them to watch her while she's on duty, they agree, hugging the one year old. Centola remains silent throughout the whole endeavor, blushing and sitting on a chair provided for her. One woman offers to brush her hair and she nods.

"Clever girl!"

She watches her mother change into an outfit consisting of a white tub top and white bikini bottoms, see through white pants placed on top sort of like the ones Princess Jasmine wore in the Disney movie _Aladdin_. Her mom sits in a chair, and one of the girls takes the brown locks into her hands. The fellow dancer, similarly dressed, begins to weave intricate braids crisscrossing over Lilliana's scalp, which transforms into a single braid.

Perfume is sprayed and makeup applied, bracelets soon lining her wrists and necklaces spilling across her chest. Then, her beautiful mother comes over and kisses her cheeks, telling her to have fun and be good to her friends. The girls come and go until a waitress saddles up to the bored little girl.

"Hello there little birdie~" Instantly Centola recognizes the sound of Shana's voice. She blinks and smiles up at the other woman, murmuring small, babbling sounds of familiarity. Shana smiles excitedly and presses her hands over her heart before leaning down to swoop Centola into a hug. She doesn't know Shana very well, but gets the feeling that she isn't half bad, with pretty looks and not much brains. Her heart is full of goodness, however, and Centola likes to think that she will find a husband who will love her and keep her well.

_This is the Slums, not a fairy tale._

Shana is dressed like Lilliana, though she isn't as pretty as her mother despite her long dark hair and exposed belly. Centola is suddenly picked up and carried away by Shana, who races out the door and sneak down the hall.

"Wanna go see your mother preform?" Shana asks, but doesn't wait for a reply since Centola doesn't have one to give. Instead, the child holds onto the adult and allows her to take her into the bar- though she's sure Lilliana would disapprove.

The bar is pressed up against the left side of the tavern, all the stools lined up before it taken. There are wooden seats with tables to match scattered everywhere and sofas against the back, some of them covered with thin curtains. All the men either sit alone or in groups, a lucky few with a girl draped over them. Shana stays silent and makes sure no one sees poor young Centola being towed to the back. She finds them a secluded light blue sofa to sit on. Centola is placed on Shana's lap and they turn to an old stage with shady-looking wooden floors.

A few minutes and fidgets later, the crowd starts to cheer and musicians take their positions. The waiters extinguish all but a few candles near the stage and suddenly Centola doesn't care that she's tired and uncomfortable and that the whole place smells like booze, her mother is now onstage.

Lilliana begins to sing. It's..._Mesmerizing_. She takes her honey voice and stretches it, letting it last over lyrics and notes. She uses _crescendos _that bloom into _fortes _before falling away in _fortepiano. _Her eyes fill with tears at her mother's song, and she feels dazed as her mom dances along to it, making the meager stage into a set worthy of Broadway.

Centola knows what she wants to say.

The moon is high when they get home, Centola being carried by Lilliana. The cot she was born on is also their bed and they both lay down, hugging one another under the thin blankets for warmth.

Centola opens her mouth, and lifts her half lidded eyes upward.

_"Sing."_

Her voice is soft and childish, and for some reason she expected her voice to be the slightly nasally, quiet one it used to be. Green eyes widen and stare down at her, and she looks right back up. "P-please." She adds as an after thought, hoping that her accent is right. Lilliana smiles and pulls her closer, stroking her hair as she sings a lullaby that is unfamiliar yet comforting to Centola.

_"Quiet is the wind_

_that slips between the branches and_

_Unknown is the world_

_Around you and I_

_Yet that's alright, yes that's alright_

_You're safe here, We're safe here."_

* * *

**Year 5: **When Centola is five years old, there is a strange occurrence. In the middle of the night, she..._Feels_ something. Like a lightning bolt, a jolt hits her. She awakes and slithers silently out of the cot, eyeing her mother's sleeping form. There is electricity inside of her, and her fingers shake unsteadily, as if her entire existence is being re-created. She stumbles out of the house and into the dark, empty streets.

Then she's running down the street and into an abandoned, tall building. She dodges broken pillars and scrabbles up old stone stairs, up, up, up until there is a door and then the roof, a moon shining too brightly in her eyes. The temperature causes goose bumps along her bare arms and legs as the cold air trails it's hands over her limbs and digs it's fingernails into her skin. The famous Balbaddian fog slithers through the streets, the lights sprinkled here and there making the gray fog appear like white clouds drifting throughout the cold, humid city that smells of garbage and the sea. Centola walks forward, looking out to a place far, far away.

To the ledge she goes and in the distance, past the city she was born in and the mountains among the skyline there is a flutter of white light. It isn't a star nor the moon's rays, but an explosion of Rukh. She's too far away to see it, but she knows what is happening. For a moment, she can see farther than ever before and farther than she ever possibly will.

The Rukh fly chaotically, moving with purposefulness in a spiral up to meet the sky. Once they hit the stars they turn around to go back down again, hovering over a new born baby.

Centola opens up her arms and even though she has no idea what she is doing, there are suddenly little white birds flying around her, spiraling up and down in a similar fashion. A pillar of light that nobody else can see is extending all the way to the sky just like the other light. Suddenly, there are six more, gracing the night with the glory of the unknown.

She returns to bed an hour later, foggy and tired and feeling incredibly satisfied.

_Welcome to the world, little one loved by the Rukh_

* * *

**Year 6: **When Centola turns six, she wonders if Alibaba notices the looks they get. They both are so different. Alibaba has golden hair and eyes, a fair complexion to boot- similar to his mother sans the lovely prostitute's raven hair. As for Centola, she learns one day after looking in a mirror at Mrs. Gamela's bar that she inherited her mother's mirror-like green eyes and faintly tanned skin, her infamous strawberry blonde hair brushing her shoulders. Centola deduces that she must be the child of some wealthy nobleman like Alibaba- it would explain _why_ exactly her mother left her father in such haste.

_But Alibaba's a Prince. At best, I'm just some rich landowner's bastard daughter._

The people of the slums, in turn, are tanned and rough around the edges, all dark hair and eyes like Anise. Those eyes aren't kind like Anise though, and they glare at Alibaba and Centola often, following them with weary, harsh gazes.

_We are blond. They think we don't belong because we're different. At least we aren't alone._

_At least I'm not alone._

Alibaba likes to explore, dragging Centola around with him with a smile and a quick excuse to their respective working mothers. Her mother begins to work days instead of nights so that the four of them can spend more time together instead of taking turns like they used to. Like a lot of children from the slums, once they grow old enough to leave the house they're gone and join the others as fellow street rats.

They crawl through holes, sprint up staircases heading nowhere and shuffle along the crowded market places. They march up and down the slums, Centola memorizing the roads and alleyways in private as to remember where to run should Alibaba get into a fight with the other kids. Speaking of Alibaba, the boy will often talk and stop, find something interesting and then start blabbering all over again.

Centola never really realized how much Alibaba talks. He is an anime/manga character in her (ex-)world, so they are expected to talk whenever their input is needed or for a joke. Otherwise known as _explain-the-plot-no-jutsu. _But Alibaba loves to chatter. He speaks in his seven-year-old voice and Centola listens, sometimes laughing, sometimes smiling. She can't help but feel like she has a friend whenever she is around Alibaba.

_I never had a friend before._

Of course, sometimes her cheeks flush and her breathing quickens, the sight of golden eyes alight with delight gripping something in her chest as everything becomes even more wonderful and shiny.

_I-It's hot today..._

Her life is nice. She has Alibaba and her mother and Anise and the other street rats that follow them around, enticed by Alibaba's constant speeches. Of course, everyone is enraptured by Alibaba's words, they're unspeakably beautiful.

But it isn't all good times and happy moments. Centola remembers the time when she was Jane and had three meals or more everyday. She remembers being able to read and have pleasant conversations with her peers and intellectual parents. She rememberes a time when Jane didn't have to work so hard for food like Lilliana has to now.

At least Anise and Lilliana share their money and food so that their families get at least two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. Centola can deal with it as she is already naturally skinny, but Alibaba is hungry all the time, scowling whenever his stomach rumbles. So, one morning, Centola takes an apple from her breakfast. When it's noon and Alibaba makes a noise of complaint about the grumbling of his belly, she hands it to him. He stares down at the juicy red fruit with drool coming out of his mouth before staring at her, as if seeing the girl with thin arms and legs for the first time.

He finds a knife discarded on the ground near a shack and grabs her hand, running down to the river. He washes the knife carefully like his mother instructed him to do, and then cuts the apple, handing the bigger half to her. She stares down at it and realizes that she had lied to herself. She is hungry, just as hungry as Alibaba.

Alibaba smiles and digs into his half, mumbling between bites,

"You're so silly (munch) Centola! Here in the (munch) Slums, we take care of each other (munch)!" He spits out the seeds and sighs contently, patting his belly. Then he places an arm around a blushing and stuttering Centola and says,

"We eat together or not at all." He looks expectantly at the apple and she bites it, eating with the same (if not more) gusto that her blond haired friend had. It's in that moment she questions for the first time if, possibly, she's in love.

* * *

"OI! Blondie! Why you always hangin' out with a girl?!" It's a war call from a fellow street rat and Centola hides behind Alibaba, like he told her to whenever somebody wanted to pick a fight. It's an unwritten rule of the Slums that when a boy turns six he starts fighting. Alibaba got in his first fight on his birthday, and Centola hid behind a wall, knowing that girls weren't suppose to fight. Luckily, Alibaba is strong for a kid.

His favorite fighting partner is a boy with black dreadlocks and brown eyes, fake courage and true anger etched into his face.

"Why you all talk?!" Alibaba shouts back, waving his fist in the air. It would be funny if she weren't scared. Yes, Centola read the manga and loved the magic and fight scenes, but truth is that she is a bit of a coward and a pacifist, never encouraging fights. Centola knows that if she tries to stop "mini-rumble" _here_ though, she could ruin Alibaba's reputation. And considering that Alibaba is already a liked person in the Slums (as much one could be liked) it is not a good idea.

_This. Is. Not. Awesome._

They tackle one another and the kids surround them, cheering happily and betting on the winner. The opposing boy ends up on the ground, Alibaba sitting on top.

"Hahaha! Looks like the score is now three to two! You're such a loser!" There's something suddenly mean about Alibaba. The other street rat looks angrier than before and Centola wonders how he must feel. Alibaba goes home to Anise, one of the only loving mothers in the entire Slums, and what does the boy go back to? One meal a day, if he's lucky? A starving family? A crappy parent or two?

And there Alibaba is, Centola's Prince, shoving the kid's face into the dirt.

_To hell with that!_

Centola strides over to Alibaba and, rules be damned, prepares to rip him off of the other street rat. Her tiny stick arms wrap around his chest and she heaves him off. Alibaba lands on his bottom with a thump and Kassim stares up at his savior. The other kids all boo and walk away, looking for some other mischief to do. Centola offers the fellow Slum rat her hand, and says,

"I'm sorry for Alibaba's behavior, it won't happen again..."

He glares at her and gets up on his own. He is the same height as Alibaba, just an inch or two taller than Centola and a little bigger, even though every child in the slums have sickly frames.

"Tch. I woulda won." He mutters, still glaring. He shakes Centola's still outstretched arm gruffly, like he's done it only a few times and says, "The name's Kassim, and I guess that _twerp_ is Alibaba."

Centola nods, and takes her hand away, offering it instead to Alibaba. Alibaba's cheeks are flaming and he looks ready to tackle Kassim again, but actually takes Centola's hand and jumps to his feet, pouting.

"I'm not sorry." He growls, and Centola knows what to do. It's a strange emotion, starting in her chest and growing, spreading to her brain and hands and feet, making her warm and giving her a certain sense of what it is like to be..._Feminine_.

_What the hell?_

She bats her eyelashes and squeezes Alibaba's hand, and Alibaba, in shock, blushes.

"Apologize." She says sweetly, giving his hand another affectionate squeeze "Pleeeeaaasssse?"

"F-f-fine. I apologize, Kassim." Kassim isn't very satisfied, but one 'pretty please' from Centola makes him reciprocate Alibaba's apology.

"I'm sorry too, Alibaba." Kassim says rather sarcastically (not that Alibaba notices) and then he turns his eyes toward Centola and asks, "Who the hell are you?"

Centola blinks, smiles, and says, "I'm Centola, nice to meet you!"

* * *

Suddenly Centola realizes that she has changed from the 'Plain Jane' she used to be.

Now she thinks that she's more nice and sweet, smiling and laughing with Kassim and Alibaba. She doesn't understand what motivated her change, what prompted it. Maybe because she doesn't know how to read and thus cannot shelter herself with books. Or because they can't afford books anyway. Another part of her urges her to think deeper than just that, a part of her that, when it sees her friends or her mother, lights up.

Either way, she's not sure she cares.

_Who knew being myself could be so fun?_

Jane Hullburg was always quiet and sad, but Centola is free from her past and given a fresh start among the citizens of Balbadd. It's wonderful, like a daydream, but Centola knows that the day will come when the plot settles in. The day when Kassim murders his father. The day when Anise dies. The day when the King of Balbadd visits the slums and announces that Alibaba is his son and will join him in the royal palace.

Then, Centola will be alone again.

* * *

"I got it! I'm the boss of this mountain!" Kassim yells, holding up a ratty and ripped white flag. Centola sits at the bottom of the mound of junk, playing with little Mariam.

_No...Not yet!_

"Seems like there really isn't anyone around who can beat me." Kassim gloats. A hand sneaks out of the drawer and grabs the flag.

"Nyahaha! You can't let your guard down, Kassim!"

It's starting. Centola stares at the ground in front of her for a long time until Alibaba and Kassim start to fight again. Little Mariam touches her hand and looks worriedly at her.

"Big Sis...Aren't you going to stop them?" Centola blinks, and smiles slightly at the little girl before nodding. She lifts a hand and pats Mariam's head.

"Yep! Don't you worry Mariam, I'm going to save them." And then she's off, parting the fighting rascals with fake tears and a cute little pout that she has perfected over months of practice.

_Yes...I'm going to save my friends!_

* * *

**Year 7: **One morning, in the well-liked bar owned by Mrs. Gamela, a seven year old with wavy strawberry blond hair is sits on a stool. She is watching an old woman scribble away in a tiny notebook with attentive eyes, erasing her presence from the room by staying quiet and breathing silently. Eventually, however, she gains confidence, and sits closer to the table.

"May I ask what are you doing, Mrs. Gamela?" The girl asks, holding her little face in her hands. Mrs. Gamela turns her (clouded, gray) eyes to the child, scrutinizing her.

"So you can speak, Centola." It isn't much of a question but Centola nods anyway.

"Yes I can, Mrs. Gamela. I just prefer to listen." Before Centola can turn away her glass like green eyes, Mrs. Gamela can see the intelligent gleam in them.

"Say girl...You're actually rather clever, aren't you?" Her tone is accusatory, but Centola merely cocks her head and smiles, taking a lock of her long hair between her thin fingers.

"I'm flattered, Ma'am, but I don't know how to read or write." Mrs. Gamela almost smiles, but her tired, wrinkled face seems to forget how to do such a thing.

"I do."

"Really!?" Centola's face morphs into a perfect picture of innocent wonder, excitement crossing over the surface of the green mirrors in her eyes.

"Yes, I learned secretly as a child." Mrs. Gamela looks triumphant, showing Centola the pages of her little notebook. "My father was a good man, and had me learn from my brother, which is why I was able to survive so long in this junkyard town."

"Whoa. Ma'am...May I ask you a question?" Mrs. Gamela is once again looking down on the child, whose cheeks blush and eyes sparkle. She puts her right hand on her right cheek, turning ever so slightly away.

"It's so embarrassing but..." Mrs. Gamela suddenly has a feeling. It starts in her head and spreads to her chest and suddenly, in those mirrors Mrs. Gamela can see herself again, young and not-quite beautiful with wide shoulders and a confident air, needed by everyone around. She sees herself when she was just Gamela, Queen of the Slums.

"Can you teach me to read and write?" Gamela, Queen of the Slums is nodding before she even knows what's happening.

* * *

Six months later, that same little girl sits at Mrs. Gamela's desk in her apartment above the bar, her long hair covering her eyes. Mrs. Gamela's right eye twitches before she forces herself to settle down. The girl looks up and tries to blow her strawberry blond hair out of her face. Mrs. Gamela fidgets in the chair next to her, willing herself to remain patient and wait for the child to finish writing.

Mrs. Gamela didn't have a very good education, but her brother and father tried their hardest to make sure she could read and write the common plain language properly. They figured it would be useful, and for a woman in the Slums to be able to read...It wasn't actually necessary- until she began to _use_ her mind. Her brain became her saving grace, and she read and practiced her handwriting every chance to make sure she could be useful for the rest of her life.

The girl finally manages to get the hair out of her face. She looks down at her paper again and it falls right back to where it was before. Mrs. Gamela jumps up, stomps to her bedside table and takes a hairbrush out from inside. She slams it shut again and marches to the startled child.

"Listen up brat!" Mrs. Gamela commands, lifting up Centola's chin. "A _woman_ has many valuable assets. For some, it is their body, like that girl Shana. Others, it is their hair, which they use to accent their attractiveness, like the barista Yukino. And for some others, it is their face, or their pretty lips, or their voice, although that last one is more for your mother."

Mrs. Gamela combs Centola's long hair back, braiding it and producing a leather strap from her wrist to tie it. In all the years Mrs. Gamela knew her, Centola's hair grew like a weed. But it is flawless, no split ends and never seeming to be dirty. It was like she was born to be...Clean.

(Huh. What a strange thought.)

"But you, brat, are different. While you have pretty hair and a nice voice and I'm sure when you're older a beautiful face and body, the most valuable of your assets is your eyes." A drawer from the desk Centola sits in is opened and a hand mirror is produced, along with a green ribbon. Centola looks in the mirror handed to her and stares awkwardly at herself. Mrs. Gamela sees her innocent eyes stare back at themselves and she almost grins, even if she's already forgotten how to.

"You were blessed with your mother's eyes, Centola, and with the right training they can woo a man to do your bidding."

Centola looks at the older woman with surprise.

"You really think so?"

"Yes, I really do...Now," She ties the ribbon into a perfect bow over the leather strap and nods approvingly at her handy work. "Finish your sentence or you're not going to be able to play with those trouble makers Alibaba and Kassim today!"

* * *

**Year 8: **Lilliana's daughter intrigues Mrs. Gamela. She still isn't sure why she even agreed to tutor the child for free, but now thinks it has paid off. The girl works incredibly hard, memorizing words and sentences and all the rules and regulations of grammar that her teacher produces for her with ease. There is never a moment when her eyes aren't running over pages or her hand isn't darting elegantly over sheets of paper.

In the year since her learning began, Centola had read almost all the books in Mrs. Gamela's apartment and still strives to learn more. Mrs. Gamela has saved up her money and has bought more and more books to add to her collection. She's requiring Centola to go through more lessons than normal, installing in her subjects like geography and manners and how to address nobles.

The elderly woman doesn't _have_ to help Centola. She doesn't _have_ to waste her money on books and tell her about the rules of this intricate society, but there is a nagging sensation biting at her. It nips often at the back of her ankles, like an impatient hound wanting it's bone. She _wants_ to help the eight year old. She _needs_ to help the eight year old. Because Mrs. Gamela somehow knows that she will need these lessons for the future. Trying to explain that alone is an impossible thing.

She can only hope that what she is teaching is enough.

* * *

Lilliana has a special nickname among the Slums, a nickname that has yet to grace the ears of her child.

The Queen of the Slums.

It's a nickname that used to be held by Mrs. Gamela, but with time transferred to Lilliana. Lilliana isn't quite sure why she is called it. No, that isn't true. She knows why. But it is still unclear how it came to be hers.

She hadn't been born in the Slums like every other bottom feeder, but raised on the road. In light terms, her mother was an adventurer, and took her children around the world on a never ending cascade of wonder and awe. However, Lilliana didn't inherit her family's wandering spirit, and always dreamed to settle down in a city with a family of her own. Her mother never would've allowed such a thing as long as Lilliana was a child, though, so she had contented herself with her siblings and the wide world that she took for granted.

When Lilliana was ten, she realizes that there was something special about her. She was a singer, blessed with a voice that soared above mountains and skimed across rivers. When she grew old enough to leave on her own, Lilliana enticed people with her voice as an occupation. She even one day began to work at the Royal Palace of Balbadd. Nobles and commoners alike flocked to her, begging to hear her voice, it's wonderful euphoria giving all who heard it a high unlike anything else. The Royal Palace is also where she fell in love.

(She ended up lying about her child's parentage to Anise, saying it was 'just some man'. But she loved him too much to cheat. Lying to him would be impossible. But lying to protect Centola...Now that was something she could do.)

When she arrived in the Slums, the people welcomed her despite the child growing inside her stomach and entrusted her with her nickname. It made her laugh the first time she heard it, a strange and unwelcome bitterness rising in her chest. Honestly, she would rather to be the lowest on the food chain than be called the ruler of the unwelcome. But looking at her daughter, an eight-year-old growing girl, she wonders if that's really true. Her sweet baby girl, her little Centola is growing up and taking lessons from Mrs. Gamela.

It had surprised Lilliana when her boss announced that she was going to teach Centola to read. Lilliana knew that Mrs. Gamela was educated, but the very fact that she would even consider teaching Centola was unthinkable. Mrs. Gamela _is_ a resentful woman who runs a dinky bar and ignores the requests from even the most tired of girls to have a day off.

So when Mrs. Gamela took the request of a seven-now-eight year old? Lilliana wondered had happened that might melt the former Slum Queen's heart. And then the answer came to her and she was shocked at how soon her daughter developed her gift.

That night, while Centola sleeps soundly, she holds her little girl close and kisses her head.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." She whispers breathlessly. "I'm so sorry. I thought...My mother said it wouldn't happen until you were older...I'm sorry about what I'm going to have to do."

Lilliana's eyes cloud with memories of a woman that looks like herself, a beauty with long brown hair and eyes of the most sparkling gems. She had skin that was tanned and glowed, and gracefulness that could make even swans jealous. Memories of her own mother, and Centola's grandmother. If her daughter doesn't have this done now, then all sorts of trouble will ensue, and that isn't something she can allow. Unfortunately, that means dragging both Anise and Alibaba into her mess.

She can only hope that Anise won't hate her if she ever finds out.

Lilliana begins to sing in one of her hypnotizing songs in a honey voice, and Centola shines a white glow. Lilliana may not have been blessed with the magic her mother has, but she can still preform a binding spell with surprising accuracy.

_"Oh girl of great beauty_

_And everlasting magic made by the stars themselves,_

_Glow with truth and happiness_

_Your King has come_

_Now praise the Gods_

_He is yours,_

_And you are his."_

She places her hand between her daughter's collar bones. The light flows over Centola's skin, gathering under her hand before adjusting and settling over the flesh. There's a flash and the white light slowly fades away, leaving a strange mark on her child's chest. Lilliana's hands fall to her sides and she lets loose a sigh she didn't know she was holding in.

"Centola..." She murmurs, and then, feeling drained and tired beyond belief, the Queen of the Slums falls asleep beside her child and hopes for a better tomorrow.

* * *

It's pretty, but entirely unexplainable. Looking in the mirror, Centola drags the top of her tunic down and stares at the tattoo in the center of her collar bone. A flower with a stem and leaf, shimmering gold, with a little sun and moon imprinted on the center where the pollen should have been. With her fingers she traces the lines of the petals and stem, wondering how it came to be.

_How will I explain this to mom?_

But her mother never says anything about it; doesn't even comment once.

* * *

"Wha...?" Anise says, looking at the mark her son shows her. It looks to be a sun with a dagger crossing over it on the right side of his chest, a tan colored tattoo.

"How did this happen?" She asks, and her son shakes his head, just as confused as she is. Anise huffs as realization strikes. "Alibaba, you better be able to wash this off! How many times have I told you not to put ink on your skin?"

"W-wha? It was my fault!"

"Don't blame your friends, mister!"

* * *

"Huh?" Kassim stares at the tattoo on the left side of his chest, surprise written all over his face. It's a moon, with a sword crossing over it on the left side. Though it's very interesting, Kassim fears for his masculinity.

"Please don't let the guys see this!"

* * *

"Please teach me!" Centola bows in front of her mother, hands at sides and eyes squeezing shut. To say that she is embarrassed and nervous is an understatement.

"...Of course!" Lilliana smiles down at her baby girl, who looks up, astonished and unbelieving. Lilliana can see how hard it has become for her to manipulate people to do her bidding now. She was forced to learn (with no notice) how to use her true feelings to get others to believe in her loyalty, a development that Lilliana has been happy to watch within her young daughter.

Lilliana is proud that her daughter was good at being trustworthy. It also makes her proud that Centola doesn't even seem to miss her short time of getting what she wanted. Lilliana has already seen one person loose themselves in that power, and she won't loose another person. Especially if that person is her little Centola.

_"Sister...Why is mother so cruel to us?"_

_"It's not like that, Lily. Mother...Just isn't good at keeping her eyes on the little things anymore."_

Lilliana leans down to Centola's height and smiles at her, tilting her head to the side.

"But you have to promise to work extra hard in order to take lessons." Centola nods, her eyes sharp and ready. Lilliana giggles and pats her soft hair lovingly.

"We'll start tomorrow. But for now, go and play with your friends!" At that moment, two little boys round the corner. One is golden haired Alibaba, looking like a kicked puppy (she has reason to suspect it's because Centola isn't paying him any attention). The other boy is the black haired and shifty eyed Kassim, the one that Anise has taken in after his good-for-nothing father disappeared (not that she's surprised, he's a dead beat that happens to actually _beat_ his children. He could burn in Hell for all she cares).

Kassim spots Centola standing beside her mother and calls out.

"OI! Cent, get your butt over here!" Centola looks reluctant but Lilliana holds her self a bit higher and pretends to scold her sweet daughter.

"Go on! If you don't go play I'm not gonna teach you!" Centola pales and takes off, joining her two friends. Lilliana watches how she is pulled into a 'friendly' hug by Alibaba, and then after getting half-suffocated she wraps her little arms around Kassim's waist and burrows her face into his tunic. He turns his head away from them as Alibaba pouts and make a go for one of her hands.

But even from where she is standing Lilliana can see one of two things.

One, she can see the blush across Kassim's tan cheeks.

Two, she can see how under his tunic, where his heart is, there is a tattoo-like mark.

Her head jerks over to Alibaba, where a similar tattoo is hidden under his sack-like clothing.

She backs up and almost trips as she disappears into her house. She slides down the wall and wipes away the sweat on her forehead with the back of her (shaking) hands.

Why didn't she remember about Kassim? Why didn't she notice the way his eyes lit up when they stared at Centola? Why was she so stupid as to not specifically address the one she meant to seal that power in during the spell!? But even as she scolds herself, she can't help but laugh slightly at how silly it all is.

_So now an eight year old little girl has two little brats in love with her, huh?_

* * *

A week later, both all three marks disappeared from the children's skin, but not from their hearts.

* * *

Yoohoo! I'm finished with the first chapter! YEAH!

I hope I didn't offend anyone with the paragraph about her name. It's just that most people I know don't like their name and always wish their parents would have chosen something else, which is sorta the reason I decided to put it in there. If your name is Jane, then I apologize and didn't mean to offend or insult you. :(

BUT- Did you like it? Find it interesting? Anything I could do better? Just tell me and I'll make sure to put it down. I hope your liking it so far and don't worry, It'll all start to make sense in the next chapter!

Speaking of which, I'm going to download a new chapter once or twice a week depending on the situation. The next update is going to be on monday, so look forward to it!

BYE~~~~~~~


	3. Chapter 2: Of Goodbyes and Farewells

Whelp everyone, welcome to chapter 2! I'm happy you've made it this far XD We are continuing on with Centola's early life...And several interesting developments occur ;)

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIRST ARC:** The Temptress of Balbadd

CHAPTER 2: Of Good Farewells and Bad Goodbyes

* * *

**Disclaimer**: Magi doesn't belong to me but to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called 'Children of Solomon' which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.

* * *

**Year 8: **_It's terrifying. _

She watches, the rain pouring down on her tiny shoulders, as Kassim's father beats him.

A punch there, a shove here, and she feels like she's going to throw up. She blinks away tears and tries to understand why she can't make him stop. There is no warmth in her heart that usually helps her charm people, and without it she just feels scared and alone. Her friend is being beaten in the cold by his very own father, and all she can do is watch. She cowers behind the wall and forces herself to breath normally, needing to be stable for at least a second. Kassim had pushed her over to the safety of the wall the minute his father raised his giant fist.

"Go!" He had yelled, and Centola couldn't seem to comprehend what that meant. She was distracted by the hand coming down and the rain trailing across her face, the desert shower having had come out of nowhere in a cloudburst. Kassim had been taking her home since it was raining, the sky gray and flat and not letting the sun peak through the curtain of iron.

_Kassim...Kassim...Kassim!_

Centola lets out a dry sob. Tears, hot and wet, slip down her cheeks. They mix with the coolness of the raindrops, the two separate entities mixing together to form rivers down her face.

_Oh God, please make it stop...Please!_

She begs with any God there is to save her friend. She knows what this is, _understands_ what is going to happen, but she doesn't _want_ it to happen. Kassim's father stops and turns slightly, shoving Kassim into the mud. He begins to walk in her direction. She sobs again and presses herself against the wall as Kassim's father comes closer. He lumbers toward her like a bear, a dangerous grin stretching from ear to ear.

Her braid is caught in his big, meaty hand and he pulls her out in front of Kassim. The tears have stopped momentarily, but they freeze in her eyes, the pain of her scalp causing more to build up. She can't see with them there, but can make out the blurry form of Kassim struggling to get up.

"K-Kassim..." She whispers, scared and frightened and suddenly feeling just like a little girl. Centola _is_ a little girl, even if she was a genius who was reborn after she died. She died a teenager, only a child still. The man laughs loudly at her meager plea for help. He tugs on her braid some more and rants to Kassim about how he was supposed to get some booze for him. Kassim yells something back but Centola doesn't understand what he is saying. It's all harsh words and pain and those hot tears clogging up her eyes.

"Hey...Where's Mariam? She could attract a few costumers at the ring." _That_ she understood all too well. This is the part where this...This monster tries to sell Mariam as a prostitute, even though she is only four years old. "Yeah! She could join in with this little bitch!" He laughs, and Centola feels cold all over.

_What? No...No...NO!_

"Kassim!" Centola screams as the monstrous man pulls her braid in an attempt to pull her away.

The knife is plunged deep into the older adult's side and there's more blood than Centola was expecting. Vaguely she feels a drop land on her cheek as her hair is released, relief flooding through her pained scalp as the messy, wet braid falls as limply as Kassim's father's body onto her shoulder. The life drains from his eyes, but a smile that's as twisted as a roller coaster is spread like butter across his face. His deep voice still speaks, almost calming, almost soothing.

"You're as bad as me, Kassim, just another slum bastard who'll never be worth a damn." He grunts and moans, twitching and writhing in the mud as his blood pools around him. And then...Nothing. Centola really does think she's going to throw up, but she holds it in and instead looks at Kassim, his hand bloody and the knife still in glued to his fingers.

Her sob breaks him out of his daze. The rain is hard and unforgiving and nobody in the slums can hear the children way over their heads out in the rain, one crying hysterically and the other trying to console her.

Kassim reaches out with his (clean) hand and strokes her hair.

"Don't cry, Centola...It'll all be okay...It'll all be okay." Centola buries her face in the crook of his neck and sobs until there's no more tears. She lays still in his arms and almost asks if she'll always smell the blood and liquor stuck inside her nose forever.

* * *

Kassim washes his hands in the flowing river and the knife flows away with the undertow.

Centola reaches down and washes hers as well. Her wet fingers rub at her cheek until it's clean and red. The sun comes out from behind the clouds, the rain passing the city buy as the clouds disintegrate into thin air. It's sunset and the world is all gold, but for the first time Centola truly understands why nobody notices it. The constant pulling of guilt threatens to sweep her away like the rushing of the tide and she can feel the tears come again. They coast down her cheeks silently and Kassim reaches out a hand like he wants to wipe them away. But he can still see the blood on those fingers and goes right back to washing, furiously scrubbing at every inch of skin.

Centola looks up at the taller boy, wondering how it all came to this. Slowly she inches closer and wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head in the place between his shoulder blades, hugging him. She can feel how tense he is, how much he'd like her to give him space. But this is the only thing that she can think to do, the only thing that feels right.

(Nothing can justify death. And that's a crushing fact, in scenarios such as this.)

"I-It...It's alright Kassim," She murmurs as soothingly as she can, holding him tight, "Please...If you have to cry, then let me cry with you."

He turns and takes her into his arms and hugs her, a damp spot developing on her shoulder as she weeps into his neck.

_He's only a child...I'm only a child..._

The sun glows as it bows it's head on the horizon.

* * *

**Year 9: **Centola learns many things while living in this world. She learns how to lie, she learns to be truthful, she learns to read and write. Her mother taught her how to sing and dance, and they often practice in front of the mirrors at the bar and at their home. She can't be very sure, but she thinks that she is rather good at singing. But the most important thing Centola thinks she learned would be the art of goodbyes.

Anise has gotten sick.

Their house is a in a shroud of sadness, Kassim and Alibaba refusing to face the reality of the situation and Mariam too naïve to realize what is even going on with her adoptive mother.

Centola knows what is going to happen.

Centola goes into their house and greets Alibaba and Kassim with a small smile. Alibaba's eyes are stuck on the form of his mother and Kassim gives her a solemn nod. The atmosphere is suffocating, the boys loitering around as they wonder what to do, while Mariam plays with a doll and looks between the older kids and Anise with an uncertain expression.

Anise lays on a cot in the corner, a pillow pushing her up as she motions to Centola to come over to her. The blond girl walks over to the black haired woman and sits next to her, smiling softly down at the once young woman. Anise's eyes shine but the rest of her is older than it's suppose to be, hands thin and frail, veins making long, visible marks up her skin. Her arms and legs and general _body_ look fatigued, while her posture is hunched over like an elderly woman. Centola takes Anise's now cold hands and murmurs softly to her,

"I'll take care of Alibaba and Kassim, Auntie...I promise." Anise looks at Centola and nods, her brown eyes turning glassy.

"You're the only one here that seems to understand, Centola," She whispers, making sure her voice is quite enough that the other kids can't hear her. "It's because you're so smart. You've always had an intelligent glint in your eye, but lately..." She begins to cough, a wet sound that resonates throughout through the house. Alibaba makes a move forward to help her but she raises a hand and waves him off.

"I'm fine, Alibaba...Please, you and Kassim go outside. I need to talk to Centola for a moment." Alibaba opens his mouth to say something, but Kassim grabs his arm and drags him outside, Mariam tottering after them faithfully.

"Anyway...You've changed Centola. You're eyes no longer give away your brains. You always say the polite, appropriate thing. It's because of the lessons, isn't it? Or maybe you're just smart enough to know how to." Anise chuckles but it isn't the kind, gentle giggle that she usually emits. No, it's a hard, raspy(, old) sound and Centola strokes her hand to sooth her. "Please Centola...Make sure Kassim, Alibaba and Mariam are safe. I'm going to die, but they'll live...They have to...Please, Centola, protect my precious children!"

Centola doesn't cry, doesn't smile. She lets her strong façade go and instead shows her real feelings. She shows a gentle face with sad eyes and a matching frown, not the bright eyed and smiley girl she's know for. She lets Anise see the old soul she was, the mature adult who's serious and sure.

"I'll do it, Auntie. I'll protect them all, it's the truth." Anise looks like she's about to cry when she stares at the girl in front of her. "But until we meet again, goodbye, Auntie, I'll miss you so much."

Anise smiles sadly and nods, leaning back on the cot.

"Goodbye, Centola...I love you like a daughter, you know." Centola doesn't say a thing, but the corners of her mouth twitch upward and Anise knows that Centola feels the same way she does.

* * *

Anise dies a few days later.

* * *

Alibaba's a mess, and Kassim's quiet, his eyes unusually sharp. Mariam comes crying to her, eyes bright red. Centola has never seen her this upset since her dad was around.

_He's dead now. We killed him. I killed him._

Mariam tells her what happened and Centola picks up the younger, smaller girl and runs to their house a little way down the road. She enters the house and sees Kassim standing still as stone as Alibaba cries over Anise's corpse, sobs rattling his bones. Centola's eyes soften and she gently places Mariam on the floor, the five year old grabbing the back of Centola's rags that vaguely resemble a dress as she goes to Alibaba.

The golden haired boy sits on the ground, trying to hide his tears as he hiccups and sobs. Centola sits on the floor beside him and takes his hand. He looks startled to see her, but she uses that to her advantage. Centola pulls him into a hug and the older boy instantly clings to her. She pats his back and strokes his hair.

"Don't be sad, Ali. Auntie is in a better place now, she'll never have to suffer again. I know it hurts, but we will get through this...We all will." Alibaba looks up at Centola, who smiles sorrowfully at him. "You, Kassim, Mariam, my mother and I. We are a team, and we'll all work together, okay?"

Alibaba nods slightly and Mariam sniffs loudly. Centola opens up her arms.

"Come here, Mariam, get in!" Mariam does so with gusto and Centola tightens her grip on them. Turning her head and giving Kassim a tiny smile gets him to move forward as well, sitting behind Centola and wrapping his longer arms around his little sister and mourning friend.

"Yeah," he agrees roughly "We're a team... Don't cry. I'll take care of you."

* * *

_Ah, let's see, apples, apples..._

Lilliana searches through the stand, finally finding the fruit her daughter had asked so sweetly for. She plops a few into her basket for the children and pays the storekeeper, turning to search for Shana. The woman is busy flirting with a man over the counter at another booth, making Lilliana chuckle. The lively market of Balbadd always brings Lilliana such joy.

The thriving cultural center is always filled with people bargaining and smiling and cracking jokes. It's a meeting place where all the classes intertwine as they search for goods and food. The smell of spices and sweet fruit drifts low in the air, overwhelming the senses of anything but the temptation of taste. The stomping of horse-shoes against stone signals to her the incoming carriage squeezing through the market, carrying rich tourists undoubtedly. Lilliana moves to go and rescue Shana from "falling in love" with the creep hitting on her, a smile and apology already prepared.

Then, she's pushed.

It could've been an accident. It _could've_.

But it was so _hard._

She stumbles back, loosing her footing instantly. Her gaze catches onto Shana's, the woman's smile freezing on her face. Then, she's not looking at Shana at all. She's looking into the face of her precious older sister, who's always there when things are rough and the world isn't fair. Her little sisters too, their little faces pressing against her own and their hands tangling in her hair as they sleep. Hands like that man's, that man whom she loves. He's always so _shy_ but so _sweet_, earnestly trying to win her love even though he already had it the moment their eyes met for the first time.

His red-wine hair, a beautiful color, slipping through her fingers as she pulls apart from their embrace, choosing to take his hand instead. She leads him through the gardens of the Palace she's grown to love, pointing out her favorites and her little sisters' favorites and the flowers her older sister planted herself. He laughs at every joke she tells, and awkwardly, lamely, but oh-so-gently, makes gentle implications that he wants to meet them and have them meet _his _family and, _perhaps Lily, maybe you'd like to see Sasan. I'm sure it's boring compared to the things you've seen, but it's simple and lovely and- ah, well, nothing is more lovely than you, but..._

She should've gone with him, she thinks bitterly. There is no way that she can be bitter about the life she has with her daughter and her friends, but loosing him was such a great pain, a pain that wounds her still. Rules and rituals be damned, she wouldn't have been _that _far along by the time they arrived in Sasan. And he would've married her, he promised her that just two sentences after she told him she was pregnant and asked for his opinion. Those two sentences were, _please, Lily, don't kill our baby _(_God no, I wouldn't do such a thing!) _and _Thank God. _But she was ashamed of who she was and knew if she had gone to Sasan the King would notice her- the famous story of Darius Leoxses and her older sister's feuds are still being told.

But if push came to shove-

Her eyes widen.

_He...He would've stayed here with me._

Ah, but that hurts, so she casts it aside. Their is still so much more to think about, to contemplate as she hovers in mid air, strands of her hair floating slowly up around her. She's still falling, but slowly, like sinking through the thick water of the ocean. To her side, the wheels of the carriage crawl close, little flowers carved into the wood. Before her, melding into the shadows of an alley, the man who pushed her flees from his crime. He doesn't allow her to see his face, shielding it with a viel held to his head by a crown of thorns.

What else is there before you die, Lilliana?

Oh, well, there is that wonderful person. Their scent when they were born, so small and beautiful. Their eyes, so like her's, their hands curling around her brown hair and holding on tight. That child, that girl, who wrapped tightly around her at night and clung to her when she was sleepy. That daughter, who has a voice like an angel's and eyes that are so utterly intelligent even as she tries to hide it. What a beauty, what a gentle child, what a lovable, perfect being that she created. So pure and bright and warm-

_Time's up_.

* * *

_It's not suppose to be like this. It's not real. My mother is...No. It's not. No._

She doesn't believe it. Even as the evidence is right in front of her and Shana tries to explain, she doesn't listen. Kassim touches her shoulder and Alibaba tries to take her hand, but she shakes them off, confused and angry. She puts a hand to her forehead and presses, then takes it off and scratches her arm instead.

The green eyed girl fidgets, then collapses in front of the still form that is- _was_ her mother.

"Mom...?" She asks, feeling stupid and silly and incredibly lonely. She takes her mother's cold, smooth hand and presses her lips to it. Tears live in her eyes but she doesn't let them go. She uses her fingers to comb her mother's messy brown hair and rubs her cheek before speaking again.

"I love you, Mom...I'm sorry I couldn't help you...I'll...I'll be..."

_Mommy...Mommy...Please wake up..._

Her voice doesn't crack, but she takes a shaky breath that's deep and unsettling. Her insides feel like they are frozen up, her arms and legs seeming to be awkward and strange. For some reason the world seems too big for her and just a bit darker, somehow. She finally continues on.

"I will be strong...And I want you to know that I will be good" She presses her mother's hand to her cheek "Goodbye, Mom...I really, really love you. _So much_."

She stares at her mother for what feels like days before attempting to get up. After a few tries she succeeds and her gaze falls to her mother's white face and closed eyes, hair now carefully fanned out. Even in death her mother is so beautiful, even if her neck is twisted in a strange way and her entire body is devoid of warmth.

The girl stumbles back to Alibaba and Kassim, trying hard not to look at their pitying faces. Her heart feels like a hand had reached in and torn away apart of it, creating a hole right in the center of her being.

She lets Alibaba pull her into a hug and Kassim joins them. The little girl hugs them and lets the tears trail down her cheeks.

* * *

Lilliana had been pushed in front of a passing horse and carriage, instantly breaking her neck. Her last thought was about her daughter, Centola.

* * *

She doesn't cry when they bury her mother next to Anise. She doesn't cry because she has already used up all her tears. Centola made a promise a long time ago to herself that she would be strong for Kassim and Alibaba, so she tries her best to be the strongest of all of them.

She mourns silently and moves into Alibaba's house, taking her few meager possessions with her. She sleeps in a cot with Mariam and in the mornings gets up early to make breakfast. Centola assumes the role of their (younger) guardian, cooking and cleaning along with stitching and washing their clothes when they're ripped and dirtied. She grows up fast and smiles warmly (albeit a little sweetly too) at the others and tells them that if they get in trouble they aren't going the special dessert she bought after dinner.

It doesn't curb the pain, but pretending to be happy makes everything feel a bit dream-like.

Centola takes over her mother's job at the bar. Mrs. Gamela still teaches her a few meager things here and there, but Centola's life is now focused primarily on dancing and singing and getting home before her friends (family) to straighten up the house and light a fire for dinner. She works hard, maybe too hard, and within all those duties and responsibilities, she finds herself a purpose that helps build up resilience against the curse of death knocking at her heart.

_Is this how Alibaba felt? Is this how everyone feels?_

She supposes you have to be an orphan to understand what being an orphan is like.

The food she has is usually something small but filling, thanks to the bag of coins Mrs. Gamela gives her once a week. Alibaba, Kassim and Mariam bring in a few coins from their odd jobs, but it's Centola who took charge. She promised Anise and her mother, after all. She often wonders when the king is coming, and what will happen afterwards. Alibaba will be gone (would she see him again?) and it's a hard thing to process, even though she knows it is essential to the plot.

_Am I essential to the plot? Was Mom dying_ essential_ to the plot? Oh dear God, why did you kill my mother?_

Thinking about it makes her head and heart hurt really badly, so she stops and focuses on her routine.

On the just slightly brighter side, Kassim's father was right. Despite barely being nine, men flock to the tavern and to watch her, mesmerized as she dances and sings loudly and proudly, just like her mother taught her to. The extra men brought extra cash, as well. Today Shana braids her hair in a crown around her head and adds a green chain to hang across her forehead, a bright emerald gem shaped like a rain droplet placed delicately on the center of her forehead.

"Thank you, Shana." Centola says, and Shana smiles at her, regret twisting her face. It internally makes Centola cringe and become filled with sadness, but the outside her ignores it.

"No problem...Good luck!" Shana forces herself to look directly at her and Centola finds it almost sad how she thinks she can pretend not to feel guilty about Lilliana's death.

_It's not your fault. She was in a market place with you, but you didn't push her in front of the merchant. You're not to blame._

Centola pulls on her green dress and ties a light pink sash around her waist, warming up her voice as she changes. She does the scales and some vocal exercises her mother told her to do before every performance. Taking in her view in the mirror after putting on some gloss on her lips, Centola decides she looks good. Barely nine but rather pretty, if she may say. Her long, waist length hair could be tamed into any hairstyle and every color she wore matched her eyes. She is as tall as Kassim now, and her willowy grace leads to performances that make people cheer and roar excitedly.

But her looks weren't her only asset.

She is still a prodigy of sorts, hiding her smarts from only those closest to her. She still remembers how to speak Spanish and French and her times tables are flawless. To practice some days she translates every thing she heard into a different language and other days she recites the names of the chemicals in the periodic table of elements by stating their number of neutrons, protons, electrons and what they are commonly found in. But really, it doesn't matter much (for now) while working hard day after day in the Slums.

When she comes on stage, drunks and sober men alike cheer and jeer, stamping their feet and spilling their drinks on the women around them. Centola takes her place (one leg lifted above the other with her foot pointed), and lifts her arms up.

When the music hits the right beat, she begins to twirl across the stage and stops suddenly, both arms extended to her sides.

_"Hear me, hear me,_

_Can't you see me?_

_I'm on top of the world."_

Centola sings her heart out onstage, lyric after lyric turning into song after song and dance after dance. This is her life now, hips moving in rhythm and lips spewing music that she had memorized the moment she first heard her mother sing them to her a long, long time ago.

* * *

With an increase of customers came a limit, and to break that limit, Mrs. Gamela has her start working nights instead of days. Nights, she reasons, means that more men can come into the bar with a pocket full of drinking dough. She doesn't like it at first, but Mrs. Gamela adds a few extra coins to her payment and all is well again.

Alibaba disagrees anyway.

"Why should you have to work so late?" he askes, eating the stew Centola has made earlier for them. Kassim sits quietly on the floor, eating as well. Mariam seemed interested in the conversation and Centola pursues her lips, wondering how to tell him about the effects of late nights, large quantities of alcohol and sex appeal.

"It's my job, Ali. Besides, this way I can spend the days with you all instead of only seeing you in the mornings and evenings."

"But..." Alibaba seems at a loss for words, all sorts of emotions crossing over his face. "You're just as young as us, Cent! Having a job like yours is crazy!"

Centola gathers her empty bowl and sets it aside, planning on later going to the river to wash them. She stands, knowing she has to go soon. She smiles at Alibaba, who stares up at her, eyes filled with anger. Maybe it isn't anger at her, but at life for making his dear friend have to work so hard to protect him.

"Ali, you're right. I'm nine. But then again, you're ten, Kassim's eleven, and Mari is six."

"Almost seven!" Mariam giggles, smiling. Her brother grins at her, and Centola laughs. Alibaba looks away, not finding the joy in the situation.

"But the fact of the matter is that we all have a role to fill in our team. Kassim and you do odd jobs and I work at the bar. When you two are old enough maybe you can work on the buildings with the construction workers. Then, perhaps we can get enough money for a real house and three meals a day!" Kassim and Alibaba's faces sour, but they smile at Centola's enthusiasm. Said girl jumps around, arms open and eyes closed, dreaming about the life they could have. She stops and grabs Alibaba's hands, spinning him around. They both laugh and Centola pulls him closer when they stop, leaning in close as if sharing a secret.

"We'll have a nice little place- maybe with a room for me and Mariam and a room for Kassim and you," She motions to Mariam and Kassim, and they stand, running over to hear her spin a tale of tomorrow, "I'll still work nights but Mariam and I could make you boys good meals and we all will wear nice clothes!"

She pulls Mariam away, and they take a few loose rags from the floor and tie them around their waists like skirts. They both take respective boys, Mariam grabbing at the way taller Alibaba and Centola using her dance experience to spin gracefully into Kassim's clumsy arms. They all dance around in a silly form of a waltz, though Centola doubts that any of them really know what that is. Mariam laughs and cries in delight,

"Big Sis! Continue!" Centola smiles widely then pretends to faint, Kassim scrambling to catch her.

"We'll soon be living in luxury! Mari, you'll be a seamstress, the best in Balbadd! As for the boys, you'll take your, um, respective jobs of your choosing and people say you're the very best in the entire world! And I, well, I'll become a big time singer and dancer, preforming for everyone to see; men, women, rich, poor, anyone and everyone!"

Centola is out of Kassim's grasp and she picks up Mariam, running around their house with the six year old high in the air, both girls screaming with joy. Kassim and Alibaba are laughing and it feels so much like a home that Centola wants to cry. This moment, full of happiness and light-hearted giggling, is truly magic. There is no other joy than the sudden, golden moment that she knows she'll never forget.

When she tires, Mariam is placed on the ground and Centola hugs Alibaba, smiling widely.

"See? It may be hard now, but soon, we'll all be happy...I promise, Ali!" She can't see his face but can feel the grin. Mariam takes her brother's hands and then they are all waltzing again, Alibaba this time with Centola. Centola picks up the edge of her rag/skirt and pretends that she's not blushing wildly. Alibaba has one hand on her waist and the other holding her hand. Every thing feels right, and Centola can't help but feel like maybe things won't be so bad if what she describes actually comes true.

* * *

Kassim dances with his sister, little Mariam trying to copy Centola's natural ability to dance. Speaking of said girl, he stares across the room, at the girl with the long braid and ratty dress, Alibaba gliding across the shack with her.

Kassim suddenly can't think of anything more prefect than them. Alibaba, with his golden looks and Centola, with her beauty and grace. They look like they were made to be together, but maybe that's because of who they are. They both had kind, gentle mothers whose blood course through them, making them...pure. But not Kassim. Kassim was unlucky enough to be born with the blood of his disgusting father, and he...He's going to end up just like him. No matter what tale Centola makes up, no matter what plans they promise to execute.

He pretends to have fun, but something that's black and green and ugly sprouts up from his lungs and blocks his throat, making it impossible to speak without tearing up.

Jealousy.

That's what it is. Yes, that must be it. Because instantly Kassim wishes that he could be the one dancing with her again, smiling like they were in their own little world. He wishes that he could be close enough to stare straight into her green eyes and see what she's thinking instead of his reflection, like it usually is.

* * *

It's a sunny, beautiful day their lives begin to break.

* * *

"A-Ali?" The boy looks up from the string bracelets he was working on with Mariam as Centola enters their house, her eyes glued to her hands that twist the rag she uses to clean the dishes.

"Centola? What's wrong?" Centola gulps, and even from the distance Alibaba can see how pale she is. He gets up and walks closer, reaching out and feeling her forehead. "Are you sick? You don't look very well."

Centola won't look at him.

"Where's...Where's Kassim?" The older blond can feel the irritation build within him at the mention of his adoptive brother.

"He's probably out again with those guys he hangs out with...I swear! If he keeps-" Centola squeezes his arm and Alibaba lowers his voice so Mariam can't hear him speak "-_stealing_, things are going to become rocky around here."

Centola puts her hand to her forehead, and for the first time Alibaba notices the tears in her eyes. He takes a step back and then forward again, mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"D-did you guys get into a fight? Oh...um...I'll, er, try and-" Centola shakes her head.

"I didn't get in a fight with Kassim, Ali...But there's...there's a very important person who wants to see you."

"What? Who?" Centola looks him in the eyes and something unreadable is flashings across the green depths. She suddenly hugs him tight, burrowing her face into his shoulder. He is unsure whether or not to hug her back or demand an explanation. Centola has always been motherly, affectionate and a _major_ hugger, but this seems like she's doing it to remember what it feels like.

"It's the King." She whispers, and Alibaba freezes.

"W-wha...? That's a funny j-joke Centola!" Alibaba laughs uncomfortably but Centola moves back and motions outside.

"Mariam, sweetie, Ali and I have some business to take care of." Mariam is too wrapped up in her work to notice Centola's honeyed voice shake, but she does nod and grin, holding up a red and blue bracelet.

"Okay, Big Sis! Look! I'm almost finished with it" Centola nods and hums in appreciation.

"It's wonderful, sweetheart," Then Centola leads Alibaba outside, her legs shaking with every step. Alibaba himself moves cautiously, taking in his surroundings like he never noticed them before. The people are huddled in the shadows, watching with razor sharp eyes and fearful glances at the guards that surround a fancy carriage. One of them walks forward and completely ignores Centola, his attention solely on Alibaba.

"Are you the boy Alibaba? Someone wants to see you." Alibaba can't say anything, and even if he did there wouldn't be anything he could think of saying. He can only follow the guard to the carriage and look back once to see Centola with her back to him, gripping onto the curtain that serves as their door.

* * *

Centola waits patiently as Alibaba explains his encounter with the King to Kassim, Mariam and her. She stays standing while the others sit, hands clasping one another in front of her, lips pressing together even as she tries to relax.

"I knew it." Centola's bangs falls in front of her eyes, covering half of her face as she listens to the two boys speak.

"Huh?" Alibaba asks, confused and a little hurt. Kassim sighs and proceeds to tell Alibaba the words Centola has been dreading for years.

"I always wondered why a guy like you was in the Slums."

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"Oh give me a break! I could never make you one of the crew...Because it didn't feel right. You didn't steal. You never do anything wrong. You're always alone, playing the saint. We've been different since birth! _So Get Lost!"_Centola remains still the whole time, standing back as they begin to fight, Alibaba giving Kassim a good 'thrashing'.

When they finally separate, Centola is walking away, already at the other end of the street. She can feel their stares as she leaves.

"Cent!" Alibaba yells, but she ignores him. She doesn't know where she is going, but for some reason can't stand to stay at her home anymore. Faintly, she can hear the thumping of feet as they begin to run toward her. And Centola breaks into a mad dash, sprinting down the junkyard town and dodging the junkyard people and doing what she does best: escaping from what scares her.

* * *

It's late afternoon when Kassim and Alibaba find her. Centola had found her way back to a building they used to play in when they were young. She's staring at the sky, wondering how long it would take to escape to the plains. Perhaps she could join with the Kouga clan, milking cows and fighting with the Kou Empire over land agreements. She couldn't, not realistically, but it's nice to think about.

Alibaba is first to emerge onto the roof. He too takes a look at the sky, squinting against the sun. Then, he spots her sitting on the edge, staring straight up.

"Centola? Centola!" He cries with delight, running over to her. Centola didn't acknowledge him, merely continuing to cloud-gaze.

"You're leaving." She whispers softly. Alibaba flinches and kicks his foot on the rough stone.

"I guess I am," He agrees, sighing. "But...Why'd ya run? We were all so worried about you, Cent!" She gets to her feet, looking at his torn and dusty tunic.

"I don't...I'm sorry for running Ali. I was just a little overwhelmed was all."

_Please don't leave me, Alibaba. I can't handle loosing another person I love!_

"It's alright, Centola," Kassim grumbles from the doorway, entering with a dirty look shot straight at Alibaba. Alibaba pointedly ignores him and Centola takes her braid in her hands, following the crisscross of the hair.

"I..." And then she remembers what she promised Anise before she died. What would Anise want for Alibaba? To continue living in this trash heap of a neighborhood? The answer wasn't what Centola likes, but its the right one. "I hope you learn a lot, Ali!" Centola smiles widely, clasping her shaking hands behind her back. Then she turns the smile to Kassim, narrowing her eyes.

"What was that I heard about a... 'Crew'?" Kassim pales and looks away. Centola wants to believe that he had just been avoid conversation of it, but now her suspicions that he thought she wouldn't notice are confirmed.

"It's nothing, Cent."

"Oh, we are having a looooong talk when we get back home."

(Three return to their house together for the last time.)

* * *

The carriage takes Alibaba away later that evening.

Centola distinctly remembers the shiny wheels and perfect paint, the boy who wears rags getting in, sitting across from a very regal man.

She also remembers the last hug he gives her, tight and warm. She remembers how he whispers into her ear,

"I'll miss you so much, Cent."

She remembers how, before she could even think about what she was saying, she whispers,

"I've had a crush on you for a long time, Alibaba." The surprise on his face just makes her smile more, and she pushes him into the guards, who instantly surround him.

* * *

She's still nine when Alibaba left, and she knows that she has five years before he comes back. Five years to save her friends, and possibly salvage her dreams.

_But sometimes, Fate is a cruel mistress._

* * *

**Year 10: **"I'm just saying Kassim, I don't think it's a good idea!" She exclaims, folding the cloth that Mariam had finished embroidering. "What do you expect to get out of stealing?" Kassim sits on their dirty, beat up rug, polishing his dagger while Centola rants. It's not often she lectures the boy, and it's not often that she gets this upset, but Kassim has been stealing more and more lately and she is fed up with trying to speak peacefully with him.

"What do you think's going to happen? I'm _good_ at it, Cent! Yes, it's not the most _glamorous_ job but-"

"Job? Job?! That is not a _job_, that's just a pass time." She growls, stepping toward him dangerously, anger bubbling to the surface. He stands too, leaving the dagger lying on the rug. He matches Centola with each step. He's bigger than her, taller and wider. Granted, they were both starved children in the Slums, but Kassim's always been a step above of Centola and Alibaba in terms of growth. Still, Centola doesn't waver.

"It provides, doesn't it?" His eyes are wild and his voice as hard as steel. She continues to hold her ground, determined to get him to actually listen to her for once. He has kept his crew a secret from her and now treats her like she is too dumb to understand. She knows how to read and write, she knows mathematics and geography, and she _knows_ that she is a _lot_ more clever than him, so how _dare_ he try to pull this off on her!

_Why isn't he listening!?_

"What's going to happen once you get caught?"

"I'm not, that's what I'm saying!"

"Oh, like you've _never_ been caught before."

"I want to give Mariam and you a good life!" Centola closes her mouth opens it again, gulping before turning her back to him. She covers her eyes with her hands, trying to process what he's saying. It takes several long moments of silence and deep breaths to calm herself down, the shouts still vibrating in her ears. She removes her hands and turns around again, now completely serious.

"Is nothing I say going to get through to you?" He presses his lips together tightly until they turn white.

"No." He murmurs. Centola sighs, tears collecting in her green orbs. All the anger from before is gone and what is left is just a empty feeling that resembles a blackhole eating away at her happiness.

"Kassim," She begins to cry, and Kassim steps forward, smoothing down her hair with his large, calloused hands. Hands that have held knifes, stolen and killed. Hands that have guided her, helped her up and brushed away her tears.

"I'm so sorry Centola...But...But a man like me just isn't made to listen to a woman like you."

"..."

"Your pure, Cent. You still keep your pride and virtue, never allowing others to get you down. But me...I'm rotten to the core, filled with my father's sins." He places his hands on her shoulders to make sure she looks him straight in the eye. "A guy like me might want to follow your path, but I know I'll go right back to what I was doing before hand. I can't lie to you, Cent. I'm gonna keep stealing, because it's the only thing I can do. So please, don't cry because of the truth, just accept that it is what it is."

"..."

_I can't do that, Kassim, because I want to save you._

* * *

_How could they do this to us?!_

Segregation truly is a horrible thing. When she was Jane, she had never given much thought to it because she knew that it wouldn't ever happen to her. Now the experiencing is slapping her across the face.

The soldiers pay no mind to them as they shuffle in, zombie-like, to the walled prison. It's a cramped, disgusting place with little to no houses available and huge walls to make sure no one can get in or out. Kassim, Mariam and her all race and claim a small, dusty hut with holes in the walls and barley a place to cook. The soldiers didn't let anyone bring anything in, but Centola managed to sneak in a small bag of coins and a couple loafs of bread. Kassim had hid his sister's sewing supplies and a few pieces of fabric. Mariam had gotten a few apples in.

Centola knows that they're going to cut off access to the market and restric goods coming in and out of their new 'home'.

_I can do without the goods, but the market...What will we do for food...?!_

It's almost as if they're purposefully trying to starve their own people to death. Being lower class doesn't mean that they're cockroaches, no matter what those in the markets who sneer at her sputter. Mariam puts the apples by the fireplace and looks around the old structure that they had claimed as their own. She faces toward the two older kids and launches into Centola's arms, whimpering like a kicked puppy.

"Big Sis!" She cries, a frown taking over her innocent face. "We did we have to leave? What are they going to do to us?" Centola leans down and wipes tears from her soft cheeks, humming a melody under her breath. When Mariam calms down and she finally has an answer to give, she starts to speak.

"Don't you worry about that, Mariam," The strawberry blonde reaches up and pulls on Kassim's tunic until he leans down as well, his always serious eyes looking straight at her. "Kassim and I will take care of it. Until then, we all need to keep working hard to protect one another. _And_ also help everyone else from the Junkyard. If we want to survive we need to help one another." Mariam nods slowly and Kassim's face visibly darkens, a secret conversation occurring between the two older kids as they engage in a staring match.

"Mariam, start setting up shop, me and Cent need to have a chat." Kassim growls, getting up and pulling Centola out of their house. When he effectively drags her away from their new home and the guards, he glares at her and begins to speak.

"What about my crew?"

"...That's..." She can feel the hot anger traveling from her head to her toes, hands fisting and teeth grinding together. "_That's_ what you care about?!" She nearly shouts, coming close enough to him to make him hit a wall behind him out of surprise. "I thought you'd be worried about food or _maybe_ the fact that we've been put in an even crappier place than before, but no, it's just about your _Goddamn__ crew, isn't it?!_" She yelling now, but no one stops on the streets to stare, they're too busy trying to find places to sleep now that they're in a whole new environment. "Could you maybe, just _maybe,_ think about your family?!"

_"I AM!"_ He counters, eyes sharp and fiery. "If I find a way out of here, then I can get us food. Do you understand, Centola? I can help, but only if I take the low road." His voice calms through out his sentence, his temper cooling. Kassim rubs his forehead, thinking hard about something. Centola tries to remember her anger but just can't seem to stay mad. It feels like they've been fighting a lot since Alibaba left.

_Alibaba..._

The thought of her old friend brings fresh pain into her heart. She always though that she was the one keeping Kassim and Alibaba from fighting, but now she realizes that Alibaba had also been the one keeping Kassim and her from getting into a scuffle. Sighing, Centola knows that she can't try to stop Kassim from stealing.

_It's in his nature._

But she can and will guide him toward the right choices. Honestly, she doesn't know how she can possible change this world from the very bottom. She's too young and too powerless and doesn't have the connections. The only possible way she can think of is to aggressively pursue her goals through flattery and persuasion, but she's not that kind of woman. So, she's going to have to do her best.

Centola meets Kassim's eyes and grins, holding out a hand.

"Truce?" She asks, and Kassim smirks, a chuckle vibrating in his chest.

"Geez, you can flip your personality on a whim!" But he takes her outstretched hand and shakes, a strong and firm grip that feels nothing like the time when they were little.

* * *

**Year 11: **"Mariam..." Her throat is dry like the desert and her eyes water. Mariam lay before her, weak and thin as her body shakes with fever.

_I can see her ribs...Oh God, I can see her ribs!_

It's mostly because she refuses to eat, and everything they force her to have makes her throw up a slimy black goo that smells like spoiled milk and rotten eggs. Centola barely has any water, and what she does have she uses on a cloth to wipe Mariam's forehead and face. Mariam opens her eyes, which are red around the edges and mucus lines the corners. Still, Centola wonders how she never noticed what a light shade of brown they were, just like her mother's hair at sunset.

"Big...Brother?" Her voice is raspy and low, and her hands shake violently.

"No, sweetheart...It's Centola, it's Big Sister." Mariam almost smiles but that appears to cause her great pain. She begins to cough, black sludge flying out of her mouth and staining her tunic. Centola has to force herself not to gag. Taking a dirty rag she wipes Mariam's mouth and neck, trying to get her little sister just a little clean.

"Big Sissster...It huuuuurts..." Centola bites her lip and nods slightly, pushing Mariam's black braids out of her face.

"I know, sweetheart, I know...But it'll all be better soon, okay?"

_Did I just lie?_

"You're right...I can see Anise..." Her whole body tenses and she draws blood from her lip.

"R-Really? How is she?"

"Good." The child's voice is slower now, lower than before. "I can see Lilliana too...She's smiling." A lone tear trails down Centola's face, landing on Mariam's cheek.

"I see. Mariam, I want you to know something." Mariam's eyes slowly find Centola and stare straight at her. "Be good to Anise and Lilliana. H-have...Have a good trip, sweetie! I've always loved you!"

The black haired little girl blinks before going limp, her eyes glazing over.

Her mouth finally twitches painfully into a smile.

"Goodbye...Cento..." Centola's shaking, and she stares at the form that _was_ Mariam for a very long time before she opens her mouth and begins to wail.

_I wasn't. And that's almost worse._

* * *

Kassim's grip on her hand is painful, but Centola doesn't care. They watch as the cart filled high with bodies is wheeled away, taking little Mariam with it. The two stare at it, just like all the sobbing people around them, until it exits through the gates and disappears fully. Her eyebrow twitches. Kassim has tears falling down his cheeks, landing in the dirt below him.

"I'm going to get us out of here, Centola." The pain in her hand increases and she winces.

"How?" She asked hopelessly, shuffling her feet. The thirteen year old is glaring with his cold, hard eyes at the gates, lips moving with silent curses to the people who live beyond it.

"I'll do it, Cent. And until then, we're gonna survive for _ourselves_, not anyone else."

"...Is that really a good idea?"

"It's the only one I have."

* * *

**Year 12: **Kassim gets them out.

Centola had given him the bag of coins she'd been saving for years and he bribed a few of the guards to smuggle them through the gates, along with a few members of his crew. Their gang first travels toward their old homes, before finding an empty space replacing it.

"They must have demolished it," Kassim says matter-of-factly, and the others nod their heads in agreement. Centola says nothing, but felt a pang in her chest for her old home. Now there's just a wide, dusty lot replacing it, empty and airy. It almost looks like more of a blemish than Junkyard Street had been. The other street rats split up, making plans to meet after they were settle.

"Oi! Kassim, do ya wanna stay with me? I gotta place 'round here they didn't destroy." Kassim looks at Centola and opens his mouth to decline before Centola beas him to the punch.

"You should go with Hassan."

"Huh?" Kassim's eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open. Centola smiles slightly and tilts her head off in the other direction.

"I have some things I need to do, so you go with him." Kassim's mouth opens and closes like a fish. Centola takes the opening to run off, waving and yelling,

"Let's meet here tomorrow at noon!"

* * *

Centola walks the path she has walked since she was a child, down a dusty, dirty path that lead around and through buildings with broken walls. She comes to the bar she has dreamed about, the last place she considers a home in this destroyed Balbadd of hers. It's late at night and men are exiting the door, drunk and disorderly as they laugh and forget about their troubles.

The strawberry blonde goes around the side (making sure to avoid the drunkards) and knocks on the door until an elderly woman with clouded, gray eyes and wrinkles all over her face opens it with a scowl. Then, a crooked twisting of her lips that is as close to a smile as Mrs. Gamela can have appears on her face and she cackles like a witch.

"I should have known that a brat like you wouldn't have gone down so easily!" Centola smiles brightly and slyly replies,

"And here I was thinking that you would be long dead, Mrs. Gamela!"

* * *

Mrs. Gamela's apartment is just like she remembers, with books lining the walls and a certain homeliness to it that one wouldn't expect from the old, strict woman who ran the bar downstairs. Centola is given a cot and Mrs. Gamela helps her set it up next to the bed. Exhaustion from her escape finally sweeps over the girl, and she flops down on the cot in an unladylike manner, pulling the blanket up to her chin.

"So you're back, Centola."

"Hmm..."

"Are you going to continue working for me?" Centola can't help but laugh and nod her head.

"Of course I am!"

"Good. I've lost customers and the entertainment I hired is tone deaf." Centola slips her hands under her pillow and her eyes close, sleep dragging her down onto the cot that feels wonderful after nearly two years of sleeping on the rough ground.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Gamela"

"Yeah, yeah, goodnight."

* * *

**Year 14: **The show is always a thrill, even after years of doing it. For two years, things almost go back to normal. Centola begins to work for Mrs. Gamela again, singing and dancing for the crowds of people who roar in approval of her seductive tactics. Kassim has come into money somehow (though she knows it's because he's become a thief) and offered to help her get her own place, but she declined, stating that she wanted to use her own money.

The new house she bought is a one bedroom, one kitchen place that cost nearly everything she has, but Centola doesn't complain because it's her own. Mrs. Gamela insisted she buy it so that she could be close to the bar. For tonight's show, her skirt is a long piece of green fabric that she uses the top corners of to knot at her waist. A green bandeau with black straps are tight against her chest, and gold circlets are placed on each of her upper arms, her hair held up in a braided bun. A few wavy strands of hair near her bangs hang loose around her face, and she actively needs to try to not blow them away in order to provide her with a, 'mature look'.

In the mirror she notices how different she looks from years ago when she first preformed. Instead of an awkward, budding girl, she's a taller, filled out young lady with curves in the right places and eyes that shine. Her neck is slim like a swan and her arms and legs are long and graceful. The strawberry blonde's face has gentle lines to it, almost as if reflecting her pacifist nature. She is fourteen years old, and the crowds crave her skin when she dances.

Today the melody is smooth and low, a song meaning to inspire excitement in the hearts of those who listen. Centola moves just like the beat, and keeps her voice low and loud.

_"Nobody ever said_

_'It's going to be easy'._

_Oh, oh, no,_

_Honey, it's so much more than that."_

She continues to belt out lyric after lyric, wishing the music never has to end. Every time she sings, it's like a thousand butterflies are swarming around her, holding her up above the world.

_"It's just not our day, darling_

_But soon,_

_At night,_

_We can play."_

After her set, she exits the stage and enters the dressing room, wiping her forehead with a towel. She carefully reapplies her lip gloss and blush and listens to the other girls talk behind her.

"Kassim's back~"

"He's so dreamy!" Centola smiles and hides her face, struggling not to laugh as the girls all praise her friend.

"And that boy with him? Mmmhmm."

"He's obviously rich. We should try to schmooze him." Centola freezes and turns toward them.

"Excuse me," she says politely, stepping closer to the group "Who's with Kassim this evening?" Her voice is honey and so is her smile. The girls blush and scratch their heads.

"We're not sure," Admits one girl, who shuffles her feet. She's twenty yet is so embarrassed that she can't look Centola in the eyes. The other one is more confident, but the air around her is boastful.

"Some blonde boy." she waves her hand back and forth in a 'doesn't matter' gesture. "He's a bit...Naïve."

_She probably thinks I'm going to steal him from her._

Centola pales and excuses herself from the conversation, walking to the door and entering the lounge, smiling at Yukino the bartender as she passes the bar. For a moment, nobody notices her, but then there are stares and looks and a few whistles. She curses herself for not changing before coming here, lamenting that it's too late to hightail it back to the dressing room.

So instead she walks confidently toward the back where Kassim sits facing her in a wooden chair, a boy sitting across from him. Her heart begins to beat fast as her palms sweat, but she keeps her composure and makes sure her face is set in a calm expression.

_The boy has golden hair and wears green and white robes._

A man beside her reaches out his arm.

"Hey there, baby," He mumbles, grinning ear to ear. She stops and faces him. His ears and nose are covered with piercings, tattoos lining his arms and chest. His eyes are unfocused with drunken stupor, his cheeks flushed with alcohol. He tenses and pulls his arm back once he notices who she is and quickly sits up straighter. "Uh, sorry Centola. Say hi to Kassim for me, alright? I gotta go now." He jumps up from his coach and heads to another section of the bar, Centola watching him go.

That has happened a lot recently. Men who obviously aren't any good start to harass her and then leave her alone, mentioning Kassim. She has a inkling of suspicion they are apart of Kassim's gang, and would someday ultimately become apart of his Fog Troop as well. It's sort of annoying that he warned (or perhaps threatened) his crew to stay away from her, but she can't help but also be thankful. It's not like she would ever want to be around men like that; in truth they scare her a little bit- which is another downside of living in the Slums.

This is, of course, not including her childhood friends Hassan and Zaynab, who she knows are shady-looking but genuinely good people. Though the couple often bickers, they genuinely care for one another and for Kassim and her. It's good to have close-knit pals in this neighborhood; ones whom you can count on to bust you out of tough situations and whom in return rely on you for help and assistance. More than once has Centola saved the day by persuading the authorities to look the other way in return for a handful of coins.

In times like those, often Kassim tries to pay her back. But she doesn't let him.

(She doesn't want money from the pockets of the rich men he stole from.)

Remembering what she was doing before hand, she makes it to the table as Kassim is still speaking.

"By the way, you said you're locked in the palace? How did you get here?"

"Sneaking out was hard! _So_ many guards!" Her heart stops, and then beats faster than a hummingbird's wings.

"How'd you get past them?" She wants to change this world. And to do that, Centola must interfere in this world's events. If for nothing else than to keep on living peacefully with Kassim and Hassan and Zaynab and Mrs. Gamela, and to give Alibaba a chance to become a great ruler for Balbadd. If she can do that...If she can just keep Kassim from doing _too _much...Then maybe everything will work out for her country, and there won't be any need for bloodshed.

Coming up behind the boy, she smiles at Kassim. Her dear friend notices her and widens his eyes, alarm setting in.

"Well..." The blonde boy starts, but Centola wraps her arms around his neck and presses her cheek to his, grinning like an idiot.

"Alibaba!" The boy starts and falls out of his chair, Centola regaining her balance and stepping back before she can greet the floor as well. Alibaba blinks up at her, unbelieving and unrecognizing before something clicks and he jumps to his feet, blushing and stuttering.

"C-Centola! Is that you?" She nods and smiles again, Alibaba rushing over and gathering her into a hug. "It's been forever since I saw you last!"

"Five years!" She exclaims, hugging him back. "How are you?" Alibaba tells her he's been good and Centola can't help but remember the last thing she said to him before he went to the palace.

_Oh Good God I'm an idiot, aren't I? Why'd I tell him I had a crush on him?_

Unfortunately, her feelings haven't changed and she can feel her cheeks turn pink even as she tries to remain calm.

The pitcher on the table draws her attention, and she eyes Kassim.

"Kassim," She says in a scarily calm voice. Kassim visibly gulps as a aura of anger begins to surround her. Alibaba, who had been getting another seat for his childhood companion, returns and senses the trouble brewing like a pot of burnt soup. He laughs uneasily as Centola continues on. "If that _is_ what I _think_ it is, I'm going to be very angry."

Kassim holds his hands up.

"Um, well, er-" Centola grabs the alcohol off of the table along with the mugs and walks over to a neighboring table.

"Hey!" Kassim yells, hands outstretched pitifully toward his beer. Centola reaches the other table and smiles at it's occupants.

"Good evening, Hassan, Zaynab!" She greets them, holding up the drinks. "Want some free alcohol on Kassim?"

* * *

Kassim smarts for a while after that and Centola takes the time to catch up with Alibaba. They retell stories of their youth and Centola catches him up on how she's been, speaking about her time at the bar and how well she's been received. She avoids talking about the segregation camp and how she escaped it, and doesn't mention Kassim's new gang and influence in the Slums.

"How's Mariam?" Centola knows that Kassim didn't tell Alibaba that Mariam was dead, but she still looks at the Slum rat, who urges her with his eyes to lie. She doesn't want to, but what good would telling the truth do?

"Great!" She says enthusiastically. "Mariam is such a little troublemaker now, though."

"Ugh, tell me about it," Kassim says, rubbing his forehead.

"Just last week I found her rolling in the mud with those friends of hers!"

"Remember the time before that? She took one of her embroidered fabrics and tried to sell it for twice as much as it should have been!" They are all laughing, the fake memories causing lightheartedness that pains Centola to feel. It scares her how easy it is to lie. To pretend that Maraim is alright, to pretend like everything is normal. It's frightening and yet it's also such a nice feeling. Alibaba, believing in their lies, snickers slyly.

"God, you both act like worried parents," He teases, pointing a finger at them. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you both got married!"

Centola can feel a part of her heart break at that sentence. She doesn't let it show, but she feels as though someone slapped her. Alibaba knows she had a crush on him. Maybe he thought she moved on- it's logical enough. After all, five years have come and gone, puberty striking like a viper at it's unsuspecting prey on all of them. Maybe it's better if he does think that.

"Like I would marry a guy who can't do his own laundry!" Centola jeers, winking at Kassim. The teen narrows his eyes and shoots back,

"I _would_ but you won't let me." If she didn't think it was impossible, it seems like Kassim was _embarrassed_ by Alibaba's comment. She chalks it up to the drinks he has probably had in order trick Alibaba while annoyedly thinking about the _drinks_ he's had.

They laugh and talk, but Centola doesn't let herself get carried away by the reminiscing and teasing. She keeps an eye on Kassim all night, making sure that he doesn't pay one of his goons to follow Alibaba. If he did, then cutting off Alibaba when he was going to explain how he got out of the palace would be for nothing. It's late when Alibaba needs to leave. Centola and Kassim follow him out, all smiling. Alibaba grins sheepishly at Kassim.

"The day I left for the palace...I'm uh...I'm sorry I hit you. You told me to get lost so I wouldn't regret leaving, right?" Kassim pauses before answering, his face morphing into an expression of shock.

Centola has never truly understood how no one knew what Kassim was planning. His true feelings can be splayed across his face one second and then covered up the next. Like now, Centola can tell that the truth is that Kassim hadn't said those cruel words so Alibaba wouldn't have regrets. Kassim said them so that he himself wouldn't have any.

"Yeah! Of course! After all, we're friends!" He's lying, but Centola stays quiet and instead focuses on how happy that one sentence makes the Prince of Balbadd.

* * *

"I guess this is goodbye, again." Alibaba's grin is lopsided and adorable, and Centola's heart can't help but start pounding as her cheeks become bright red. She wonders if he notices.

"Yeah, but..." Centola bites her lips and looks down in embarrassment. "Will you visit?" She asks shyly, hope blossoming in her chest. Alibaba turns red, and it's like fireworks go off inside her.

"Of course I will!" He exclaims, and Centola beams.

"Really?" Alibaba nods his head up and down, and Centola knows that he hasn't changed at all. Even if he's a Prince, even if he's been educated as royalty at the palace, he is still the boy whom she's adored since she was a kid.

"That makes me really happy, Alibaba!"

* * *

Kassim watches as Centola and Alibaba go off into their own little world, just like when they were kids.

For a moment, he feels jealous. And then he remembers that after this they'll probably never see Alibaba again, which makes him feel better. Five seconds later, he realizes that he's a horrible person for feeling good about that. Alibaba has been like a brother to him, but Centola...

It was Centola who comforted him after he killed his father, and also was the person who cheered him up after Anise died. Centola had been there for him since Alibaba left for the palace, paying for food and taking care of Kassim and Mariam when they were sick or hurt. Centola had attended to Mariam when they were stuck in that prison meant for the Slum people, and she had also given Kassim her entire life's savings to bribe the guards. Centola is the last person Kassim has, the last person he even cares about.

Because he doesn't care about himself. Everything he does he does for her and her dream for everyone to live together happily. And to do that, he must rally the people and take down the tyranny. Which was why he turns and slips a few coins into Hassan's waiting fingers to follow Alibaba to the palace and find out how he snuck out of it. If this succeeds, then he can raid the palace treasury. He can do it.

He has to.

* * *

They wait until Alibaba disappears into the fog before leaving, Kassim making a mental note to thank Hassan for leaving unnoticed by Centola, a feat that is surprisingly hard to do. He remembers when he was really young and he tried to sneak out one night only to find Centola waiting for him outside of their shack in the Slums, effectively scaring the crap out of him.

Kassim notices Centola staring at him with her mirror-like eyes, so he raises an eyebrow.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Centola smiles, and to him she's the prettiest girl in all of Balbadd.

"You were grinning." He shakes his head and regards her with amusement.

"I was just thinkin' of something nice. Come on, I'll walk ya home," She beams, and Kassim thinks that if talking about the days when they were children makes her this happy, then he'll do it daily. Centola reaches over and intertwines her finger with Kassim's, walking side by side with him under the light of the full moon.

"So when should I do your laundry?" Centola jokes, and Kassim laughs, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Should I call you 'wife'?" Her laugh is like church bells and Kassim can't _believe_ she's only fourteen. But then again, he's sixteen, and appearances can be deceiving. "You left your clothes at the bar."

"I know, I'm an idiot," She sighs, using her free hand to push away some stray hairs. "Good thing I have extras at my place!" Kassim takes off his sash, pausing to wrap it around her bare shoulders before taking her hand again and walking down the almost deserted road. The few men who are there nod their head toward Kassim, who in return pulls Centola closer, a signal not to bother them.

For a while they walk in comforting silence. But as they near Centola's house, she stops walking, and Kassim stops as well, looking back at her curiously.

"What's wron-"

"We lied to Alibaba," The silence is unwelcome and heavy, Kassim wondering how to explain it to her.

"We did. _I_ did." He struggles for the words to say. "It's just-"

"You don't have to explain it to me, Kassim. I understand. But...Am I a bad person for enjoying it?" Kassim's mouth forms words but it takes a moment for him to actually say something.

"No. No it doesn't Cent." He squeezes her hand, giving her what he hopes is a comforting look. "Nothing you could do could be bad." The mirrors in her eyes shine, reflecting the moonbeams hitting her face.

"Thank you, Kassim." Though her voice is low, Kassim hears the relief flooding her.

"Whatever. Now come on, I don't want to be out here in the fog any longer than I have to." She bobs her head and they once again set off to the final stretch of the journey. In front of her house Centola lets go of his hand and opens the door with the key she keeps in her bandeau at all times in case of emergency. Before entering, she smiles at Kassim and says,

"Thank you for walking me home, Kassim!" Said boy puts his hands behind his head and grins lazily, cocking his head to the side.

"No problem, Cent."

* * *

A few days later, Mrs. Gamela calls Centola up into her apartment, wringing her hands and pressing her wrinkled lips together until they turn white.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Gamela?" Mrs. Gamela doesn't reply, just heads up the stairs and into the apartment, sitting down at the bed. Centola pulls out the chair at the desk and sits, waiting for her boss to start speaking.

"I have something I have to tell you, brat," Mrs. Gamela gets up from where she was sitting and runs a hand over a bookshelf, fingers tracing the spines of books and riffling through papers. Centola recalls the time when Mrs. Gamela taught her to write on those pieces of paper, she sat at this very desk and chair. Mrs. Gamela begins to speak as she searches, sounding very rushed.

"Well, you see brat, I learned a few years ago that your mother could read and write," Centola's chest tighten as her face contorts, shock registering in her mind. Her mother could read and write?

_But...How...?_

"I figured this out when I found..._This_ book in my library." She pulls out a faded red book with yellowed pages. The elderly woman hands it to Centola, who then rubs the cover and finds that it's actually quite soft. She opens the cover and on the first page something was inscribed by a neat hand.

_Property of Lilliana De Coverna_

"Lilliana...De Coverna?" Centola asks in astonishment, rereading the same words over again. Mrs. Gamela nods and gestures to the next page. Centola turns it, suddenly eager to know what her mother wrote, only to find a blank page.

"It's empty," She murmurs, running her fingers along the yellow paper.

"Not quite," Mrs. Gamela responds, running old fingers through her gray hair. The woman hustles over to Centola and stands over her, looking at the page. "I believe that your mother might have been able to use magic, and used it to conceal this book in my library without me noticing until she died!" For a few moments Centola's mind is blank, and when it restarts Centola raises an eyebrow at her usually calm (though rude) boss.

"Magic? She was a singer, not a magician." Mrs. Gamela gives Centola a dirty look and then motions to the book.

"I take stock of my library every month to make sure nothing is missing or stolen- God knows what hooligans are in my bar night after night. But after your mother died, this book- no, _diary_ was suddenly there. You can see it _belongs_ to her, and how else could it been put there? Brat, you're clever, but the surprise in your eyes when I told you about this goes to show that it wasn't your doing. You and Lilliana are the only two people I have ever let in here, other than my dead no-good husband that is." A deep breath is taken after the older woman's long rant. The bar owner sits on the bed again, rubbing her own back.

"I need to stop yelling so much." She grumbles crankily, and Centola almost voices her agreement. Instead, she sighs, still unbelieving. If her mother _was _a magician, she would've told Centola. Or Centola would've _noticed_. It's not every day that someone levitates or summons ice spears.

"I just don't know Mrs. Gamela. My mother never seemed to know anything about reading _or _writing, and I never saw her do magic of any kind. Besides, if my mother could do magic, shouldn't I be able to as well?"

"...Brat, do you remember when you were seven?"

_I never forget anything._

"Not really, no."

"Well, for a short period of time you seemed to be able to..._Charm_ people." Centola does recollect a time when she could get people to do what she wanted just by smiling and batting her eyelashes. But she never dreamed that Mrs. Gamela would be able to remember that.

"I don't understand, Ma'am."

"Eh, nevermind! Maybe I'm just going crazy." Centola smiles at her boss's mood swing and bows to her.

"May I go now, Mrs. Gamela?"

"Yeah, yeah, off with ya!" The old lady grumbles to herself. Centola turns and leaves, clutching the diary to her chest.

* * *

Laying in bed that night, hair fanned out around her, Centola wonders about what Mrs. Gamela said and holds the dairy over her chest, the cover pressing against the space between her collar bones. Something wet slips down her cheeks and she gasps for breath, a dark feeling settling deep within her. Her entire body deflates, her head starts pounding with a painful headache.

"M-mom," She weeps, hugging the diary as close as she can to become just a little closer to the person she misses most.

The brightness is sudden and painful, a white light radiating from the diary. She looks at it, astonished as the tears stop pouring down. On the cover of the book is a flower, shimmering gold and white, a little sun imprinted on the center where the pollen should have been. And looking down, a matching tattoo lay on between her collar bones. Like a lightbulb lighting up, Centola remembers it from when she was a child. Her jaw drops.

She scrambles up, now sitting cross legged on her bed. She lays the diary carefully on the blanket before her, mesmerized. It seems to open by itself, the yellow pages glowing gold. Black, carefully written words appear one after another on every page. Her mouth is dry, but her eyes hold excitement as she flips through the book, running her fingers over the lines, but not reading any of it yet. Centola closes her mother's diary and stares at nothing, realizing that her mom _had_ kept a secret from her; Lilliana could preform..._Magic_.

Centola can't really believe it, but then again, she doesn't have to, not yet. The glow has settled down and is slowly fading away, prompting her to jump up and run to the kitchen, throwing open one of the only cabinets and take the last candle from the lowest shelf. Quickly lighting it with some matches, Cent sets herself up at the shabby table she bought for half price due to the uneven legs.

_It's not like I have people over a lot._

Laying the diary in front of her, Centola reads the first page again.

_Property of Lilliana De Coverna_

Is her name...Is her name Centola De Coverna? She tries saying it aloud, the visage of excitement developing on her face. It's so foreign yet welcoming on her tongue. She takes a deep, steadying breath and begins to read.

* * *

It's strange how the world works. History and Fate are two separate beings, sometimes far away and other times so deeply intertwined they look the same. They are lovers, dancing a dangerous dance with poise and practice, sharing pitying simpers at the people they trample and winking at that ones they bless. On and on, never missing a step, the rhythm of the world pounding in their ears as they go.

But History and Fate cannot ever become the present, because they are forced behind a whole new entity itself.

The past comes only after _Life_, who flows through the people and the earth, creating new beings with a simple flick of her fingers. Life is kind to everyone, never intentionally hurting those she helps berth. Life is full of love and compassion, mercy and grace. There is nothing more great than the beginning of a life, nothing more precious than the newly lit flames igniting the pits of darkness to change the world.

It's funny how people blame her for the tango of the two lovers.

Lilliana was a special person. She was paid special attention by Life during birth, and History and Fate both stepped in during her years of existence with equal kindness and cruelty.

Lilliana De Coverna was born to a woman named Farida De Coverna, and was a "child of the desert". Farida often told her the story of her birth: that she was born early in the morning under the light of sunrise, pastel colors painting the sky and the sand in shades of orange and violet. According to her mother, the beautiful pinks and yellows that had adorned the clouds when Farida held her up to the pale blue sky were unforgettable, as was the soft calls of desert foxes in the distance as they howled for the new day.

Her father was a man who had caught Farida's interest with his particular eyes and boyish grin. Farida had vowed at a young age to never marry, but she didn't vow to never have children. Lilliana had an older sister called Zeina, who absolutely adored her little sister. One of Lilliana's earliest memories, in fact, was being set to bed by an older girl- a girl who had eyes so deep and beautiful that she was lulled to sleep by their endless depth and not the gentle lullaby sung to her.

_"__Quiet is the wind_

_that slips between the branches and_

_Unknown is the world_

_Around you and I_

_Yet that's alright, yes that's alright_

_You're safe here, we're safe here."_

Her family traveled from place to place, checking up on Farida's "businesses" before leaving to go to another place. Farida had many friends and enemies, and her fun loving nature was molded around the thrill of the chase, to her daughter's ire. The girl always pleaded with their mother to settle down, but Farida just smiled and told her that when she was older, both her and Zeina would understand their mother's willingness to travel. Lilliana never liked it when her mother said that, it gave her chills.

The thing that made the nomadic life bearable was her sister. They were only half siblings, so they didn't look alike; Lilliana with their mother's brown hair and tanned skin, Zeina with her father's blonde locks and lighter complexion- so light, in fact, that it was hard to make out any similarities between Farida and her oldest child...Though, once the years passed, a charming, confident attitude and white-toothed smirk become a shared trademark of the two De Coverna women. Farida had her last children when Zeina was six and Lilliana was three, twin girls with pale skin and bright hair who are named Maysun and Nawfar. The four daughters of Farida were educated by their crafty mother on a variety of subjects, including reading and writing.

When Zeina turned twelve, she suddenly gained magic abilities.

Farida revealed to them after that that they were all a special kind of magician (a "specialized magician") like her, and that they must learn the trade that the De Covernas had cherished for generations. It was a trade passed down from mother to daughter, an inherited magic. The four De Coverna sisters learned how to perform charms, to cast illusions, and stories of the Rukh, consuming all the knowledge about their gifts they could before they gained them. Farida made them learn new stories as well as old, and had them choose a specific talent to study and hone.

Zeina chose gardening, and was usually found wearing a different flower in her hair. Maysun learned to paint beautiful portraits and sceneries, and Nawfar studied how to play music. Lilliana chose singing, as she'd always been fascinated with sounds of all kinds. Only Zeina and Nawfar developed the 'gift', and both Lilliana and Maysun were _relatively_ human despite their large supplies of Magoi and the spells they had studied.

The only downside of her life was, without a doubt, her mother's...Habits. She understood why Farida always had to work, but the absence in her life caused by it is hard to forget, no matter how hard Zeina tried day after day to fill the gap. In fact, she felt quite sorry for her poor sister, who always had to be the responsible adult; from cooking every meal to working hard to become Farida's Heir...Not to mention that when Farida was home, often times Zeina had to nurse their mother's hangover or quickly usher an unfamiliar man from Farida's room out the door.

(The worse memory Lilliana had was not Zeina and Farida fighting, nor being forgotten at a Kou inn by her mother, not even being kidnapped by pirates on the way to Partevia. But rather, it was the memory of Farida coldly ignoring Zeina's contributions to their business and to raising her younger siblings. It was the memory of the night when Zeina was at her lowest, _but Farida didn't care. _

It was the memory of her mother and sister...Acting as boss and employee.)

The four sisters grew into lovely young women, each with different perspectives on life. Their mother, Farida, caught an illness and died the way Lilliana was born, in the desert under the light of the sunrise. Zeina, the Heiress of their small clan, took over their mother's role as head of their "business" and traveled the paths their family's ancestors. Maysun decided to create a place where magicians with their special power could live and train, a base camp for the future De Covernas that may be born. Nawfar went with her twin and last Lilliana heard married a magician who had stumbled across them and joined them in their quest to create a clan.

But Lilliana had her own ambition, an ambition that she craved for ever since she was a girl. To live peacefully in one place, away from the magic and secrets her family made her live with since birth. She wished her sisters the best of luck and her love, and then headed to Balbadd. Lilliana got a gig singing in a tavern, earning a decent wage. Then she was given an even higher paying job. And then another, and another and another until the royal palace asked her to preform for them.

She couldn't believe it. Everything she had wished for finally came true. A home, a job, a _life_.

But after that, a fateful incident occurred. He was a noble from the kingdom of Sasan, with red hair and big, truthful eyes. She loved him the moment he met her gaze nervously and asked for her name.

"Lilliana," She had said, leaving out her last name on purpose. "What's yours?"

"I'm-"

* * *

Centola stares at the page in fascination, finally after years of questioning finding out her father's name.

* * *

From that moment on, the pair was swept into a whirlwind romance, resulting in a pregnancy. After confiding in her lover and him asking her to return to Sasan with him to get married, Lilliana told him that she can't leave with him. He wanted to question her, but Lilliana remained adamant. That night, she ran away from the royal palace, going to the one place he wouldn't search: the Slums of Balbadd, where the worst the country could offer resided.

Lilliana told herself she has to do it. After all, he was a noble and she a commoner. No, she was a magician, and what kind of match would that be? A noble man and a dirty blooded magic-user. She couldn't let her child bear that title, she wouldn't. Not to mention the King of Sasan had a legendary rivalry with Zeina about something so _stupid _and, despite how stupid it was, she knew he wouldn't forget it.

She met Mrs. Gamela, gained her nickname (the Queen of the Slums) and became friends with her kind neighbor Anise. Her life was good, and despite the struggles, she had her darling daughter Centola. It wasn't't perfect, but it _was_ good, and that was enough for the brunette. Often she wondered about Maysun and Nawfar, and thought about her protective elder sister Zeina. How _did_ Maysun and Nawfar's struggle to build a paradise for magicians like them go? Many times she contemplated leaving the Slums to head there with Centola, but then heard the street rats call out, "Cent!" and knew she didn't actually want to leave.

Lilliana De Coverna had a new family.

* * *

As the diary comes to the last pages, the sunrise draws upon the horizon. It's pink and purple and the sky light blue, the sun peaking out from the horizon to predict the foreboding sunny day.

Centola de Coverna reads the letter scrawled into the last pages and then rereads it, not quite understanding what her mother wants.

_Dear Centola,_

_I know you're probably very confused, and hurt that I kept all this a secret from you, but I did it because that's what needed to be done. I know that you understand, even if you are angry with me. I hope I didn't die an early death, but if you're reading this that means I probably did. I'm sorry for leaving you alone, Cent._

_But I must continue on, and explain four things. Concerning how I was able to keep this diary a secret, I hid it in Mrs. Gamela's apartment, using a special charm my mother taught me as a child. I also put another charm on it so that Mrs. Gamela would spot it a year or two after a I died, and since that woman is a clean freak, she'll probably will realize it's there a month after the charm wears off._

_Onto another matter: regarding your father, please don't ever go to him. I know this is a selfish thing for me to ask of you, but I love him and so I want you to never interfere with the life he is probably living now. Centola, my darling little girl, please do as your mother says. He deserves to be happy after the pain I undoubtably brought him. _

_The third thing I must explain? The special kind of magic we De Covernas use. As far as I'm concerned, only your aunts Zeina and Nawfar and you are able to use this magic. You are a Temptress, and the magic you use is called Temptation magic. I can't explain it in detail without confusing you, so that brings me to the fourth and final explanation I must share with you._

_I want you to go study Temptation magic. I know this is another selfish request, and you don't have to do it, but please just read on and then decide what you want to do. My sister Zeina runs my mother's "business", which is, unfortunately, a large number of bars, brothels and taverns all connected and run by the De Coverna clan. It's sort of like a giant gang, or perhaps a spy network. I never quite grasped the reason my mother needed a spy network, but Zeina did and I'm not one to question her choices._

_Every five years Zeina makes the trip from Damnat to Rayide. According to my calculations (and a few favors I cashed in) she's going to be there when you're fifteen. If you can meet my sister, then she'll train you._

_I love you sweetie. I love you so much that it pains me to think about dying, but if I don't leave this behind for you then what kind of mother would I be? I'm not going to abandon you without any trace._

_You'll find a map of Rayide and some papers in here as well, explaining certain charms I have mastered and their formulas. I wish I could give you more. I wish I could give you the whole world. Goodbye, Centola, and I hope you live a long, happy life._

_With all my continuing love,_

_Lilliana De Coverna._

Perhaps she is a bit hurt. And she is definitely confused. But she can never be mad at her mother, because she raised her and provided for her and was the first person in her entire life to make her feel _loved_. Jane Hullburg's family was aloof and detached from one another, their whole house was cold and frigid like an museum.

But Lilliana, Anise, Kassim, Mariam, Mrs. Gamela, Shana and Alibaba made the Slums and Balbadd her true home, filled with warmth and happiness and the desire to do what's right. Could she really leave this place in search of her aunt? The answer hardens her resolve. She tightens her hands over the diary, her face shadowed by the light of the sunrise, just as her mother's had been when Farida held her up to the sun.

She couldn't.

* * *

Black silhouettes line the walls of palace. An unconscious blonde lays pitifully on the floor, surrounded by men in rags, anger in their actions and fury in their eyes.

A betrayed Prince.

A dead King.

A spoiled pig in human clothing about to ascend the throne.

_No matter how hard Centola had tried to save Kassim from a life of thievery, it didn't work._

* * *

The bag of coins concealed along his clothes is a clue. The faint smell of smoke lingering on his robes is another. But the major tip off is his eyes. They flash with triumph when he meets the gazes of his buddies, but guilt, pure and true, spills on top of cow-brown eyes when he sees her. The confirmation comes in the news that the girls in the bar carry with them when they gossip.

_"The palace treasury has been raided!"_

_"It was the Fog Troop."_

To say she's angry is an understatement. But Centola is a kind person who doesn't hold grudges. So, for once in Centola De Coverna's life, she allows Jane Hullburg take charge. Her face becomes cold, and her eyes unreadable. Her mind fills with the memories of school life where people tease her and talk behind her back. She lets her heart be incased in stone like it was then, before it was broken by Alibaba and Lilliana. She carefully encases the stone with metal and breaks her own dream to live a good life with her friends.

Jane Hullburg waits in her house for Kassim to come, as he said he would. And when he enters and greets her, Jane merely blinks and motions for him to sit. Kassim is troubled by the lack of expression on her face, a flicker of nervousness crossing his face. Centola pleads for Jane to become just a bit kinder. Jane reminds her of pain and betrayal.

"What in God's name did you do, Kassim?" Her voice is as tough as nails. She won't let him get out of this one.

"I don't know what you mean," Kassim answers, but surprise and hurt shows.

"Cut the crap. I know something happened, so out with it!" She growls, but everything about her remains calm; her posture, her eyes, her face.

"I-I...I raided the palace treasury." Kassim straightens, as if realizing he doesn't have to get yelled at by a girl. He shouldn't have, though, because Jane remembers people like him at her school, acting entitled and prissy, and it pisses her off. Centola had let go of those feelings, but Jane still holds onto those memories of hurt and pain.

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that?" They're Jane's words, but they hold Centola's emotions.

The metal cracks, but holds steady.

Kassim looks like he'd been slapped, astonishment lining the curves of his face. That's what makes him weak, thinks Jane.

_That's what makes him a man._

The metal casing falls off, and the stone is pummeled by invisible hands.

"Maybe I am, but I'm doing this for you." Centola can't take it anymore. She pushes Jane out and lets her emotions pile onto her face, all the fury and hurt spilling out from the stone.

"Don't you blame this on me!" She screeches, standing up and breathing heavily. "I told you so many times to stop and you didn't listen _once_."

_"You're not the boss of me!"_ Centola blinks, steps back, and regains her composure.

"You're...Right. I'm not ruling your life. So if we follow that logic then..." Centola smooths out the wrinkles in her skirt and says very curtly, "I'm leaving, Kassim."

"...Huh?"

"I found out recently that I have an aunt in Rayide who wants to meet me, so I'm going to visit and train under her."

"You...You can't leave Balbadd!"

"Why not? I have the money to do so, I have the reasons to do so, and if I'm not your boss, then you're certainly not mine."

"This is unfair, Cent," He's pleading now, but Centola doesn't have the strength anymore to look into those brown eyes of his.

"Life _isn't **fair**_, Kassim. But at least it gives us a _choice_. I'll be back someday, but until then, please do me a favor and don't die or get caught up in this...This _Fog Troop_." They're both standing now in the uncomfortable silence at the utterance of Kassim's band of thieves.

"I think I should go."

"That would be for the best," Steady, Centola, it's only for a few more minutes and then you can have a breakdown. He goes to the door, but as he leaves he pauses for a moment, almost as if to say something else. But then Kassim shakes his head and leaves, muttering,

"Bye."

"Bye, Kassim."

(That's the hardest goodbye Centola ever said.)

* * *

Mrs. Gamela isn't the kindest person ever to have graced this world, but she isn't that bad either. Centola cries into the old woman's lap as Mrs. Gamela sits on her bed, stroking the child's hair. Between strained gasps Mrs. Gamela is able to make out that Centola had a fight with Kassim and said some very harsh, mean things to him. Centola's tear stained face looks up at her, her pretty green eyes peering into Mrs. Gamela's calm demeanor.

"Are you almost finished, brat?" But her voice is gentle so that Centola won't start blubbering again.

"Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry I l-lost my cool." The strawberry blonde shivers and then straightens her back, pressing her hands together tightly.

"It's alright, Centola, but I would like an explanation." Centola nods and breaths, trying to find the words.

"I...I found a letter in the diary. It was from my mother, saying that I have an aunt in Rayide and that she wants me to go see her. I...Got in a fight with Kassim because of this, and also because..."

"The Fog Troop," Mrs. Gamela says gravely, her face stoney and unreadable. "I know of them and the trouble they are stirring up. That boy Kassim...You must really love him to stay with a guy like that."

"Wha...? Kassim and I are just friends- er, we _were_ friends. Besides, I-" Centola shakes her head, distracted from the object of the conversation "Anyway, so I got in a big fight with Kassim and now...I told him that I'm leaving to join my aunt." Old eyes look at old hands and then into young, pleading green mirrors.

"You need my help, I suppose?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I have a map, but my calculations show that I'll get there too late if I go on foot. Do you know any way I could go faster?" Mrs. Gamela purses her lips in thought.

"There is a caravan that's in town that arrived a few days ago. I think that they're going to Kou first and then passing over to Rayide. I'm not sure that you want to be around Kou because of how they've been treating Balbadd recently, but it _was_ a nice place with a good emperor. Pity what happened to him." But Mrs. Gamela doesn't seem to hold much sympathy.

Centola nods solemnly.

"Then I suppose...I suppose I'll pack my things today and set off tomorrow...?"

"You'll have to leave today."

"W-what do you mean?" But Centola knows.

"The caravan is leaving tomorrow, and I don't think they'll accept unwanted guests." Centola bows her head in defeat.

"I'll pack and leave today, then..." Mrs. Gamela's hands caress Centola's cheeks and wrinkled lips that have forgotten how to smile kiss a smooth forehead.

"You will come back, brat, because I need you in my bar to bring in a steady cash flow." Fat, wet tears touch the wrinkles and the veins of her hand, and Centola questions how it her boss is so strong and steady, even when terrifying things occurr.

"I will. After all...This is where Alibaba and Kassim are, and they're my best friends. And I love them so much, so I'm...I'm going to go to Rayide and become strong enough to save them!"

"You've always been a peculiar girl, Centola. I'll see you soon, brat." The brat almost smiles. She bobs her head in agreement.

"I'll see you soon, Ma'am."

* * *

The caravan is a large, open place that looks sort of like a market. Situated on the outskirts of Balbadd, the caravan sits with large wagons in a circle, people in front of canvas colored tents selling exotic and ordinary fruits and goods alike. All of the vendors were gypsy-like outfits, with sashes tied around their heads, baggy desert pants and wide smiles.

"Miss! Yes, you, with your beautiful eyes! How about a watermelon?"

"Young lady with the unique blond hair! I have jewels~!"

"Hey pretty girl! This necklace would look lovely on you!" They try to sell their respective wares to her, but she ignores them (except for a few smiles and polite "no"s) and moves along. A worker who was helping carry bags to and from the loading area guides her over to a tent to ask permission to stay with them from the leader.

The leader of the caravan is an old man with sharp eyes who says his name is Akram. Centola introduces herself and states her case, telling him that she needs to go to Rayide and will work hard to earn a place among them.

"Hmm...I'm not sure we have a place in our tents, young Miss." Centola's heart sinks.

"Please sir! I'll sleep outside if I must, but I need to get to Rayide!" Akram studies her carefully and hums to himself.

"I'm not sure. I don't think-"

"She can stay with me!" It's a small, petite voice like milk and sugar. When Centola turns to see whom had spoken, she assumes that it must've been a dark-haired child wearing similar desert-styled clothes, but as it turns out, she's incorrect. The girl, barely nine, sports bright pink hair that flows in straight locks to her waist. Her eyes are the most lovely shade of red, like summer-time roses that are sold in the markets of Balbadd from foreign lands. She wears a light purple dress with a darker purple sash around her waist and black shoes, bangles dangling on her wrists. A small, white hoop earring hangs on her right ear.

"Bad!" The man sputters in surprise, and Centola wonders why he's chastising the girl in such a surprised voice.

"Akram, can't she stay with me? My tent's a bit small, but it can fit two people no problem!" The child's rosy eyes sparkle and plead with the elderly man. AKram, caught off guard, clears his throat and sighs.

"Well...I suppose if it's alright with you and her...She can stay." The pink haired child jumps in delight and grabs Centola's hand, dragging her away from the tent.

"Thanks, old man!" Akram yells something incomprehensible after them and the girl giggles. They reach a semi-small tent and the child opens the flap for Centola.

"Come in! Oh, and welcome to your new home!" Centola looks around and sets her things in the empty space next to the sleeping roll and supplies on the left. The tent is split right down the middle, like the girl was actually expecting someone to be staying with her.

"Um, thank you for letting me share your tent, um..."

"Did I forget to introduce myself? Ah! One of these days my head is going to fall off and a horse will kick it right into the mud!" The girl laughs and pats her own hair. It's a childish, sweet action which, coupled with her shy smile and red cheeks, enamors to Centola to her instantly. "Well, my name is Bad! I saw how confused you got when Akram said it, but it really is _just_ Bad. Well, not _really_ because my full name is Badroulbadour, but everyone _calls_ me Bad." She grins with all her teeth, and Centola can't help but bask in how cute she is.

"That's a nice name, Bad. I'm-" Bad waves her hand in the air crazily, making sounds like 'ooh!' and eagerly whining, 'pick me, I know!'. "Um, okay, Bad."

"Your name is..." Bad pauses, putting her hand down. "...**_Jane Hullburg_**, right?"

A breath is caught in a throat, and a stampede of unrecognizable questions soar across her mind.

"W-wh- how- Bad?" Her mouth is jumping up and down, words tumbling out too fast.

"So you didn't deny it, huh? I know who you were in your past life, Centola." Centola forces herself to come up with a normal question and then phrases it very carefully.

"Bad...How do you know about that?" A sigh escapes the rosy eyed girl's lips and she straightens her back, posing as if she'd said this many times already.

"Because I'm the one who sent you from **_Jane's_** world to this one! I died in the future and called upon the past to come and save this world from it's destruction, and to do that I need four souls of four very special people!" She jumps to her feet and counts off on her fingers. "I need the Mountain, the Bird, the Shadow and you! I need you, Centola De Coverna, the Temptress!"

* * *

"I still don't get it."

"Sigh~ how troublesome~ alright, I'll explain it once more. In my past life the world- sorry, _this_ world- was on the very brink of total destruction. In other words...Me and my friends had lost a very terrible war."

"Alright...Now, how does that affect me?"

"I'm getting to that! In order to save this world, I was sent back in time. I assume you understand time travel due to the fact that**_ Jane's_** world was so advanced. When that happened, four souls were transferred back with me- four special people with gifts that, once born into this world, would manifest into powerful abilities. One of those people is you."

"But how did you realize I was **_Jane_**?"

"_Be-cause~!_ As I was being thrown back into the time stream, I got glimpses at different scenes. It was the lives all of you would live and the times in which I would find you."

"Which is why you came here and found me."

"Yup. I've been looking for each one of you as soon as I was able to. I've already found two of the souls."

"What? People from_ my_ world?!"

"Oh dear, I forgot to mention that, didn't I~ Teehee!"

"...This is going to be a long journey, isn't it?"

"Mhm~!"

* * *

Whoo! I'm so excited to write more!

THIS CHAPTER HAD SO MUCH DEATH. I'M CRYING RIGHT NOW.

Also, guys, holy crackers, Bad appeared! I'm so happy. She's low-key my favorite OC, and you will see why~~~~ Thanks for reading!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	4. Chapter 3: Towers and Tales

Hello everybody! Welcome to the next installment of SS! Today we're introducing the next two of our main characters, one of which finds himself in a situation similar to what happened to Jane. Enjoy!

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SECOND ARC: **Heaven on Earth

CHAPTER 3: Towers and Tales

* * *

**Part 1: The Mountain from the Other World**

Charlie Mason _was_ always tiny.

_"Hey, kid, are you old enough to be driving?"_

_"Haha! Yessir."  
_

_"...Show me your license." He keeps smiling at the officer, even as inwardly he wishes nothing else but to glare at him. Still, Charlie __reaches into his pocket and pulls out his license, handing it to the policeman. _

_The man holds up the license and frowns deeply, peering back into the car at him. Then, slowly, he hands the plastic card back to Charlie, still suspicious. _

_"Be careful on the road."  
_

_"Will do." _

_(How embarrassing. But hey, it happens a lot, right?)_

He _felt_ like he was always trapped.

_Wake up._

_Eat breakfast._

_Go to school. _

_Come home._

_Do your homework. _

_Sleep. _

_(Repeat, repeat, repeat, like a broken record.)_

When Charlie Mason died, he felt free. Free from the never-ending parade of loneliness and repetition, the boring, long days he struggled to cope with. He was born in the bad side of town, where the white trash worked every day to make ends meet. His mother worked so hard to support Charlie after his father left them when he was a child, doing two jobs as a waitress and a cashier at the local grocery store. As a teenage pregnancy, it was really hard for Charlie to watch his young mother be forced to do so much work, to come home late at night and cry on the fold-out couch.

The only thing Charlie could do was shrink in on his teeny-tiny self and not say a word as he went through the motions. There was a few friends who shed tears once they learned of his death, but only a few. He didn't talk much as school, having been bullied throughout middle-school, the result being a lack of friends. He instead curled up in the library and played _Dungeons and Dragons _together with the other kids who didn't have anyone else to sit with. Still, it felt nice that someone missed him.

He remembers how he died. There was a girl who witnessed it, and had met eyes with him before his body hit the pavement. A girl whom he knew from school and few times that he saw her at the library. Her hair was this shade of brown that you could find anywhere you looked, a simple, dull color. Her eyes were a similar color, hidden behind thick glasses. Everything about her was plain and ordinary, even though she was actually the top of her class and had skipped several grades. Her eyes had widened so much, and yet her mouth didn't open. She didn't scream at all.

_She watches, almost frozen in time, as his body twists in the air. He's so small. Like a doll, he flies through the sky, wind whipping through his fingers like silky ribbons. The concrete hurtles towards him, and he rolls once, twice, three times before stopping, his face pressing against the ground. He's facing a sewer, the rain from the previous day trickling still into the gutter. He can't feel his arms or legs, but a searing pain crashes through him, turning his vision black. Vaguely he can hear an animalistic, pained moan, and with a hint of denial realizes it's coming from his bloody chest. The driver of the car stumbles out, the man's heavy footsteps stumbling across the street, towards the girl who had witnessed it all.  
_

_"H-He just went out into the middle of the road! It wasn't my fault!" _

_(The driver didn't see him over the hood of the car. Because Charlie was too small.)_

What was the name of that girl?

Ah.

Jane Hullburg. The one person he had hoped to become friends with before he died. Oh well. It was a pitiful, sad life, but it was a life, and he'd be lying if he were to say that he was always such a depressing person. As a child he had been so much warmer, so much kinder, so innocent. His mother smiled more then.

He had loved her smile.

Maybe, in Heaven, he can watch over her...

_But...Where am I?_

* * *

_What's going on?_

**_I need your help._**

_Who're you?_

**_This is an important job._**

_But I'm not ready-_

**_You're needed, Spirit of the Highest Mountain._**

* * *

He isn't sure what's going on, but he knows it's warm and comfortable. Vivid sensations tickle his being, helping him make out the on-goings around him. He cannot see nor hear, and yet he can. It's freaky. Like, _S__upernatural_-level freaky. There are a few congratulations and kind gestures like hugs, kisses and gifts. The icy fragrance of pine coats his body, while white, powder-like snow falls softly on thin shoulders...That are not his own.

Then he is pushed through into life.

He flails around for a while, trying to regain his balance. He's hefted up into the air by big, strong hands, and with surprise Charlie realizes he is a _baby_.

_WHAT THE—_

Charlie begins to cry, mostly because he_ IS A BABY._

"There, there, big guy." Comes a soothing, small voice. The strong hands give away to thin, gentle ones, and he is placed between a pair of breasts. He quiets down out of surprise and assumes this woman must be his new mother.

"He likes me better, Hanif." The woman gently teases. A deep, hearty laugh resounds through the room.

"He'll come around, Uzza! Nobody can resist my charms." His mother's laugh is more of a _twinkle_ and he feels something soft wrap around his body. A blanket. He seems a bit big for a baby, and that feeling alone is completely unnatural considering his past as a tiny kid that grew into a tiny teen.

Hanif must be his father. Uzza must be his mother. It seems easier to have a mother and than a father, because his other father in that other world left him. He hardly remembers what that man looked like anymore, not that he cares much.

_Mom._

Charlie wants to cry. Uzza may be his mother now, but...That doesn't mean that somewhere in the world right now his mother isn't mourning the death of her tiny son. What will she do from now on?

_...Better not to think about it._

The two adults talk a little while longer, but Charlie nearly falls asleep out of exhaustion.

"What's his name, Uzza?" Asks Hanif kindly in his deep voice. _I'm Charlie_, he tries to say, but all that comes out is a gurgle. Uzza kisses his head affectionately and Charlie feels like he might blush.

"He is Eren." Uzza states proudly, holding Charlie up in the air. "Eren Chandlen, a hunter of the Chandlen Mountains like his father and brothers before him!"

* * *

After years of being called it, Eren accepts his new name.

As it turns out, he was reincarnated. He's not sure how or why or _why_, but he was, and was forced to adapt quickly to his new life. As it turns out, his was born in a place known as the Chandlen Compound, a cold but hearty village of warriors who pride themselves on their bulky sizes and hunting abilities. His mother, Uzza, was not born in the village, which is why she is brown-haired and thin unlike his father, who is tall and muscular.

He realizes soon that he is big like his dad is, a boy who grows abnormally quickly. By the time he turns five, he is already 4'6'', a full head taller than all of the other kids his age. Hanif finds no strangeness in his youngest son's growth, instead constantly bragging to other parents about his boy's destiny to become a great hunter capable of wielding all sorts of weapons. Needless to say, Hanif becomes the father he didn't get to have in the last life, and Eren quickly takes to him like a moth to a candle. Likewise, he grows close to his whole family, including his nine older siblings.

Speaking of his siblings, his oldest brother is named Makin, who is twenty years old. Like most Chandlens, he is tall and holds a warm smile that is meant for everyone. He is married already to the lovely Kalila and is an excellent hunter, as everyone in his family seems to be. Eren's second oldest siblings are Azzam and Azusena (both being nineteen), who are very different despite being twins. Azzam is determined and excited for every challenge while Azusena is lazier and prefers to cook and knit. Azusena is expecting her first child with her husband Tarek, which makes Eren, despite being five, a soon-to-be Uncle.

Then comes Tawil (boy, seventeen years old), Wasim (boy, fourteen), Zayna (girl, twelve), Haroun (boy, nine), Zafirah (girl, seven), and finally him, age five. His mother has nine children, all of whom are kind hearted and strong. It surprised him when he first learned of his eight elder siblings, especially since his mother, Uzza, looked weak. Her nose is sharp and bony, but her brown hair is soft to the touch, allowing for her looks to balanced out. Eren thinks she is really pretty, but most children tend to think their mother is the most beautiful.

That doesn't mean Uzza isn't strong, however. Uzza controls her children with her voice, which can turn into an angry shout or a scary whisper. Her frailness makes every one of her children not want to make her upset, so they stay in line and always mind others in fear of making Uzza faint. Thus, every child of Uzza and Hanif grows to be extremely polite and kind, going the extra mile for the people who need it. The village people who live in the town closest to their large lodgings in the woods love them because of their willingness to share meat and help out with construction and heavy lifting for a few coins.

On Eren's fifth birthday, he and his family goes out on a big hunting trip to celebrate. Eren kills his first rabbit with the help of a specially crafted bow and some beautiful arrows. While he feels bad about taking a life, it was the tradition of his new family, and he resignedly accepts the fact together with the fact that there are no heaters in the lodges during the winter, another strange part of this bizarre place he now lives in.

He learns after a while that _this world_ is different. He had thought he was reborn in his same world, but the longer he lived the more aware he became that things are _completely different_. As in, _otherworldly _different. The language is odd, and his family believes in magic. Once he looks at a map and sees that the continents are strange and unfamiliar. There seems to be no technology and the people all dress in ancient garbs.

Still, he doesn't really mind for some reason. Maybe it's because he never really liked the world he lived in. Yes, the technology and books and the traveling were luxuries he feels blessed to have lived with, but he didn't have many happy memories there.

Here, he has a loving mother and father, eight siblings that all look out for him, and many friends. Everything seems...Inviting. Perfect, almost.

They all live together in the Lodgings together with the rest of their warrior tribe. The Lodgings, contrary to what Eren has seen mountain homes look like, are actually apartment buildings several stories high sitting close together half-way up the mountain. Since there are so many Chandlens, it's only natural that instead of cutting down more trees they would instead build upwards, adding additions to their homes in order to create space for new families wishing to raise their children close to their direct family.

Eren and his family live in one such apartment, a three bedroom place that, at one point, must've been very cramped when his older siblings lived there. Now it's nice and cozy, allowing for Uzza and Hanif to peacefully raise their final five children- the two girls in one bedroom, the three boys in the other, and themselves in the last room.

"Ma?" Eren asks as he lay in bed one night, curling up beside his older brothers Haroun and Wasim. "How is our commun-ity all related?"

Their mother sits on the edge of the bed, smiling at her children. She straightens, preparing to tell a fantastic story.

"Years 'n' years ago, six siblin's traveled the globe in search of a home. They were a special kind of person, each bearin' an incredible gift. They could summon arrows with magic, and they could cause boulders to gravi-tate with j'st the force of their magic." Uzza sits cross-legged on their bed, tickling their covered feet. "They wanted a place to call their own without people botherin' 'em. One night, God appeared to the oldest of the six siblin's in a dream and said,

_'Build a giant house on the side of that mountain over yonder.' _So, he and his siblin's got to work 'n' with help from the villagers nearby, they built this very lodge. Those siblin's were the original Chandlens. Then, after they completed the house, a mountain spirit came to 'em.

_'I will make ya a deal!'_ Said the mountain spirit. '_You may stay on this spot and live peacefully for many years, but only if ya give me your powers!'_ The Chandlens, fright-ened of the spirit and eager to have their wish granted agreed, and gave the spirit their powers. It is said that someday the mountain spirit will appear before a mighty warrior who is the descen-dent of the eldest brother and give he or she all of the powers the originals had given to him."

"That's gon' be me!" Haroun cheers, and Wasim nudges him with his shoulder.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Please." Eren begins to joke, "It's ob-viously me!"

"_Boys_." Uzza commands, and Eren, Haroun and Wasim straighten up as they listen to the story, leaning in as their mother finishes the tale.

"Those six siblin's continued on to marry and reproduce, and their children lived here and reproduced, and on and on until this entire commun-ity of Chandlens was born and we came to be."

Eren raises his hand and asks,

"Are you a descendent of one of them, Ma?"

"No." His mother chuckles, "I'm too weak. But your father is. The others in our commun-ity didn't want Hanif to marry an outsider like me, but he did anyway. And look what happened! I bore him nine healthy, strong children who have taken our lil' village by storm!" She puffs up her chest. "I think I did quite well for a normal person!"

The children laugh with delight and so does Uzza, none of them realizing that Hanif is standing outside the door grinning at his wife and youngest sons.

* * *

Years and years pass like that. He grows even taller and bigger, soon becoming a 5'4 behemoth with wide shoulders and muscles from hard work lining his arms and legs. Eren hopes he isn't too big, but a look in the mirror shows him that even though he _is_ freakishly tall and buff, he isn't a total ape. When he had first looked in a mirror a few years ago, he didn't recognize himself. Then he took in the dark green hair, pine colored eyes, and tanned skin and realized he HAD GREEN HAIR WHHHHHHATTTTTTTTTTT?!

To say he didn't look in the mirror again for a while would be an understatement. But eventually he got over it and thought he was a fool. His father had green hair, and most of his siblings did too. Why did he think he wouldn't?

_I thought I might've actually been...Normal._

But this _is_ his new normal, as he has lived it for years. His mother, Zafirah, and Tawil are the only ones in the compound that have brown hair, and Eren supposes that 'green hair' must be the dominant allele when it comes to genetics. He never truly understood that _everyone _is related in the Lodgings and that is why every Chandlen has green hair. Maybe that's why nobody wanted his father to marry his mother.

Eren is now eleven years old.

* * *

It's a dark night on the mountain at the time of the strange occurrence. Eren had been sleeping soundly beside Haroun, when all of a sudden he is jolted awake as if someone had stuck his finger inside a light socket. He quickly gets out of bed as his older brother mumbles,

"Wha ya doin', kiddo?"

"I, uh, gotta pee _real_ bad. Like, a waterfall."

"Too much info, Eri-boy, too much info." As Haroun's head hits the pillow, Eren is off, running through the wooden lodging as quietly as he can. He scampers up the many flights of stairs and onto the roof. From the very top of the Lodging, he can see above most of the pine trees growing thickly across Chandlen Mountain, illuminated by the full moon. Similarly, the top of the mountain is visible in the night, the white-capped peak glowing ethereally.

Looking outward, he can see far, far away, where a towering column of snow-white birds shoot up into the night sky. He stands at the edge looks even farther away, where another column of birds appears; these ones strangely pink. Then another, shining blue and gray. Even though he's half asleep, he's sure of one thing. The first column is surrounding a newborn baby. He grins and then spreads out his arms as an invisible column of light surrounds him as well and twists into the sky.

_Welcome to the world, child loved by the Rukh._

* * *

_Years later..._

The branches threaten to snap under his weight, but Eren still tiptoes across them quickly, feeling a little stupid. Being small would have been an advantaged right about now, but he disregards that fact and the snippy voice at the back of his mind and focuses solely at the buck in front of him. It's summertime, and in a show of unusual kindness, the mountain pours sunlight onto the trees. The pine needles cause the light to splatter in splotches and bits across the brown and green earth, wildflowers vying to lift their small heads to the sun. Even his back is covered with sunlight, and the warmth of the day would be fulfilling to him had he not spent the entire day hunting. Usually such a thing doesn't matter; Eren's body has grown sturdy and strong, allowing for him to take such normal days with stride. But the mountain is generally a cold, snowy place, and the increase in heat tires him quickly.

He sighs quietly, before using his arm in a fluid motion to grasp a thin arrow from his quiver. He notches the delicate weapon into the sturdy string of his hunting bow, lifting the powerful hulk of a bow in the air, aiming for the buck.

In the lodging, the warriors chose a weapon to fight and train with as children to master. The weapon of Eren's choice is a beautiful but disarmingly big chestnut bow with special carvings along it. Eren has been training with his bow forever, and he can't help but ultimately become attached to archery. He got his first bow when he was at the tender age of six (the number of the original Chandlen siblings) and has been practicing for ten years. His aim is perfect, and he completely disregards the saying that only small men can handle bows. He is 6'3, and appears nothing like Charlie Mason. Now he is Eren Chandlen, the sixteen year old master archer and warrior of the Chandlen lodges.

Eren calms himself with this fact, turning his attention once more to the buck. It eats grass in the middle of a small clearing, tall trees surrounding him. The sun hits the buck's back fully, and the animal lifts his head proudly, antlers springing outward proudly. He steps forward, trying to get closer, when one branch, a _big one_, breaks. It doesn't snap, it _breaks_. The buck's head shoots up, staring straight at him with startled, brave brown eyes before racing off. Eren raises his bow and cocks his arrow but...The buck's gone.

"Darn it!" He frowns, stomping his foot on the ground in frustration. He has been tracking that animal for hours, and still has gotten no results other than going deeper and deeper into the woods and the mountain. The Chandlen doesn't dwell on it though, and begins to follow the trail the buck left, moving as quickly as possible without making too much noise. It takes him half an hour to find the buck once again, and this time it's across a stream. Eren wastes no time admiring the scenery this time, though the babbling stream begs him with it's crystal waters to pause for just a moment.

Eren takes aim, prepares to shoot, and lets the arrow fly. The buck turns in time for the arrow to lodge straight into its eye, effectively killing it with a perfect shot into the brain. Eren sighs with relief and goes to collect his prey. Crossing the stream and getting his pants wet doesn't bother him, and once he comes upon the buck he can't help a grin of triumph.

"Hey, big guy," He pats the dead buck's side, sizing him up. Hanif will definitely be pleased, and no doubt that the girl he's sweet on will happily accept a part of the shiny, golden hide. Something bright blinds him for a moment, distracting his line of thought. He turns and notices a white rock that glows against a boulder, gleaming white and pink, like an gem. Eren stands, his eyes narrowing. As he begins to take some steps toward the strange rock, his foot falls through the leaves and dirt and he tumbles down, down, down into a dark, deep tunnel.

_Oh shi-_

Something catches on his robe and rips it, cuts appearing on his arms and legs. His back hits the ground with a loud 'thump'.

"Oh, oh, sweet _God_." Eren groans, laying still and trying not to think for a while. He should've known this would happen. Sometimes there are holes in the mountain that are covered in a layer of solid dirt. Generally they hold steady because of the frozen earth during most of the year, but during hot summers like the one currently, the ground thaws and unsuspecting Chandlens fall into pits while hunting or just walking from Lodge to Lodge. It's become common place for hunters to leave heavy tracks when hunting in the summer, so that if such a thing occurs, they'll be found speedily.

_I'm never hunting again...Except for special occasions..._

Finally he forces his aching muscles to move, ripples of pain moving down his back. It didn't seem like he broke anything, but his back will definitely be bruised and there are scratches all over his arms and legs from the sticks that jut out of the soil. Eren lifts himself up and stares at the top of the hole, which is several feet higher than him, and making him curse that he is not a good jumper due to his size.

"Help!" He calls, and tries to grasp for roots. Unfortunately, the soil around the roots falls out and Eren stumbles backwards as he's showered in mud and rock.

"Great..." He mutters angrily. Eren looks around the tunnel, trying to find a way out. He chooses a place that's less crowded with roots to try to climb but can't seem to get a good grip on it. He steps back, and then rushes forward, reaching out an arm to try to catch a branch. When his body hits the side, the soil shivers before collapsing under his weight.

_Is this the universe calling me fat? _

With a startled cry, Eren falls down yet another tunnel, this one slanted so he keeps on going and twisting and tumbling until he finally rolls out into a flat area. The Chandlen gasps for air, feeling like someone is exacting some sort of revenge on his poor soul. He can't bear to open his eyes and instead just lays there, completely adamant about not going hunting again. He opens his pine colored eyes, but it's so dark that he can't see a single thing.

He crawls along his hands and knees for a moment, searching for something to help him stand. When he ends up hitting the wall, he coughs and gags at the dust that flies into his mouth. He lifts himself up, before curiously pressing harder on the wall, finding that instead of dirt, it's pure rock.

_Why does this feel so smooth? I wonder if...Oh mY GOD IT'S GLOWING!_

Symbols that shimmer green and white appear on the rock wall on every side of him, lighting up the cavern. Eren shields his eyes and waits for them to adjust to the sudden increase in visibility. He traces the symbols with a digit and thinks back, trying to place where he has seen them before. The cave's roof is low (to Eren) and the sides are rocky and slick, somehow glowing. On the other end of the cave, an archway leads deeper inside. Eren looks at it, back to the hole that he fell through to get here, and then shakes his head.

"This better be worth it!" The sixteen year old heads to the archway, going farther into the underground tunnels.

* * *

_He didn't know it then, but he'd soon meet her. _

_Only, he was too late. For she had already..._

* * *

**Part 2: The Princess from the Broken Future**

She is reborn.

_It's warm, and she feels peaceful. _

_In this period of history, it _is_ peaceful. By being reborn, she has reset all the players to their beginnings. By traveling back in time from the destroyed future, she has undone every event that has ever happened. Which means that the friends she saw die are alive, and the world is no longer aflame. She has a second chance, together with the seven brought back with her, to change fate. _

_This world has one more try to get everything that went wrong right. _

_(Thank God.)_

* * *

Her mother is kind. Her mother has beautiful eyes.

_"Mommy, why do we live here?"_

_Her mother smiles softly, sadly._

_"My home was destroyed. And there is no other safe place in this entire world."  
_

_(But she _knows _that there are. There's the place by _his _side, the place she used to settle into whenever things were rough. Still, she forgives Mother, especially since she looks so sad.)_

* * *

There is a library that is filled with books.

_Some days she sits on Mother's lap and reads, and others Mother reads to her in a soothing voice. They do this day after day, in the very heart of the library. There are books on shelves in every single direction, thousands of novels patiently waiting. Slowly but surely, the duo works through them all, smiling at one another when they finish a book. But the things she reads about in the books are things she's never seen for herself. Things like markets and cities and _other people._ Things like the sun, and the sky._

_"Mommy, I want to leave this place."  
_

_"I know, my rose. But this is the safest place for you to be. Now, don't you want to know what happens to the Princess in the story?"  
_

_(She still worries. They should leave. _The other time_, she was here when they showed up, and that's why...Well, better to finish the story first.)_

* * *

Mother cries a lot, but pretends to be brave for her daughter.

_"A-ah, my rose...W-why're you up, baby?" _

_"...I-I wanna cuddle with Mommy..."  
_

_"Oh, yes, yes...Mommy wants to cuddle with you too. Come here." _

_(Before she entered, she could've sworn she heard her mother whisper a name over and over throughout her sobs. "Ori...Ori...My little Ori...")_

* * *

In a beautiful throne room, golden, familiar scepters await her.

_"Mommy, where'd these come from?"_

_"I'm not sure, my rose. Our host says they're yours."  
_

_"Mine..." She reaches out and touches one, the heat of it reacting under her touch. Her eyes water at the familiar sensation, the loving tingle of her favorite wand. She turns away so Mother cannot see. "Mommy, who is our host?"  
_

_"Her name is Myeshia. She is powerful and mysterious, and resides in a hidden place. We should thank our stars she found us."_

_(Mother isn't really lying about that, but she doesn't tell the truth either. Probably to protect her daughter, not knowing that the girl already has the answer to her own question.)_

* * *

Her mother kills herself.

_"Why?!"_

_"You have to listen...You have to _know_...!" _

_(She had never known before about this. _In the other time_, her mother just disappeared into thin air. Now she knows. And, now she also knows _the truth_. Her mother's _truth. _The truth of who she is and what she is and, in detail, how _unnatural_ she is.__)_

_When her mother stills, she still awaits for something more. She awaits for Mother to tell her how much she loves her, she listens closely for Mother to just say "but I never thought of you as a monster, my rose". She waits for hours, until the blood that soaks through her white dress grows stiff and hard and when she moves the crust chaffs her knees. _

_She waits. _

_Mother says nothing._

* * *

B

U

T

I

T

D

O

E

S

N

'

T

M

A

T

T

E

R

.

(**So don't ask about it.**)

* * *

_TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK, TOC, TO, T-_

* * *

The loneliness nearly killed her then, but now it just breaks her.

_TICK, TOCK, TICK-_

She remembers how she used to be, so innocent to the outside world yet so _quiet_.

_"Um, Mother?"  
_

(Note that this isn't her birth mother, the one who raised her in the home they could not leave. This is another. Because _in the other time_, her mother had disappeared, and a new mother-figure came to occupy her place. Let's refer to this woman as _step-mother._)

_"Yes, my precious?" _

_"May I read this book today?"  
_

_"Has it been approved by your tutors?"  
_

_"Yes."  
_

_Her mother smiles with red-painted lips, her crystal blue eyes glittering._

_"Then of course you may, my beautiful child." _

In this world, she is a child again. In the other timeline, she had spent her childhood days in naiveté, staving off boredom with her childish mind, which created games that she could play on her own. But to sooth her boredom _now_, she has to go off into blissful daydreams of when _he_ would hold her and proclaim how much she meant to him. They're just daydreams, but they feel so real that for a few minutes or a few hours she really is there, with him, looking at the sunsets or fetching him tea while he's working.

_"There is no reason to hide behind me, you know. It's not as though you don't know them."  
_

_"Y-yes, but..."  
_

_"Hm? What is it?"  
_

_"W-well, I-I know we're lovers, but isn't it e-embarrassing for me to be with you in your quarters while you receive your guests?"  
_

_"Of course not. It's our quarters, receiving our guests."  
_

_"O-oh! Y-yes, I apologize."  
_

_"Heh, don't apologize. I love you." _

_Her eyes had melted._

_"I love you so much more."_

Actually, now that she thinks about it, maybe her rebirth was a good thing. Perhaps the world is _fair_ for letting her correct her many _stupid_ mistakes. This pain is a punishment, and also a lesson. She must close her heart and open her mind. Her naiveté must've been what led to the past world's destruction, because she refused to accept that she couldn't be good, as much as she wanted to be. Her innocence, her carelessness, was what cost millions their lives. To correct that, she has to be the darkness to counter the light, the twisted woman with a heart set in stone, the rock which will secure the four souls she needs to protect the world.

She ponders this while laying on the cold tile of the throne room, hands on her stomach.

_Have I gone mad?_

The voices coo to her that she hasn't, but they're liars.

_Ah, well. It doesn't matter._

(TICK, TOCK, TICK, TO-)

This in mind, she closes her light pink eyes, grins, and lets the power and despair wash over her like a tsunami. She had kept it at bay in the last life, but in this one she will Fall. She will allow herself to become _filled_ with black Rukh- but not completely. Just enough so that she can fulfill her duty and fix this disgusting, all-consuming world.

She will become horrible.

Despicable.

Disgusting.

Controlling.

Manipulative.

Backstabbing.

Evil.

Bad.

Bad.

Yes. With a giggle, she casts aside her old name, her _true name. _She is now Bad. She will show everyone who she really is before they get sucked into the sinkhole that is her.

It's a hint.

A clue.

A warning.

When Badroulbadour opens her eyes, they have become a bloody red.

(TICK, TOCK, TICK- **_DING_**.)

* * *

_Ne,__ w__hat d__o y__ou think of her now~?_

_Is she as innocent as you believed~?_

* * *

**Now.**

_Bad lives in a castle._

It has a pretty tower in which her bedroom is, a tower that has never seen a drop of sunlight nor the sky. Probably because it's hidden away under the mountain. She remembers the mountain. She also remembers _in the other time_ when she thought that the world was dark, and the floating lights that lit up the hallways were the only source of comfort. Bad was wrong, but it made her smirk at how innocent she was. Other than the tower, her castle lays sprawled out, with many hallways and twists and turns. Like a victorian mansion, it contains marble and ivory, gorgeous straight lines glorifying the high ceilings and sleek, long corridors.

Walking the dark halls, all she needs to do is raise a hand for the lights to become brighter until it is as light as the day.

"Raise and shine, Myeshia~" She calls, turning her walk into a skip, swinging her arms up and down just like a little kid. When she gets to the door at the end of the hallway, Bad mimicks pushing it open and it does so without her even touching it.

The throne room is circular and large, with regal pillars lining the sides and in the very center a large throne sat on a raised platform. In several circles around the throne, many different golden scepters are placed into stands so they point to the ceiling. A lone red carpet is laid from the doorway to the regal chair, and Bad rushes up to the throne, plopping down atop it. She tilts her back so that she can see the ceiling, where, with pieces of stained glass, a mosaic shines. Light from an unknown source illuminates the beautiful ceiling, which is designed to look like a eye. She grins at it, wondering if her "host" can see her through it.

"Myeshia...You're more quiet than usual today! It's because tomorrow is the day that lady comes, right?" Badroulbadour cocks her head like she's waiting for an answer. When nothing happens, she grins again. "I thought so~ Well she has another thing coming to her! I'm ready this time~!"

The red eyed girl gets up and begins to trail her fingers along each staff, sizing them up and pouting as she walks along them. Each is different, but they all glimmer gold and sport thin handles. They stand easily a foot taller than her, and almost seem to glow brighter when she inspects each one, as if hoping she'll reach out and decide to use it as her primary staff. 45 staffs later, she finds what she is looking for.

"My God." The girl breathes, lifting the staff out of it's stand. She inspects and runs her fingers along it's golden handle, reveling in it's beauty. "You are truly as wonderful as I recall."

The top of the staff is shaped like a flame or distorted crescent moon, one tip bigger than the other. A pink gem rests in the center between the two, reflecting off the gold to almost create a pink aura around the wand. Then, she goes back to the throne and rests the staff against it, stretching her arms and legs. On her chest, peaking out of the beginning of her dress, is an eight-pointed star she had painted earlier in black ink. Bad begins to mumble something under her breath.

**_"Divine spirits who follow the flow of fate_**

**_Come to me now_**

**_In the hour of my need._**

**_Today is the day I wed you_**

**_And give myself to thy limitless power and disgrace."_**

The air stills before starting to move, wind blowing back her hair. The entire room turns into a giant magic circle, glowing white and black. Bad lifts her arms in accordance to the spell, chanting louder and louder with each passing phrase.

**_"Come to me my brethren of hate and sorrow,_**

**_Even you angels of love and joy._**

**_We are one in eternal matrimony_**

**_I am your master,_**

**_And you are my staves!"_**

The entire room is filled with equal light and darkness by the end of her spiel. One by one, every wand turns into a shaft of pure light. Once a streak of glowing light, the staffs start to spiral all through the room, making circles. They zoom up to the mosaic picture on the roof and back down, crisscrossing around the pillars and back to red eyed girl. She lifts up her chest and the staves all fly into her tattoo, causing the black ink to turn pure white.

She cries out as each staff is absorbed into her, the force of it knocking the wind out of her. All she can do is go back into her memories. Memories that she had tried to block out for so long. Memories of the world that burned.

* * *

_The woman wails with pain, tears trailing down her cheeks as each staff shoots into her chest. It's like being hit over and over again, each one hurting more than the last. She almost collapses before strong arms grasp her elbows and hold her up. Her knees buckle with the force of the impacts, causing the rest of her body to quake violently. __She leans back against his chest, and one arm moves from her elbow to her waist, keeping her standing as the last staff is sealed into her body. _

_S__he begins to sob. _

_He pulls her to him as they fall to the ground, rubbing her shoulder and kissing her temple._

_"It's alright, it's alright." He breaths reassuringly into her ear, and she can hear the nervousness in his voice. She takes fistfuls of his robes in his hands and presses her lips to his throat. To those watching them it looks like she is just clinging to him in pain, but appearances don't bother her at the moment. What matters is that she _needs _him because it _hurts_. He seems to know that by the way he holds her tighter, like he's afraid that if he lets go for even just one second, she'll slip away from him like thin paper in the wind._

_"...I'm scared..." She murmurs._

_"I know, but I'm here. I'll protect you."_

* * *

Bad lays on the floor like she did so long ago and wonders if anyone is going to hold her up and tell her that they'll protect her. But then there's that grin and she laughs, tracing her sore chest with a finger.

"What am I thinking? I can't have him. I need to learn to be alone, forever."

* * *

"You know," She drawls, traveling to the door and having it open by itself again, "You're not just any ordinary magician's staff. No, you are much more than that. You're a 'Divine Stave' used by one of King Solomon's three trusted Magi. 'Trusted' is _definitely _the wrong word to use there, if you ask me, but none the less what they called them."

She whistles as she travels down the hallway and into another hallway, following the twist and turns and stairways until she came across a grand entryway. Bad had passed out on the floor of the throne room the previous day and awoke on the freezing marble floor. At least she now is feeling better after molding her body with the other Divine Staves, and had left the empty throne room once and for all. She continues chatting with the staff, as if it was possibly a real person in the flesh.

"You also haven't been used since that time with the 'Great King', but I know you'll do wonderful. After all...I'm using you!" Bad strokes the stave lovingly "Maybe it's a bit cliché to give you a name, and even more so to name you after your original user, but I think I'll call you 'Sheba'. Do you like it? I think you do~"

Sheba glows a bit brighter and hums with energy. Perhaps the staff somehow recognizes the name from the other time, when Bad had decided upon that name together with her boyfriend.

The entryway is almost as big as the throne room, with two stairways leading downward on opposite sides to create a majestic foyer. Everything is covered in red. Red carpet, red chairs, red paint. The railing is as black as night, and all the tables and decorations other are the same color. She smoothens the side of her white dress and stands at the small balcony overlooking the entryway. Then, still as a statue with a small, knowing smile on, she waits.

* * *

The rocks bite into his skin and the air grows hot and humid, but Eren forces down annoyance. Gritting his teeth, he finishes scaling the rock wall, gasping for air once at the top. He peaks down at the bottom of the wall before flinching. It was a climb that exhausted _him_, and he's the most muscular man in all the Chandlen Lodgings. He can't imagine others even attempting it. Sighing at his stupid decision to explore the strange pathway in the mountain, he looks to his next path, only to blink. He must be near the end of the path, if the light at the end of the tunnel is any explanation.

Excited that he may have found a short cut across the mountain, Eren jumps up and jogs down the tunnel, suddenly rejuvenated. The light blinds him, but he doesn't mind, still grinning. Only to pause in complete surprise. Literally. His whole body stills as shock races through his system.

'Cause, you know, the last time he checked there _wasn't a Goddamn castle under the mountain._

* * *

Someone politely knocks on the door.

Badroulbadour blinks at the sudden noise, having had stood still before the foyer for (by her estimate) several hours. She narrows her eyes, gripping Sheba with both hands. She knows that she has to open it. That's the only way to open the door, after all. One person wants to come in on the outside, another has to open it on the inside- and considering who it is, Bad also knows that Myeshia would _never _open the door.

She can't help but feel a little nervous. This woman is the one who stole her life once, the one who ruined everything. Bad's already made a plan to thwart being taken: act innocent so her enemy drops her guard, and then create a diversion to escape. Bad has to win against _her_, and not be taken. Holding out a hand, two of her fingers motion at the door to open. The twin doors made of heavy marble open, making a low, deep rumbling sound as they comply to her demand.

In doorway, their fist still raised to knock again, stands-

Stands someone she wasn't expecting.

"Uhh...Can I come in...?" It's a boy. Well, actually, it's a young man with the body of a pro-wrestler. He is abnormally tall, and his limbs are lined with well trained and defined muscles that, honestly, don't even look real. Due to her position atop the balcony, she can see his face clearly. His green hair is nice and neat, and matching eyes sparkle in a curious, almost kind way. Despite the bow and full quiver that he carries over his shoulder, he doesn't actually look very threatening. He has too gentle of an expression on his manly face to appear as terrifying as his body makes him look.

"Sure." Bad says nonchalantly, interest overriding caution. He doesn't seem to feel the same way as she does, coming in slowly. He takes his time to notice all the details of her palace home, eyes wide as if never seeing such things before. From the sound of his rural accent, that's probably true.

"Are ya...Alone here, lil' un?" Bad puffs up her cheeks at the words, "lil' un".

"I'm not little!" She stomps her foot, ruffling her dress. "I'm just a bit _short_ for my age."

"How old are ya?"

"Six."

"'N how tall are six year olds?"

"...Touché, sir. Touché." The man chuckles and walks a bit closer, smiling up at her.

"Ya didn't answer my question. Where're yer parents?" Bad opens her mouth and then closes it, hugging Sheba to her.

"My mother died a few years ago. I don't have a father." It was too sad to think about, especially since this time around in life she actually watched her mother..._But it doesn't matter._ "But I can take care of myself!" She adds cheerfully, motioning to the place around her. "Myeshia has taken care of me for years!"

"Myeshia? Where is she?" Bad cocks her head and blinks, not understanding why _he_ doesn't understand.

"Oh! Oh you don't know, oh lord, I'm so silly!" She giggles again and lightly bops herself on the head. "Myeshia is the tower!"

"...Wha?"

"The tower. Haven't you heard the rumors and stories? About Dungeons?" He seems stupefied, his eyes widening.

"D-dun-geon...? Where...From that time..." He doesn't see anything for a moment, and Badroulbadour looks at him. Really looks at him. His eyes, his nose, his big body and the way he walks cautiously. "Does that mean this place is a Dun-geon?!"

Bad recognizes him.

* * *

A boy walks in strange clothing among others his age. He's cautious and quiet, staying under the radar. But he's lonely, despite his few friends, lifting the screen of a phone up to cover his face. He spends most of his time in the library, reading a manga and ignoring the curious gazes of his classmates. Then, when another student (a girl with glasses) comes and picks out the same manga as him, he observes her with interest.

A boy named Charlie Mason.

A manga called Magi.

* * *

Bad can't believe it. She has had visions of where she is going to meet the other souls (granted, if she escaped from here) but only saw parts of this boy's life. The young girl was expecting _that woman_ to come, and instead the Mountain himself walked straight through her front doors. She climbs up onto the railing and looks down at him, trying to look cool.

"You!" She points her staff at the startled man, and begins to recite the words she has practiced for years just for this moment. "You are a _very _special person!"

She jumps, and using her magic is able to flip over him and land in front of the doors. His eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

"I know who you are!" He shakes his head and tries to say something, but she rushes up to him, taking his hand. Her gaze is intense, meant to consume all of his attention. She wants him to understand who he is. She wants him to understand who _she _is. And, most of all, she wants him to join her. "You're **_Charlie Mason_**!"

* * *

Eren wasn't sure what to expect of the strange little girl living alone in a castle under a mountain, but definitely not that she would call him by the English name that he hasn't heard in years.

"Wha- What? I-I don't know what ya mean," Eren denies the claim, taking a step back. The six year old is stronger than he thought, and she holds on to him.

"Yes you do!" She says, stepping closer to him once again and grinning happily. "You weren't suppose to come here today, which means you defied fate! Only a few people in this world can do that."

"I'm serious!" Eren lifts himself, making himself big. It's a trick hunters use to scare away larger animals like bears. Usually he doesn't have to do it even before a bear; most of the animals on the mountain are smaller than him already. But for some reason, he instinctually does so, as if the delicate-looking girl before him is something to fear. "I don't understand what you're sayin'."

"You don't know?"

"I dunno,"

"I should explain?"

"Yeah."

"So you are**_ Charlie Mason_**?"

"Yeah- I mean-!"

"HAHA! Gotcha~" Eren fists his hands and the opens them, feeling a bit like a sore loser. His big hand rubs his forehead, annoyance and confusion running through his body.

"Okay, yeah, I'm...I was **_Charlie Mason_**. I go by Eren now. Could ya just tell me what's goin' on?"

"Alright." She agrees quickly, still smiling. "Well, you see, this world you are in is out of a 'comic' book in your original world, right?" Eren nods, as he had already figured that out once he first saw the Rukh all those years ago. Coming into the castle and learning it's actually a Dungeon confirms his suspicions. "Um...How do I say this...Well, okay, this world is in danger, you see, and to save it I need your help."

"...Wut?"

"_I come from the future._ A broken future...Where the entire world was in chaos, and it almost died completely. So...A close friend of mine used his, er, "special" magic which hit a 'reset' button, causing the time stream to reverse and restart. But I can't stop the same 'fate' from happening _alone_, so I summoned a few souls from _your_ world to help me."

"...Are ya sayin' that ya summoned me from death?"

"Yes. I- well, not really _me_ but that's not the point- summoned four souls. The Bird, the Shadow, the Temptress and you, Eren, the Mountain."

"Are these other, uh, souls from my world as well?"

"Yes, and they have their memories, just like you do." This is either completely true or a bucket load of crazy, and Eren's not sure what he believes. It's not as though he doesn't know about time-travel; he'd learned a lot about the theories as Charlie Mason, and also knows a crap-ton about magic in the Magi verse. But it's hard to remember, since it was so long ago...And a lot to process.

"This is all imposs-ible." He decides to go with, since no questions seem to fit right on his tongue.

"So is magic, but you know that it's real, right?" Eren closes his eyes real tight. When he opens them, he leans down to get eye to eye with the child in front of him.

She's a bit short, even for a six year old, and has long, ratty pink hair (she probably doesn't brush a lot). Her eyes are red, the color of roses from the base of the mountain...Or, considering how she's looking at him, the color blood. He's never seen anyone like her before, but knows that since in his world this was a manga, he will probably see people with blue or purple hair soon. Her white dress goes to her knees, and a yellow rope-like belt knots in the front. The long sleeves are loose and see-through, showing him her thin, fragile arms. In one hand she holds a long staff and in the other she grips his hand.

"How can I help ya save the world? I'm just a hunter of the Chandlen lodges."

"I thought you looked like a Chandlen. But you're special, Eren. I can see it! I need you to trust me, and follow me to the end." Eren doesn't know why, but he feels like he _should_ trust the girl. He doesn't even know her name, but is suddenly compelled to have her lead him to a better future.

"What about my family?" He questions, worried about his siblings and parents.

"They'll understand once they realize what great potential you have within you." His chest feels tight. He hasn't felt this way since he was Charlie and everything about him was too small.

"I can't just _leave_ them."

"I never said you had to. You can give them a proper goodbye and then come with me. We need to find the other souls before we can save the world."

"...I dunno, but...If what your sayin' is true then I don't have much of a choice."

"Of course you do. Life always gives us a choice, but it's our duty to make the right one." The girl smiles at the behemoth of a man and then lets his hand go, pointing at herself. "I forgot to tell you, didn't I~ Well, my name is-"

_"Hello, little girl."_ All the color drains out of the pinkette's face. For a split second, the world is still, before a sudden coldness crashes down on Eren. He shivers despite his used to the cold, somehow feeling as though the ice in the air is nipping right at his bones. Eren stands, seeing a woman standing in the doorway. "I'm here for that stave of yours."

The six year old turns slowly and looks at the woman, an unreadable expression crossing her features.

"You...I knew you were coming." The woman seems bemused. Eren takes the time to notice that she's actually very pretty...Too pretty. A woman so well-kept and clean certainly isn't from the mountains like him- nor do they wear such fine, expensive clothes...Or clothes in that style at all. Her lips are cherry-red, her lipstick shining beneath the dim light, and her eyes are a sparkling light blue. She has skin that is pale and smooth like she has never seen the sun, and every move she makes is graceful and meaningful. Even moving her hand up to set a strand of dark blue hair into place is graceful.

_Dark _blue_ hair...And considering Anime logic, that means that she's an important character-_

"Did you now?"

"Yes." The child snaps holding out the staff in front of her, pointing it at the woman. "I always knew you were coming...Gyokuen Ren!"

Eren takes the time to appreciate the fact that THIS IS THE MAIN ANTAGONIST OF THE WHOLE SERIES AND SHE LOOKS SO NICE BUTWILLSNAPYOURNECKINAHEARTBEATSWEETGOD. In other words, he flips his shit off to the side as Gyokuen and the mysterious girl lock gazes tightly.

"You're a funny little thing!" Gyokuen laughs, lifting her long sleeve to cover her face. Now he understands why her ever move seemed to scream "royalty", and that's _because_ she's royalty. But even with this knowledge, he doesn't feel like she's as psychopathic as he_ knows _she is. She seems completely normal...Innocent of all charges. It gives him the shivers. "How about you hand over that 'Divine Stave' and I'll let you go? Although, you look too much like your mother to go off on your own...You could stay with me then."

Gyokuen steps closer and the innocent facade that she had assumed is dropped at once, making Eren's jaw drop. Instead of kind and compassionate, she now looks greedy and mindless. All at once an intense aura of pure _evil _and _repulsion_ slams into him, giving him a sickening headache. The pinkette beside him takes a deep breath, and when Eren braces himself for a scream for help, she instead yells,

**"Sarāb Janāza!"**

Out of the tip of the staff came a burst of water, rocketing straight at Gyokuen with the strength and speed of a cheetah. Eren is a bit _too_ close to the girl, and a droplet of water landed on his cheek. He hisses in pain once he realizes that the water is boiling hot, and slaps a hand over his cheek to try and curb the pain.

Gyokuen appears surprised as the water hammers the force field around her figure.

_A Borg! And if I remember correctly, Gyokuen has an especially strong one!_

When the stream of boiling water stops, a few cracks crisscross over Gyokuen's Borg.

_Or...Maybe not._

* * *

Certainly Gyokuen didn't expect the pretty little child to be so volatile. The red eyed girl doesn't hesitate to let loose another round of boiling water, and the air around them becomes thick with steam. Gyokuen smiles and doesn't acknowledge the dents in her Borg, rather mentally praising the young child's already blossoming talent. She had been expecting the six year old to be sweet and harmless- sheltered by her mother in the perfect castle she's been hiding in for years. Instead, she seems to have learned water magic already- a fact that makes Gyokuen swell up with all the ideas of how to _mold this potential_. _And_, the girl's mother isn't even here, which will definitely make it much less sloppy of a kidnapping. Of course, the girl is standing beside a tall, muscular man whom she has never seen before...But by the frightened way he's looking at her, he'll be no problem to take care of.

Getting out of Kou was no problem either. Gyokuen had told her "dearest" husband that the brewing wars in Kou were scaring little Hakuei and Hakuryuu, which was true to an extent. Koutoku had bended to her will and negotiated with the King of Mystania to allow his wife and step-children take a trip there for the summer. From then on it was just a matter of finding the time to slip away to the hick countryside for a refreshing trek to the sweltering mountains. It was easy to replace the guards with Al Thamen members, but when she went to claim the staves within the Dungeon, they had begged her to let them join her. She had smiled and told them that they weren't coming with her, and that they weren't getting any Staves either.

Gyokuen laughs, watching the water finish streaming.

"Do you really think that a spell of that caliber could stop me?" Gyokuen asks, astounded by the girl's unrelenting strength. "I'm a lot more experienced than you are, my dear."

The six year old merely grins.

"Of course not, but just because you're more experienced doesn't mean I'm not more clever~" Gyokuen realizes her mistake. Unleashing a wind spell, she sees that the girl and the man are both gone, and that the pair fighting against her in the steam were just images created out of light magic.

"...Well played. But I'm coming for you." Gyokuen smiles calmly and turns on her heel, walking out of the Dungeon through the front doors left ajar. She would go back to the waiting Al Thamen members and then make plans to find the pair. She would let them have a head start. After all, what fun is the chase when it's so easy to catch your prey?

* * *

Eren breaths heavily, hands on knees as he coughs up dust that got in his mouth when they made their escape. The girl lays on the ground, gulping for air.

"Thank you God! Thank you for letting that _actually_ work!" The girl sits up and then smiles at Eren, seeming a lot softer than she did at the Dungeon. Her eyes are a darker color in the light, a red comparable to roses. She sits cross legged, shyly tucking a stray hair behind her ear. For a moment her entire being seems so sweet- vastly opposed to the feral beast he saw attack the Ren matriarch without hesitation.

"I'm sorry you got pulled into this mess, Eren." She tugs on her hair, looking up at him with innocent eyes. Even though Eren has seen strange, borderline crazy things from the child, he finds himself merely shaking his head.

"I had a bad feelin' Gyokuen wasn't gonna let me join with yer lil' trip back to Kou. Ya saved me. Thanks a bunch." The girl beams, her little face looking suddenly like a pan full of sunshine. Then the innocence he sees there is gone. Replacing it is a now familiar grin that covers her softness and takes up the space where her goodness should be.

"No problem, I need you after all~! So, I suppose you are coming with me then?" Eren tilts his head, not understanding what she's saying.

"Can't I say goodbye to my family?"

"Sure, but you need to make it quick. After all, Gyokuen is looking for us now."

"But...My family is strong! They could take Gyokuen." The girl in front of him sighs and shakes her head, smoothing out her dress.

"Nobody can best that woman, Eren. You know that as much as I do." She pats her dress and doesn't look at him. "The only person I think could fight her would be..."

She shakes her head once more and stares up at him. Eren gulps, but nods. He understands. As much as he loves his family, if he doesn't help this girl there won't be anyone to love anymore. Be it five or ten years, eventually there will be darkness encasing this world. Now that he knows that this is truly _Magi_, he can't ignore his own knowledge about future. He can't pretend that he doesn't understand what Al Thamen is planning on doing. In addition, he's _interested_. Maybe that's not a good thing, but this is a new life, and that means that he's been given the rare chance of starting completely over. If he can gather up the courage to take the first steps toward adventure, then who knows that really awaits him out there. Eren certainly doesn't want to pass something this amazing up, even though the thought of leaving home makes him queasy.

"I jus' need to speak with my ma, and maybe my pa." The girl nods her head, and takes a look around at the dense forest.

"Listen up, Eren. Do you know a special rock that looks really pretentious? Like, in the shape of a wolf head?" Eren scowls at her and then nods his head.

"Yeah, it's kind of _sacred_ to my lodgin'." The pinkette laughs before quickly stopping. To cover up her previous actions, she pretends to cough, scratching her head sheepishly.

"Of course, sorry. At sunset I want you to meet me there and we will head off." Eren scrunches up his nose, thinking about all the predators in the woods during the summer. There are many bears in the Chandlen mountains who love to roam, looking for food. And the bucks are surprisingly ferocious...Not to mention the wolves and the mountain lions and the poisonous berries-

_Aw man. I can't let a child go out there._

"Do ya maybe want to join me? Meet my ma n' pa? I don't think you should be alone in the woods." The girl opens her mouth as to say something, but then grins, nodding.

"Sure. I would like that." Eren holds out his hand and she takes it, hoping to her feet. Together they head out in the direction of the Chandlen lodgings, holding hands like a brother taking his little sister on a hike.

"Hey...What's yer name?" She looks up at him, and her face changes from the ever present grin that twitches at the corners of her mouth. She looks...Sad, almost. Then she shows him all her teeth and tilts up her chin, as if proud.

"My name is Bad. Well, not_ really_, that's a nickname. My full name is Badroulbadour."

"Nice ta meet ya, Bad."

* * *

Bad wonders if he notices. Sure, he seems a bit..._Dim_, but surely someone she chose out of the infinite souls in the world would be able to pick up on her subtle foreshadowing. But watching him as they pick their way through the woods and choose the quickest paths, she begins to lose hope. Just when she thinks he doesn't notice, there is a flicker of weary understanding in those pine eyes. Bad has to look down so he doesn't see her smile, warmth flooding through her body without permission.

Eren saw the hint.

The clue.

The warning.

But he didn't give a damn. Because somehow he _trusts_ her, and that's all Bad needs from him- the confirmation that, even though she's a tiny bit crazy, she can still be reliable. And she can still get people to trust her, to rely on her.

Bad looks out at the dirt trail before her, walking with new vigor.

_I will change this world with my dirty hands. _

* * *

The Chandlen lodgings are a complicated place. In all, there are six apartment-like buildings made out of wood and stone, with at least five families living in each floor except for the first- which, in each apartment, is the lodge's main kitchen and dining hall. The result is many huge homes- much like ski lodges- sprawling throughout the compound, taking up enough space comparable to one or two city blocks. Also, there are many smaller buildings sprinkled in between each one, which are actually shops. Some sell hunting equipment, others taking care of essential needs like laundry. Because the lodgings are so peaceful, word travels very fast between the apartments. A fight between a couple in one lodge could jump from floor to floor until it enters another building, and on and on until the entire community has heard the gossip. And since everyone knows everyone, that couple would be getting a lot of counseling _real_ quick.

So when Eren enters his lodge with a outsider, not mention a little girl with pink hair? Everyone knows within the hour.

Uzza is the first to know, mainly because her son comes into their home with her.

"Ma, I have to talk to you." Uzza blinks and nods. As the head chef of the main kitchen, this is her break- which she had been spending eating soup and working on her sewing while awaiting Eren's return home. She straightens suddenly, a grin curling on her lips. Maybe Eren is going to ask if it's alright for him to borrow money to take his crush out on a date! Nothing warms her old heart more than seeing at least _one _of her sons looking for a wife.

"What do ya wanna to talk...Hello there." Behind Eren, a girl hides slightly and holds his hand. Upon hearing Uzza's words, she pokes her tiny head out and smiles.

"Hi, I'm Badroulbadour." Uzza nods and smiles slightly, meeting her son's gaze.

"That's a pretty name. Eren, why is Badroulbadour here? Is she lost?" Eren gulps, shifting uncomfortably under Uzza's scrutinizing gaze. He takes a deep breath.

"Ma...I have to leave."

"Ta go where?" Uzza puts a hand to her hip, raising an eyebrow. "To take the girl down to the villages at the base of the mountain?"

"U-uh, no, Ma. It's hard to explain, but somethin' has happened, and I have ta go with Bad." Uzza sets down her sewing needle and patch of cloth, standing from the table. She purses her lips, staring hard at her youngest son. He fidgets, looking nervous at her reaction. Uzza tries not to play favorites with her children, but once one has _nine_, it's hard not to. And, if she's being completely honest with herself, Eren _is_ her favorite. Not only because he's her youngest, but also because he's the sweetest, and most eager. Because even though he's a hulk of a man, he has never treated anyone as inferior. It's the way he looks so unnerved by his tiny mother's stare that proves his gentle nature. However, it's that same gentle nature that makes some of his choice appear naive or not well thought out. As his mother, Uzza needs to lead Eren in the right directions, which is why she lets annoyance bubble up inside her and prepares to scold her son- if for nothing else but to protect him.

"No ya don't. Listen, Eren, I'm very confused, but my youngest ain't going off with a child! No offense, uh, Bad."

"It's alright."

"Ma! Okay, fine, I'll explain," He motions for her to sit at their dining room table once more. She does so, but only after he and the girl take their seats across from her. "You're not gonna believe this, but..."

* * *

Uzza doesn't believe it.

Magicians? Underground castles? _Evil organizations?_ It's all crazy. Maybe Eren hit his head when he fell...It really wouldn't have been the first time, considering what happened _last_ summer. But Eren has never lied to her before, and if what he is saying is true...

_About a dungeon under the mountain and a woman wanting to kidnap Badroulbadour?_

As a mother whom loves her darling child, there is only one option left: trying to reason with him.

"Y'all could stay here. We Chandlens are strong." Whether or not she believes what he's saying is irrelevant. What matters is that _Eren _believes it. And, as level headed as Uzza is, she has to trust in her son, as empty headed as he can be. Besides, it's not like she doesn't believe in magic- in her home village, there was a magician. He was a dear friend...Who, well, asked her to marry him. He made a bouquet spring up from the ground. But she had fallen deeply in love with Hanif, who was hired to work in the construction zones.

She blinks, snapping out of an old reverie to face the problem at hand.

"Ma...We can't." Eren's eyes were sad.

"Eri my boy, how do you even know this woman is coming after you?"

"Ma-"

"I know." Uzza's eyes snap to the child. Badroulbadour, who hadn't spoken the whole time, now pipes up. Her eyes, a color Uzza has never seen before, burrow into her own. But whatever Uzza may have seen in them disappears. Suddenly the girl looks like she's about to cry, sniffling. "I know that she's after me, because...Because she said so. The reason that Eren wants to leave is because I'm just a kid a-an' it's n-not like I can face her a-alone."

Bad turns her face to the table, pulling her hair back over her shoulder. She grasps her own pink locks, water spilling over the tops of her eyes to pool thickly along the eyelids. Watching such a pitiful display of weakness makes Uzza's heart stutter, almost as seeing one of her own children collapse into tears after skinning their knee. It causes the older woman to look back at her son, and imagine a time when he had accidentally cut open his hand with an arrow head. His little face was as red as his bloody palm, but he had tried to smile through it, so he wouldn't worry his mother.

"Eren..." Bad sniffles some more, squeezing her eyes shut. "Eren is a kind person. I'm useless by myself. B-but...It's wrong for me to drag him in-into my problems so...So..." The little girl stands, looking away from them. "So I'll just go alone."

"No." Uzza blinks, realizing she had spoken. Bad looks at her, eyes brimming with tears and hope. She opens her mouth, as if to say something, but no words form.

"I'll go with you, Bad." Eren says, reaching out a hand. He pats her head, looking genuinely concerned for the child before them.

"Eren-" The brunette tries to think of something to say, but words fail her. She has feelings she wants to express to him: concern for his welfare, worry about what he may see in the outside world, stubbornness to the idea of her last bird leaving the nest. Her Eren is an skilled hunter and a still-growing boy, but it's not he's too young and she can't let her baby get hurt-

"_Ma_." Eren looks at her. Really, really looks at her. He looks at her with eyes that tell her _I can do it _and _t__his is fate_. That hits Uzza.

_Is this fate? _

Well, she was set to marry that magician she mentioned previously when Hanif entered her life. Their first meeting was...She scoffs at the irony of the word at the moment, but..._Magical_. She was on a hill, thinking about her fiancee and wondering if it was really love. Then, out of _nowhere_, a coyote sprang out of the grasses, growling at her. She had tried to run away, but the coyote had lunged...Only to drop dead, an arrow in it's head. She looked back to see it, only to trip on a rock...And fall into her future husband's arms. A small smile tugs at her lips. Yes, that must've been fate. Meeting Hanif at that moment had to have been fate. After all, she then went on to have move to the Lodgings with him, and find a _real_ family, and start one of her own...

_Nine children later, and that man still loves me._

Uzza closes her eyes. If she denies her son his chance at fate, then she might as well pretend that her meeting with Hanif was merely a coincidence.

"Fate, huh." The mother of nine lifts her head to the ceiling, sighing. Eren stares at her, cocking his head to the side. "Alright. Eren...I don't know why you're doing this, but I want you to protect this child."

"R-really?" Eren stands now, his eyes lighting up. "_Really_?"

"Yes." Eren goes around the table, wrapping his arms around his mother.

_"Ma. _Thank you."

"Oh, honey," Uzza laughs a bit, standing. "If I hold ya back from this, ya may not forgive me."

"Hold me back from wut?"

Uzza shrugs.

"This adventure, I guess." Eren's eyes widen.

"Y-you really...Think it's 'n adventure?"

_Oh, my baby boy._

Uzza cups her youngest's face, her eyes watering. For a moment, she is truly proud of her son, and scared for him, and happy that fate has found it's way to her precious child at last. It's not a surprise to her that it finally came. Eren is a special child, and has been special since he was a wee babe snuggling into her arms.

"It's an adventure. 'N your ma ain't gonna be happy unless you have many, many stories to tell 'er when ya come back."

"Of course. Of course, Ma!" Eren laughs, engulfing her in a hug, laughing. She hears giggling, and looks over to Bad. If she wasn't saying goodbye to her son, she may question why the girl no longer looks like she's about to sob.

"You don't have to worry." The red eyed girl grins. "I'll take care of your son. I promise. And I keep my promises."

* * *

The sunset makes the forest appear like it's on fire, the sky a watery blue that fades with each passing moment. Eren and Bad speed-walk down a worn path leading toward a sacred monument to Eren's lodge. The last warmth of the fading day isn't much, but both are so hopped up on energy and excitement that they don't notice, and even sweat as they go toward the rock. Bad peaks up at Eren, who glows even as his hands quiver with nerves. She recalls Uzza's reaction to her "crying bit", and smirks.

It's funny how people seem to trust her, even though she's so young. Perhaps it's _because_ she's so young that they fall into her trap...After all, six year olds aren't exactly _expected _to be scheming villains preparing for the end of days. Still, she's not really used to this strange acceptance. In her past life, people didn't trust her easily...Though that was because they mostly all knew firsthand her real strength. All the people in this timeline see is a little girl with a cute face, not the cold, disgusting woman she really is.

(Bad'll just have to use it to her advantage, huh~?)

"Why do we have to Wolf's Rock again?"

"You'll find out soon enough~" Bad giggles, skipping now to keep up with Eren's long strides. When they come to Wolf's Rock, Bad can't help but roll her eyes. The rock is actually in the shape wolf's head, the cracks and edges turning into eyes, a face and fur. Against the sunset, it appears proud and noble. And, in Bad's defense, it really does seem pretentious.

"We're here!" Bad announces, running over to the rock. She grips the edges, trying to scale the sides. Eren sighs, picking her up and walking around to the side where one could easily climb up and onto the head. Bad pouts and grumbles, "My way would've been funner."

"More fun." Eren corrects her, and she shoots him the cutest death glare ever. Once on top of the rock, Bad holds out her staff and warns him,

"I'm going to do something awesome, but you may pee your pants." A gulp is taken by the beast of a boy, who looks around him to make sure the coast is clear. Bad doesn't wait for him to finish his mental assessment- while also reminding herself to make him learn how to do such a thing _earlier_\- and begins to chant.

**"Oh spirits of Balance and Justice**

**I call upon thee and thy brethren**

**Come to me now**

**And summon thy Mistress.**

**Decide, Myeshia!"**

Out of nowhere, a whirlwind of leaves and white light grows a few feet away from Wolf Rock. It continues to expand and steadily become more powerful as Bad chants the spell. Eren backs away, his eyes glued to the tornado. His sashes and pants move in the wind, his hair blowing back from his face. He falls to his knees, overwhelmed by the sudden burst of magic. Suddenly Bad's statement about him soiling himself doesn't seem so humorous and much more realistic.

When the tornado clears...

Eren's jaw drops as Bad's mouth forms a now familiar grin.

_A Djinn. Pretty cool, huh, Eren?_

A Djinn stands before them. Bad hadn't seen Myeshia in her past life, but knows _of_ Djinns and their unusual appearance. And, because Al Thamen never bothered trying to get anyone to conquer Myeshia, Bad never met her Djinn caretaker...And was, shamefully, asleep when her mother met Myeshia for the first time when she was an infant. Now, as Myeshia presents herself in front of Bad in all her giant, blue skinned glory, the girl can't help but light up with interest.

Myeshia is unlike other Djinns, and rather is much like Ugo. While most Djinns live in Dungeons and lend their strength to the humans who clear their traps, Myeshia is completely different. For one thing, she's in charge of taking care of Bad. She designed her Dungeon to be a house for Bad to live in, complete with fresh food, an abundance of bedrooms and a library with a vast amount of books. After Bad's mother died, she reformed her Dungeon even more so that convenience for the young child would take priority over remaining secretive. This meant meals prepared by invisible servants, doors that opened when Bad asked, and mysterious pillows that came out of _nowhere _when the pinkette fell.

There is another reason Myeshia is different. She watches over the Divine Staves. The Staves weren't ever suppose to exist in this world, but with the existence of Bad came the creation of the super powerful wands- which is something that is, without a doubt, a subject Bad will touch upon later, when more is clear.

The Djinn of Balance and Justice is good-looking, in a 'blue giant' sort of way. Myeshia's huge form is crowned with thick white hair held in a side braid, and her big blue eyes are coated with black lashes. Her _very_ feminine body is wrapped in a piece of white and blue fabric that covers the bare minimum and reveals a section or two of her abdomen and stomach. One gold hoop earring hangs on her right ear and bangles line her wrists, a silver necklace with what appears to be a ring splayed on her neck.

"Badroulbadour, my Queen of Queens who has been bestowed with the Divine Staves, how may I serve you?" The pinkette can see the shock on Eren's face. His eyes bulge as his mouth hangs open, a twitch in his eyebrow jumping up and down like a jittery bug.

"Hi, Myeshia! It's nice to see you~" Myeshia has a nice smile, a smile that is sweet and accepting. She directs this smile at her charge, even though Bad knows that the Djinn is aware of her black Rukh. "I need some help, please."

"Just name it, my dear." The Djinn sits on her knees, folding her hands and tilting her head. Eren appears calmer at this action, and Bad feels relieved that Myeshia is a nice Djinn that doesn't try to show off her power to intimidate them like others of her kind usually do.

"I know you made a deal a hundred or so years ago, right? With a few siblings who came across your Dungeon." Myeshia thinks for a moment and then brightens, smiling her nice smile.

"I know what you mean! The Chandlen siblings and their dashing elder brother!" Bad quickly nods, and then continues on,

"Could you tell my friend here Eren Chandlen about the deal?" Myeshia turns her attention to Eren, and the boy straightens up. Bad giggles at his attempt to appear 'dashing'.

"Well, as I recall, the siblings were building a large house on the mountain to live in. One day, the oldest, out on a hunting trip, came across my Dungeon in the woods. This was before I moved it under the mountain. When I sensed his power, I came out of the tower and decided to make a deal with him. His siblings and him were...Well...They were...Strange beings. Impossible beings. And their power could upset the balance in the world." The Djinn shivers at the very mention of the balance being disrupted. "So I told him that I could grant his wish. In exchange for his family's power, I would allow him and his future generations to live peacefully for the rest of their lives. The balance was preserved...That is, until you and your mother came to me and got this whole mess with the Divine Staves started."

Myeshia seems tired as she says the last sentence, worry lining her eyes like kohl. Bad blushes and scratches her arm, looking down.

"Sorry about that, Myeshia." Eren shakes his head and concentrates.

"Wait, wait, wait." Eren furrows his eyebrows "Does that mean...You're the Mountain Spirit from my family's stories?"

Myeshia blinks.

"Is that what they called me? Well, I suppose that's only normal. I _am_ one of the first Djinn to come to this world and your ancestors were the first humans to see me." The Chandlen takes a deep breath. Bad pats his back, smirking. When he turns and raises an eyebrow at her, she mischievously mouths, 'it's not over yet'.

"It's a lot to take in, but this isn't all~" Bad turns to Myeshia once again. "Myeshia, there's a reason I wanted you to tell Eren that story."

The Djinn tilts her head in a bird-like manner.

"What is it, my dear?" Red eyes that are the color of blood close, and when they open, the gleam of sinister intentions shines. Intentions that had been laying dormant within them for years.

Of course, she had many years alone in the Dungeon.

To read.

To think.

To plot.

And now is the time to commence her plan. Just because she isn't all sane doesn't mean she won't fulfill her duty nor her promise to _him_. Perhaps people will hate her when this is all over, but for now that didn't matter, not one bit. Once her words slip off her tongue and the tension in the air grows, Bad grins and relishes the beginning of the- _her_\- war.

"I want Eren to clear your Dungeon!"

* * *

"Why me?! I...I'm nothing and yet you...You chose _me_ to help ya save the world? Charlie Mason was a nobody, and here, in this forest, I'm just another Chandlen. I can't handle this responsibility!"

"You have power now."

"So? Does that instantly make me strong?!"

"No, you idiot, but it makes you useful. Eren, if you're a nobody, then I'll claim you. If you don't want to be Charlie Mason, if you don't want to be a Chandlen, then become a servant of Bad. Because _I_ need you."

"You...Need me? For what?"

"You don't realize the full extent of what a horrible person I am, so let me warn you. Should we go together, I will use you, backstab others, steal, lie, cheat and bring darkness in my wake until my goal is accomplished."

"Is your goal that important to ya?"

"What do you choose? To follow me and my path to darkness? Or will you go back to your lodging?"

"If I follow ya...What will happen to me?"

"There will be pain. I cannot deny that. But there will also be happy times. Laughter, joy, magic. We...We can be a family, for a time. We can hide our evil and live with goodness. I need to know your answer, Eren, because your choice will decide the fate of the world."

_Life always gives us a choice, but it's our duty to make the right one._

"I...I choose-"

* * *

CHAPTER = END.

**Concerning Eren:** Eren is a down to earth guy, friendly dude who is also a low-key nitwit. Still, he has his moments, and despite his brawns-over-brains personality, can have some good insight on morality and the way people feel. He's like a super ripped Doctor Phil. And, if you disregard his life as Charlie, he's probably the only OC in this entire story who _doesn't _have a sad/horrifying backstory...And is most likely going to be the most normal, lmao. I bet I'm going to have a lot of fun with his character because of his reactions to things :P

**Concerning Bad: **I suppose I made her a bit insane, didn't I~ Well, okay, let me explain. She lost everything, came to a _new world_, and saw her mother commit suicide while probably suffering from severe PTSD from the war in the other timeline. It's was _crushing_, leading to her Fall. Which is why a few of Bad's main character traits are manipulative, mischievous, and at points very calculating. She won't be afraid to blackmail others and lie her ass off to get out of sticky situations. But Bad isn't all bad. Despite Falling, she has her moments of trustworthiness, and 'didn't fall all the way'.

The next chapter will introduce the Bird and the Shadow! After that, the PLOT arrives~!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	5. Chapter 4: Unheard Words

Hullo! The time for the next chapter has come~!

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SECOND ARC: **Heaven on Earth

CHAPTER 4: Unheard Words

* * *

**Part 1: The Bird in the Birdcage**

When dealing with time, Alice Marsden _wasn't_ the best at keeping it.

_The room is neat and white. Everything is white: the bed, the covers, the curtains, the sink, the walls...She could go on. The calendar too is white, which reads in bold letters: March 25th. __Her mother last visited her...Two weeks ago. No, no...That can't be right. Sure, her mother visited last on the 11th, but it's felt like longer. Well...__Every day feels longer here. Especially since she has practically nothing to do except for channel surfing and waiting for the nurses to come and bring her the newspaper, not that she actually cares about world events. __Alice lifts her head, squinting her eyes to look at the calendar once more._

_Her lips curl downwards sickeningly, before popping back up in an ironic half-smile. _

_Her mother last visited her on _February _11th. Six whole weeks, huh? Must be a record. She'd scoff if she hadn't vowed not to, so she instead voices her frustration and disappointment by letting her head fall back onto the pillows. The result is a whoosh of air from the pillow and a killer headache springing out of nowhere like a man with a chainsaw. She wheezes, seeing black spots in her vision suddenly. Desperately, her hand begins searching through the sheets to find the remote, wildly flailing as the headache turns into a migraine and the wheezing into full on coughing. _

_She finds the remote and lifts it directly in front of her face, eyes scrambling to find the 'call nurse' button. She finds the big red button and presses it firmly, before dropping the remote and struggling to breath. _

_(Ah, you poor thing...Seven years of health, and then seven years of sickness.)_

She wasn't born sick, though she had always been fragile. Rather, she was born to a mother and father whom loved her very dearly, and took every chance to tell her that...Until she became sick. Then, like her health, her life began to deteriorate. Her mother and father were supportive at the beginning, but soon medical costs and the stress of it all got to them. They hardly snapped at her, but outside of her hospital room, when they thought she was sleeping, she could make out their whispered yells about things she didn't understand. Things like _money problems _and _cheating with the neighbor. _Once, her mother caught her listening and asked that she not say a word of it to her little brother.

Alice _was _good at keeping quiet.

_"Honey. Say something." _

_"..." Alice keeps her eyes trained on the whiteboard next to the door. On it the nurse wrote out her medicine schedule on the board so neither she nor Alice would forget; as did she write in little reminders: 'Taco Tuesday' and 'your Father visits!' She hears a sigh, and the sound of her father moving. She can tell because his stupid leather jacket, leather on __leather. He rubs his temple. Inwardly she cackles. __Just what he deserves after leaving mom and not visiting for a month. Not that mom's any better._

_"I, uh, know you're mad." She rolls her eyes. "But you have to talk to someone, honey. Your mom at least. The doctor. Come on, princess. I love your beautiful voice." Just the more reason for her to keep it locked away, then. She purses her lips even tighter, almost shaking at the force of it. She won't speak. She won't say a word ever again- at least to either of her selfish parents. _

_(You kept that promise.)_

Alice _was _incurably sick.

_Cancer. _

_She developed in her lungs at the age of seven. She was admitted to the hospital with the promise that they'd perform a surgery and she'd be as good as new, which, obviously, was a bold faced lie. But she didn't know it then, and was back home a week or two later, being cared for by her mother. Then, on her follow up, it revealed that- _gasp!- _uh-oh, the doctors missed a spot. She went back to the hospital, and new complications prevented the doctors from performing another surgery. _

_The sporadic back and forth between home and the hospital was a hallmark of her eighth year of life, with the tug of war ending with the hospital winning. Age nine, she was moved into a white, white room that she'd spent the rest of her days in. She started chemo and lost her hair somewhere in this time, and her skin turned paler than her Swedish mother's. She stopped talking at ten. Lost the ability to walk without causing a major coughing fit around that time too. Apparently being so weak and so sick made her body shockingly fragile- so much so that leaving her room became a major no-no. _

_Alice was sick. So she had to stay in one room for the rest of her life. _

_(You didn't deserve this.)_

She wasn't sure how she died, but she can't help but wonder if the disease finally finished the job. She didn't have much time left, or so the doctors had told her on rainy day when the wind whipped against the windows. They must've said something like 6 months and that they were going to inform her parents right away.

_"J-Jeremy?" Her mother stands outside her hospital room. Alice opens her eyes and stares at her mother, looking at her red face and blond hair, which has been slowly going white. Her face looks like it was slammed into a wall of pure sorrow, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I don't care that you're out with her, idiot!" _

_Alice looks to the __ceiling, wondering what her father's doing with his second wife. Seeing a movie? Going out to eat? Pretending like he doesn't have a dying daughter in the hospital that he needs to pay for?_

_"Jeremy, they-" Her mother's voice breaks, and she leans heavily against the door, allowing Alice to hear her even more clearly. "-They gave her a year."  
_

_There is silence. _

_"I dunno. They- they said a year at the most but...But you know Alice is very delicate." Her mother sniffles. "I dunno what to do. What do I say to her? She won't say a word, she won't even write on the whiteboard anymore."_

_More silence._

_"Now? You wanna come now? Well- Jeremy, stop, I don't care. Another tim- Jeremy Marsden, you selfish bastard, come visit our daughter." Her mother demands this in a harsh growl, before sniffling again. "Please. I don't know what she's thinking, but when you look in her eyes- Oh God. Please come." _

_(Your dad came, and he held you for the first time in years. Your parents cried as your step-mother stood in the doorway awkwardly. You cried a little, but you made no sound. But the next day, when your little brother came to visit with shiny eyes and a trembling lower lip, you smiled like usual and had him play tic-tac-toe with you on your whiteboard.)_

Knowing when one was going to die was a tricky thing to handle. On one hand, _she was going to die_. On the other, _finally_. Spending years in that hellhole had made her desperate to finally get out and _stop_ _the_ _pain_ _already_. She had counted the days. She found herself eager to die. The final days of her life included spending countless hours staring up at the ceiling. The television in the corner only played Spanish soap operas (which she became very enraptured with) and the news.

_Tick, tock, tick, tock_. She was waiting forever for that lovely little _ding _that would signify the end of this torture. The mind numbing days went by in a white blur, the nauseatingly bright room remaining still and constant throughout the last days of her existence. Nothing would change after she died, she realized. The world would keep moving. The room would remain white. The TV would continue to play telenovelas. The only thing that would be different is that there would be a different girl laying where she's laying.

Maybe Alice got a little depressed at that thought, but she was still eager. She was ready. And her parents, as sad and heartbroken as they were, were ready as well.

It was time.

There was only one thing that stood out in the last bits of her short, fragile life. It was that girl.

_Step, step, step. _

_Knock, knock. _

_A volunteer comes into the room, wearing a red and white volunteer uniform. Alice doesn't take note of her, too enraptured with her telenovela to care about the usual peppy schoolgirl wanting to change the world one conversation with a dying girl at a time. _

_What caught her attention was the silence. The girl stopped before her bed and stared, but said nothing, going over to the bedside table. Alice flickers her eyes to the girl, finding that she's not the usual "type" of volunteer hired at the hospital. Rather, she's cold-looking, with a plain face and limp hair. As if hearing Alice's thoughts, the volunteer's eyes instantly shoot to her's, catching her. They lock gazes for a moment, where neither says anything. The volunteer places a bouquet of yellow flowers on her bedside table._

_"They're poppies."_

_"..."_

_"Don't tell me you've never seen poppies before?"_

_"..."_

_"Well, they really are pretty."_

Everyday for two weeks that volunteer came in and brought a new flower. Orange daffodils, pink snapdragons, bluish asters, white peonies, purple hydrangeas, and finally red roses. The name on the cheap tag clipped her uniform read, 'Jane Hullburg'. It didn't fit her cold personality, but at the same time, with her brown hair and simple eyes hidden behind glasses, it did fit her unimportant appearance.

Alice remembers how she died now.

_The roses are so beautiful. _

_The petals are thin and delicate, just like Alice. They are all arranged perfectly in a circle, comparable to the whirls of a ball gown gliding across the floor of a brilliant gala. They're red, a deep and mysterious color, which fades slowly throughout the day. She watches them for hours, filling up the day by taking in the one splash of color in her hospital room. Her eyes grow heavy and tired over time, and soon she sleeps, exhaustion setting her to bed quickly and heavily. _

_When she awakes in the middle of the night, it's to the sound of a roar. Alice opens her eyes, squinting, before freezing on the spot. Her white room is now a vibrant orange, the ceiling black with smoke. She chokes, wheezing, and begins to shutter, fear overloading her system. She can see the flames licking the doorway and seeping into her room. The whole building is filled with smoke and flame, which she chokes on, unable to move even if she tried to._

_(That's why they say to always properly put out your cigarettes.)_

She truly thought she was going to die because of the disease, but in one last performance, God smited Alice with something much more horrifying. In the end, all her convulsions and banging on the wall did nothing, and the flames kept on crawling into the room. When she gave up, she had to resign to staring at the red roses, trying to go back to sleep.

It was really easy to do that.

* * *

_**I'm so sorry.**_

_Who are you?_

_**Please come with me.**_

_Where?_

_**Help me with this task, Sweet Bird of the Golden Skies.**_

* * *

The first thing that comes to Alice is unexpected.

It's a warm hand, big and strong, with long, skilled fingers and calloused pads, a thumb that has guided a weapon and skimmed along a cheek. It's as clear as day and yet she can't even see it. Nor, she realizes, can she move. Strange feelings come crashing through her, shaking her being- her _soul_. Things that are real somehow flow like emotions across her body, making ripples like pebbles being dropped in a pond. There are chains and swords, a growl that escapes a woman's lips. An escape through white light, a knock on a door.

_Stares from every angle. _

The other awkward, mind-rattling things she could handle, but the last one scares Alice. People are staring at her. Why can't they leave her alone? She's a sick girl having a hallucination- no, she's dead. _She's dead._ O-or, maybe this _is_ a hallucination. Maybe in a second she's going to wake up in her hospital bed and be fed the same old porridge breakfast as _always_-

_Tick, tick, ticktickticktick-_

She cries out, and that's when she realizes she's alive. She feels her arms and legs, which flap uncontrollably left and right as she tries to adjust to this...This _new_ form. She is pulled out of somewhere and into the air, and hears someone grumble above her.

"She really does...Huh." A pregnant pause, filled by Alice's shrill cries and panting. The person holding her sighs out a deep breath. Before Alice can tell what's happening, she is deposited in another pair of arms as the first person stands. "Well, I'll be going then, Aishia. Try not to get knocked up again."

Thin and lithe hands hold her close and rock her back and forth in a gentle, albeit a bit awkward manner.

"Will do," The panting woman holding her murmurs sarcastically, cradling Alice. She hears another sigh over her cries, this one of relief and disappointment that the other left so quickly. She tries to stop crying, but it's harder than she thought it would be, her mouth refusing to close as stark sobs exit her. The woman- _Aishia__-_ huffs and pulls her upwards.

"Please stop crying, I'm tired." Guilt at how Alice has been treating this woman starts pulling at her heart. She presses her lips together and forces her cries into whimpers, feeling like a whiny dog. "Good girl."

It's a sleepy murmur. Aishia's voice is strong but feminine, holding the slightest quivering tone to it that reminds her of unsmoothed china. Her face is stroked, and the motion is so unfamiliar that it spooks her to stop whimpering all together. She speaks again, her voice surrounding her in it's strange largeness.

_I...Don't speak this language. But I understand it. What's going on?_

Slowly, Alice opens her eyes, before full-on staring with shock at the woman above her.

_E-either I'm being held by a giant or-_

"Hey, does this make us friends?" A chuckle comes from Aishia after she says that. "I'm kidding, ya know. I-I'm your mom, but I guess we could be friends, right? I mean, why not? But then again I guess- Sorry, I'm not used to being a mother yet."

_Mother_.

Mother. As in, this woman just gave _birth _to her. Denial and shock set in, along with a fiery rage.

_Reincarnation? _

She thought God's last act of hatred towards her was by killing her in a fire. But now she realizes this is just his second way of screwing her over- by making her have to live again. After spending so, _so _long wanting to be free of the constraints of life, she's forced back into it. She wants to scream. To shout. To _rage._

_Calm down._

She reigns in her anger, stifles down her hate. It's not as though she's strong enough to do anything. She's a _baby_. That means she has to rely on Aishia, her _mother_, in order survive. And, she thinks, suddenly sympathetic, it's not like Aishia asked for her baby to have a reincarnated soul. It's not her fault, and if anything, she should at least _try _to be a good daughter for her sake. Then again...Alice closes her eyes, curling into the woman's chest for lack of any other possible place to sleep. There is really no reason to worry about it now, right? And she feels so tired...She'll wait a little longer and think it all over, try to wrap her head around it. Aishia giggles, finding her newborn's actions to be adorable. The new mother leans down and kisses her head, gently stroking the babe's hair.

"I wasn't sure what to call you before...But I've decided. Your name is Catrina. Do you like it?" Alice doesn't know what she thinks of it, but she gurgles anyway. She can hear Aishia's smile through her words. "Well, nice to meet you, Catrina. I'm Aishia."

* * *

It's surprisingly easy for Catrina to get used to her name. Especially since Aishia never seems to want to stop saying it, smothering her baby with kisses and wrapping her up in her arms to snuggle. Aishia looks at her with eyes so full of love and loyalty that Catrina's not sure that she's ever seen someone look at her that way before; not even her parents in the other world, nor her little brother.

It's blissful, and Catrina's first few weeks with her mother is like a honeymoon. The woman who helped Aishia with childbirth comes back a few times with supplies for her recovering mother, and a few times Catrina catches the woman scowling at her with narrowed eyes. Aishia almost always gently turns her baby's face away whenever this happens, and steers the conversation towards friendlier topics whenever the woman makes a snide comment about Catrina. She's not sure why the woman hates her so much. Because she was born out of wedlock? Because her father isn't in the picture, leaving Aishia as a single mother? Perhaps she's seen as a burden...But Catrina's not sure that it's any of those and also a combination of them.

Oh well. It doesn't matter what the problem is, she's used to handling people staring at her bald head...Except she's not bald anymore, actually. She wonders what hair color she has now. Her mother has hair as black as a raven's wing, which, when loose, hangs in wavy locks around her shoulders. Her eyes are quite beautiful as well, the color of ripe tangerines. Catrina never knew that people could have orange eyes, but hopes that she has inherited her mother's looks. While not as pretty as some of the actresses she's seen on the soaps, Aishia still possesses a unique beauty. Not only in her smiling eyes and bright smile, but also with how sometimes she can look strangely wild.

It takes a few weeks after being born for Catrina to realize that her mother is only eighteen, meaning that she's a teenage pregnancy. While not thrilled at this turn of events, she is able to connect her mother's age to the reason they live in a small cottage, though wonders why they live alone. She expected a grandparent or two around to support her mother, and feels a little worried that Aishia has to handle everything herself. Then again, Aishia doesn't seem scared of hard work, nor is she frightened by being so young and having a baby. Instead, in every interaction with Catrina she is cheerful and smiley, and never has the newborn heard her mother bemoan having to raise a child on her own.

_But one night..._

Catrina is roused out of sleep by the sounds of talking. Normally she sleeps through night unless she needs to, er, _lease her bowels_, or she's hungry. While she feels bad about waking her mother during the wee hours of the morning, her infant-instincts overrule her decisions and she ends up wailing until her mom comes to care for her. But tonight, she tilts her head to the doorway, squinting her eyes through the dark. She never knew children could have such good eyesight...Or maybe she just has awesome eyes. Either way, despite the minimal light, she can see her bedroom and the door, illuminated by a candle.

Since the language that they speak here is most definitely not english, Catrina understands why her home does not have electrical lights. This, coupled with the way people dress and the lack of plumbing, allows her to deduce that she's not in America or another English-speaking country. Perhaps somewhere in the middle east? But her mother's clothing does not suggest traditional middle-eastern garb, rather a sort of peasant-farmer dress. Catrina sets her curious thoughts to rest, instead focusing on the task at hand.

Eavesdropping as a baby is surprisingly easy. It helps that her new ears are sensitive to sound, allowing her to hear her mother talk clearly- along with the guest.

"-ough that you ran away, but coming back pregnant?" Catrina flinches, sensing the tone and topic of the conversation just by that one line. Aishia responds in a calm voice, trying to settle down her guest.

"I fully intended to marry him. If it was my choice, I would've stayed with him."

"You should've stayed, then. Save the tribe some trouble." There is bitterness in the man's words, annoyance too.

_Tribe?_

Catrina wrinkles her nose. Tribe as in...Well, a tribe?

"I couldn't. You know that." Aishia sounds slightly angered, but quickly reigns in her emotions. "Listen, I know I'm a disgrace to your name."

A scoff.

"_But_," Aishia continues, sighing, "Catrina will inherit my skill. I can already tell. And, as I've told you-"

Catrina's eyes widen. Time stops and she begins to think back, back, back, before she was born, back to the two weeks before Alice died, to when she met a girl named Jane Hullburg.

* * *

_"It seems boring in here for you."_

_"..."_

_"I got you something. It's a comic I'm fond of, so I figure if you get the chance you can read it." Jane rounds the bed, coming up beside her. Out of her sachel springs a strange-looking comic book, looking like a small novel rather than the thin hero comics she sees people reading on TV. _

_"..." Jane sets the comic down on her bedside table beside the vase of daffodils. She salutes Alice and then walks out of the room._

_"See you soon, Alice." Alice looks over to the comic and picks it up, staring at the cover. A boy with..._Blue_ hair rides a...Carpet(?) over what looks like a desert city. Japanese letters are beside him, the translation reading: Magi, the Labyrinth of Magic. _

* * *

_"-Her father is a Fanalis. She'll grow to be stronger than you could ever imagine, Father." _

* * *

What does one do when they learn that they are in a fictional universe?

The obvious answer is freak out. Rage. Cry.

Which Catrina does, but being an infant seriously impairs her abilities to lease her emotions, since she tires quickly. After a week of being a very fussy baby, Catrina finally calms, allowing Aishia a relieving break. Wrapping her mind around all the things that have happened to her takes time, but eventually she is able to do it. Mostly because there is no other option than to accept the truth of what has happened to her, and try to move past it.

She is in _Magi_. She is a Fanalis. That's all there is to it...Though she wishes that she could know more about where she is. More about _who _she is.

The answer comes slowly, over many years.

* * *

Her first trip to town is...Well, expected.

People stare. Aishia doesn't seem to notice nor care, holding her daughter without shame. Catrina clings to her mother, tightly holding onto the older woman as gossiping women peek at them with their mouths covered by their hands and men stand looking with shock at the babe. Aishia hushes her with a gentle touch, whispering in her ear,

"They're just jealous of your beautiful red hair, Kitten." Or completely flabbergasted at seeing red hair for the first time. Her ears prick up unintentionally, and she hears a woman whisper to another,

_"Bloody hair."_

Catrina hides her face in her mother's neck, trying not to blush. Now she's going to be ostracized for her hair color? She wishes she could've been reborn in her world. Then she would be able to find out what happened next on her soaps. Instead she's stuck in a town full of ignorant people full of small-minded ideas about who she is, without even knowing her!

Without even...Knowing her...

_Who am I, even?_

Alice Marsden. A cancer patient who hasn't spoken in four years. She likes telenovelas, she dislikes taco tuesday...

_Who am I?_

Someone who never mattered, whose own parents even wished would disappear. She had no defining traits except for the sickness, but without that she's nothing more than a bland, dull, ugly person. But she did have a talent. Alice could _hate_. Hate the nurses for giving her pitying smiles. Hate her parents for not loving her. Hate her little brother, whom she had truly cared for, for being able to go to school and play sports.

Hate God for making her sick in the first place. If he hadn't have done that, she'd be-

_Be what? Who am I?  
_

She'd be- she'd-

Alice would not be hateful. She would be happy. Healthy. She'd go to school and make friends, and decide what to do with her life slowly. There would be no rush. After all, she'd have her mother and father supporting her, and they'd all live together in that blue house from her childhood. She'd go to college. Get married. Have beautiful children-

She finds herself crying into her mother's shoulder.

_Who am I now? I am healthy. I am being supported. What will I do now, if I don't hate anymore?  
_

Her mother pauses outside of a storefront, the open door revealing to Catrina the produce put out for display. A bread maker's shop, full of freshly baked, brown rolls and loaves, ready to be sold to anyone who can pay. Aishia gently gasps, before letting out a small giggle mixed with an 'ooh, sweetie'.

"Why are you crying, Kitten?" Aishia asks, smiling. She kisses Catrina's cheeks and nose, using her free hand to wipe away the little Fanalis's tears. "Oh, Catrina. You know I love you."

_How? _

She asks this with her eyes, desperate for an answer. Aishia briefly appears surprised at what she sees in her infant's face, but quietly reassures herself that she's reading too much into it. She bounces her up and down, trying to calm her.

"Catrina, you are wonderful. You are a blank slate that can become anything."

_A blank slate._

The one year old feels wonder enter her systems. Airy, golden awe shines through her viens, lifting a burden from her shoulders.

_Alice could hate. But I don't have to._

Aishia kisses her child again.

"You can be anything that you could possibly want."

_I can live as I wish to in this world._

* * *

Amala.

That is the name of her tribe. But calling them a tribe is a bit off, considering that her family has dug their roots into "protected land" and built a complex society based on something called the "Alpha system". Catrina finds herself proud that she was able to gather this information herself through conversations she eavesdropped on and information from her mother. From her gleaning, there seems to be three essential "groupings" within the tribe. People are sorted into these groupings during school- which makes Catrina shocked to learn that within the tribe, there is _universal compulsory education. _She didn't know that _existed _in Magi.

When she asks about this in an innocent, two-year old manner, her mother explains that there is no social classes within the tribe- there is merely the groupings, which are considered equal. This makes Catrina feel comforted. It reminds her of her homeland, America. She only knew about her country through the history channel that the hospital also received. It might've been propaganda, but Alice found herself warmed by a connection to the place she lived. She felt like she had a friend, which was crazy, but she was very lonely. Learning more about the brilliance of America brought her feelings other than emptiness and hatred.

Though, since this is _Magi, _she wonders where they could possibly be. A country without a King surrounded by Empires constantly thirsting for expansion? She finds herself fearing that maybe they'll be invaded. But when she worriedly expresses this to her mother, Aishia laughs and takes Catrina out on a field trip, packing a basket with a quilt and food. They leave their cottage, walking down the path on the small hill their house is perched on. Catrina finds herself remembering a time as Alice, when the hospital had a movie night. They wheeled her out to watch the movie they were showing, which had a setting that seemed a lot like her village.

_Um...The Hobbit...Shire? _

Something like that.

Instead of taking the path toward the village like they usually do, Aishia turns the opposite way, walking slow so that her young daughter can keep up. Despite this, Catrina is remarkably balanced for a two-year old on new legs. She connects it to her Fanalis heritage, but it's still strange in her opinion. She holds Aishia's hand after a while, liking how the older woman's hand swallows up her own. Soon the pair comes upon what appears to be a large dirt trail. Perpendicular to the main path they tread together, the trial appears to go on endlessly in both directions, one end heading toward the northern valley and the other towards the southern lake. Catrina looks to her mother expectantly, wondering what the woman wishes for her to do. Twenty or so yards away, a forest starts up, pine trees growing in abundance.

Aishia crosses over the dirt trail and onto the grassy clearing between the forest and their village outskirts. She opens up the basket and sets down the blanket, motioning to Catrina to sit with her on it. Catrina does so, childishly setting herself right beside her mother in order to sprawl onto the woman's knee.

"Wh't are we doing here, Mama?" She asks, looking up at the black haired woman. Aishia calmly stares at the forest, her eyes fogging with memories. She lifts a hand and pats her Fanalis daughter's hair.

"You cannot see it, but there is a barrier in front of us." Catrina's eyes widen. She looks again at the forest, as if suddenly expecting this barrier to show itself. "Many years ago, Kitten, this barrier was constructed to keep our people safe from a terrible institution known as the slave trade."

"Slave trade?"

"They bind people in shackles and force them to become laborers for the rest of their lives." Catrina knows about slaves, but the prospect of actually being near the problem is terrifying. She curls into her mother, enchanted with the things she's learning. "When the slave trade first started, the Amala council decided that the tribe would hide away in a special barrier so that none of us could get captured. But...Your father isn't apart of the Amala tribe like we are."

"Who's my Daddy?" Catrina asks, suddenly eager to know. Aishia has been the best mother Catrina could wish for, unlike Alice's, and she wonders what kind of person her dad is. Is he smart? Tall? Handsome? Kind? Fierce? Is he a warrior, as most Fanalis are? The possibilities are endless and drive her mad whenever she thinks about the things he could be. Catrina wants some sort of connection to her Fanalis father. A bond. If for nothing else than to have kinship in a place where she is scorned for her red hair.

"He is the man I love more than life." Her mother whispers, lost in a euphoria of honey-soaked memories. "I never would have met him if I didn't leave this 'safe-haven' and journey throughout the world."

"Mama?" Catrina tilts her head, studying her mother. She truly does appear lost now, staring at the empty space between them and the barrier longingly- as if wishing she could leave this place once more.

"When I was sixteen, I left my family, and our tribe, and went to the outside world. Many people tried to stop me, but I wanted to know what lay beyond our borders. This place was my prison for so _long_, and I was dying to leave to see how the world was fairing without our presence. What happened then...Truly amazed me," Her mother's hands brush her hair, and she stares lovingly down at her. "But that is a story for another time, Kitten."

* * *

"Kitten, it's time we talked about our tribe."

"Really?!"

A chuckle.

"Yes, really."

Scrambling up from floor of their tiny living room, Catrina hurtles toward her mother, giving her a tight hug. Aishia lets out a 'oof', but laughs after a moment, picking up her daughter and setting the tiny toddler on a chair. She then sits across from her daughter at the kitchen table, a playful smile on her lips.

"You are so young, but so bright," Aishia marvels, pulling her hair back. She puts it into a ponytail before braiding it, continuing to muse as she does so, "I'm such a lucky mother."

Catrina blushes, trying not to think of Alice's borrowed knowledge.

"Mama, teach me!" Catrina begs, impatient but grinning. Aishia laughs, reaching across the table to lovingly pat the girl's hair.

"Alright, alright! Today we will talk about family." The Fanalis-Amala pouts, hoping that they could talk about the festivals or traditions. Aishia sees this and laughs, throwing her head back. Catrina has grown fond of her mother's laugh. It sounds full and unburdened, and the way that she flashes her throat as she does it conveys a sense of trust in those around her- as if unafraid of being attacked or harmed as she shows the sensitive area. "Oh boy. You dislike our family, huh?"

"No," She lies, pouting more. "It's j's they no like us."

The pure-blooded Amala hums at this statement, but does not deny it right away. Upon learning about the barrier, Catrina also realized key factors about her family and their reactions toward her. Their fear, superstition and curiosity stem from the fact that they haven't had any contact to the outside world in many, many years- so many that it almost seems they've forgotten entirely about other societies and the appearances of other races. They both feel frightened and mystified then of Aishia, who encountered these things, and her offspring, who is fathered by a man with crimson hair.

But curiosity is in itself a curious thing; one must have courage in order to use it. Only certain people seem to have this courage, those in the village who knew Aishia before she left for the outside world. They still venture a greeting or comment every now and then to Aishia, but superstition keeps them and everyone else from saying a word to Catrina. She is three years old, and she has never directly spoken to anyone except her mother.

It's a bit discouraging, and Catrina has to work to keep out the negativity.

_Blank slate. Remember, blank slate._

She'll just have to work harder to show them that she's a normal person, that's all. She just needs to be...

_The kind of person people like._

Cheerful. Sweet. Friendly.

Though those types of girls often annoyed Alice, Catrina resolves to be like them. She'll have the courage to embrace her curiosity and accept everyone she comes across. She will be a new person, even if it takes her her whole life to make the change.

"Well you see, Kitten, it's not that they don't like us-"

"They're scared."

Aishia pauses, staring down at her daughter. Something like surprise crosses her eyes, before she nodding.

"Yes, they're just scared."

"Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Te'ch me about our fam'ly."

* * *

This is all of the things she learns over the years:

_Amala means bird._

When Aishia explains this, she does it with reverence. She does it with love and tenderness.

_Bird. Like, a bird flying away into the sky and out of reach._

She teaches Catrina that Amala means freedom, it means love. She teaches Catrina that within the Amala tribe, there is a motto: "family does not hurt family". It is a sacred phrase, a meaningful moral. Aishia enlightens her daughter on the systems of the tribe, of the three groupings, of the layout and order established within the tribe.

_Alphas: the warriors. Picked for their strength and bravery._

_Betas: the intellectuals. Picked for their intellect and quick problem-solving skills._

_Omegas: the domestics. Picked for their gentleness and sensitivity._

"Omegas..."

"Put the'r skills to work in econ-a-mics!"

"Betas..."

"'R' the core 'f the government."

"Alphas..."

"Um...Oh, the'r in the a-r-my."

"Good! You have such a good memory, Catrina!"

"Ehehe, thank'ou!"

Their next lesson is on the government. It is something that Aishia is bound to go over later in life, when Catrina has more perspective and knowledge, but Catrina still listens intently and tries to be as naive and innocent as possible for her mother...Which, technically, she is, since she has absolutely no prior grasp on the interworkings of government despite the lengthy documentaries she watched in the hospital.

_Beta council: they make the laws and present them to the Elders. _

_Elder council: Alphas, Betas and Omegas chosen from the whole tribe to debate and pass laws best for the people._

She also learns about family.

_Zuberi Exsos: my grandfather. He's a famous general._

Her grandfather. Aishia doesn't like him very much, if they way her face sours is any indication. She also doesn't speak much about anyone else in their direct family, except for her mother, whom she says lived in their cottage. Apparently she had died before Catrina was born; before Aishia even returned from beyond the barriers. Aishia felt saddened by her mother's death, but they didn't have the closest relationship- which Catrina can't help but think springs from Zuberi's refusal to marry the Omega woman he impregnated nor care for their daughter until she became a Alpha prodigy worthy of his attention.

_It's sad how people have so much bias in their hearts. _

There are many other things she learns about her tribe. She learns about their traditions, their morals, their way of life and dress. She learns that, even though both she and her mother are considered "Alphas", they still dress in the farming garb of Omegas. She is taught about farm life, and to properly weed a garden. She hears stories about the outside world from her mother, and she listens to tales about the Amala tribe as well. Stories of Aishia's youth, spent in this very village and cottage, where she rushed about causing mischief. Aishia describes her older years in Visurbis, the capital, where she made friends and enemies as she rose to the top of the military.

_"...And then Faraji started crying!"_ Aishia's laugh never ceases to refresh and relax._ "Jabari looked ready to kill, I swear."_

Catrina dreams of living a life like her mother's. She wonders what to do with her years; something she had never really wondered about before. She begins to think about leaving at some point, but Aishia is right, the outside world is infested with slavers. Not to mention she doesn't even know what time period she lives in in relation to the plot. Is she close to the beginning already? Has it passed her by? Are Sinbad and Kouen listening to Aladdin's story at the summit right now, about to decide whether or not to team up to defeat Al Thamen?

_So many questions, so little answers._

She could stay here, where it's safe...Though she'll need to somehow get people to accept her. Which seems impossible, truly. How could they allow her entry to their hearts when they can't see past the color of her hair? Which scratches joining the military off the list...

"Hm? Kitten?" Catrina snaps to attention. Aishia reaches over, stroking her toddler's cheek. "What's on your mind, sweet pea?"

"Um..." Catrina looks down, gently biting her lip. "Mama, can we ha'e stew f'r din-din?"

The black haired woman nods, giggling.

"Of course. Are you excited?"

A smile grows on Catrina's face. For now, there is no reason to feel so stressed out over the future. She is a _child_. She still has many more years before having to make a decision. One way or another, fate will guide her in the right direction.

"Yeah! I'm real excithed!"

* * *

It's a cold night, the air icy as the smell of soil and fresh greens drifts freely through the farmlands. Above, the moon winks down at Catrina, it's reflection snowy and bright white. She wanders out the front door, feeling the grass and soil under her feet as she walks farther and farther away from her house. Her mother is asleep, she checked, and now it's like something is tugging at her to continue walking through the fields near her home. She pauses at the vegetable garden planted on the left side of her front yard. The carrots are doing nicely, and the cabbage and lettuce are ready for harvest, looking excited to be put into a delicious salad. The tomatoes are fat and ripe on their vines, looking every bit as delicious as they can, their red outsides shining with an otherworldly glow in the moonlight. Her mouth waters, but she ignores it. What is this feeling? This ache in her heart, and the pulling at her soul.

Catrina turns to the trail, ambling down it with a four year old stumble. After a few minutes, she begins to run. When she starts, she can't stop. Faster and faster, the dirt road and farms becoming blurs of brown and green as she shoots down the path. The child is shocked suddenly, the reason being quite simple: she isn't tired from her sprint, despite being so young. And more than that, Catrina is so **fast**.

Her feet slam against the ground and she lifts her legs up, going yards at a time until she repeats the action. Soon, quicker than she expected, the hilly farms melt away and lead her to the border. It's hard to see- see what, she doesn't even know- so she picks a large hill and climbs it. With her new found strength, it's easy to climb up the grassy side. Once reaching the top, she breaths in chilled oxygen, her chest swelling with pride at being able to go this far. Her eyes widen.

A spiral of little white birds are flying erratically far, far away. They are pure white, the color of the snow that falls in the winter, and she feels as though she _knows_ them. Then, far away, another column of birds appears. It isn't white but pink, reminding her of frail red roses that are so sickly that their colors have faded to a lighter, gentler color. Another column, gray and blue, appears, their colors intertwining like two snakes coiling together. A column, on a mountain high and far away, shoots up like a geyser, as green as grass- and closer to her borders than the other ones. A tan colored pillar pops up and the final column displays itself, glowing a furtive purple. She isn't sure what awesome, mysterious event she is witnessing until her heart grows to the size of her chest and her arms fly out to her sides, the birds suddenly surrounding her.

Catrina lets out a childish laugh, feeling warm and giddy. She really does feel like she can fly. Just brace her knees, slap her feet against the grass, and just—

_She really does it._ Catrina flies up into the air, higher than she ever could beforehand. Even when she begins to fall back down, she can't help but feel weightless and _special. _When she returns to the ground, she does it again and again, almost touching the sky each time. It's not really flying, but Catrina doesn't even care.

_Welcome to the world, little one loved by the Rukh._

* * *

As Catrina grows older, the glares turn harsher.

The other people in her village- her family, her _tribe_\- no longer feel any need to coddle her with their indifference anymore, and progress to full on spite. It scares her. She's grown to dislike her trips to town, and prefers vastly to just stay at home and pretend they don't exist. She and her mother have their own garden, a few chickens and two cows in addition to their crops, but they need to go into town every now and then to pick up supplies. She often whines, asking to stay at home, but Aishia always clucks at her and prompts her to go.

Catrina doesn't know why. It's not like Aishia doesn't notice the way the other Amalas treat her. The men lift up their noses and the women smirk and whisper, their gossip whipping across Catrina's back like a whip. Sometimes Catrina wants to bare her teeth at them, but her mother always holds her hand tighter, somehow sensing her young daughter's beastly anger. It's probably something she inherited from her father, she thinks, being a Fanalis and all.

On one particular day, after a rather harsh trip to the village, Aishia decides to tell Catrina something important. The kitchen is warm still due to the hot summer day, and the milk from their cow out back is fresh and cold. Catrina sits on a chair, kicking her feet back and forth. She feels the restlessness of a child she never had back when she was Alice. Her mother watches her from across the table, her orange eyes half lidded and her lips forming a sad half smile.

"Family is family, even if they are ashamed of us. Don't get on their bad side, Kitten," She feels sad and angry at that moment. Is this her life from now on? Is this the life she's forcing her mother to have?

"But Mama...Why? Why do they treat us like trash?" Aishia pats her head and scrunches up her nose like she smells rotten eggs floating in from the chicken coop outside.

"Let me tell you a story, Kitten," She puts her now empty glass of milk away on the counter. The kitchen is small, but in the winters they light blazing fires in their little chimney, thought the six year old always stays a bit farther away from the flames than Aishia. Her mother's room and hers are next to each other, but they both have their own room so they didn't air any complaints. Catrina faithfully follows her mother to her bedroom. The Fanalis-Amala slips under the sheets and adjusts her pillow, facing her mother. Catrina feels sleepy, but wants to hear what her mother has in store for her. Aishia takes the thin blankets and pulls them up to her daughter's chin, tucking the sides underneath her until she is wrapped up tight. Catrina snuggles into her bed, getting comfortable for Aishia's story.

"Kitten, you know that your hair is a different color than the others in our town, right?" Catrina nods, one tiny hand reaching up and stroking her thick hair. "Well, that's because your dad isn't an Amala like the rest of us are. He's something completely different."

"Some...thing?"

"Yes. Outside, there is a slave trade. I've told you about it before, but you were young and I don't think you remember it, right?"

"I don't rem'mber, sorry."

_Actually, I do, but it's not like I can tell you that._

"The slave trade is when people bind other people in shackles and force them to work for the rest of their lives. It's horrible. I know because...Well, it was how I met your father."

"Daddy was a slave!?" She bolts upright and Aishia flinches at the sound of her high pitch voice. Catrina colors, feeling silly. Of course her father would be a slave; the Fanalis race is considered a _slave _race...Though such a thing sounds dreadful. For some reason, she feels motivated to go out into the world and free all her kinsmen in chains, purely because that's the noble, just thing to do.

"No, no, no Kitten! Daddy wasn't a slave. But when I met him..." Her mother chuckles. When it fades away, she brushes some of her daughter's hair behind her little ear. "I was a slave."

"M-mama was a slave?" Aishia looks grave.

"I was. But I'm glad that I was for a time. After all, that's how I met your daddy and fell in love with him. He was so..." Her mother looks up, thinking of the right word "..._Spectacular_."

Catrina is still trying to wrap her head around Aishia being a slave.

"But he isn't a normal person, no, he's from a tribe that is still revered as the strongest warrior tribe ever to roam the Dark Continent. They're called the _Fanalis._"

"Fanalis..." Catrina echoes, clutching her pillow. She knows this, but the confirmation feels like someone is bestowing a medal to her. _You are a Fanalis_. Like it's this strange honor.

"You know, I really loved your father..." Aishia murmurs, lightly stroking Catrina's hair. "But there were some..._Complications_, and I had to return here, to our home. It's the safest place for you, and I couldn't bear to think that you may be harmed if I stayed with him. But...I know you would've been welcomed and accepted if I remained with your father. Here, the tribe can't see past the fact that you carry the blood of someone from the _outside_."

"But I'm not dangerous," Catrina argues, pouting. "I'm normal."

Aishia nods, laughing.

"Of course you are, Kitten. But you're also extraordinary. It would be amazing if they could somehow see that too." Catrina contemplates this, reaching out a tiny hand to grasp her mother's.

"Mama, do you like it here?"

"..." Aishia squeezes her daughter's hand. "I love it here. Don't you feel it?"

_Yes._

There is no thinking to be done to answer that question. She does feel it. Though she may be a Fanalis, she is also an Amala, and the blood of the land calls to her. The warm air, the distinct scent wafting over the territory...The way the sun shines, and the freshness of cow's milk. This is home. It's almost as if it's begging her not to leave, clamping down on her leg like a spoiled child. She loves the land. She loves it so much.

She nods.

"There are things wrong with it," Aishia admits, tilting her head. "My father- your grandfather, Zuberi, for instance, who is brash and close minded. But there are good things too. I can't wait until you're old enough to go to the Ekundu Mwezi festival, Kitten."

Catrina smiles.

"Mama, tell me about Ekundu Mwezi!"

* * *

Curiosity.

_Blank slate._

With this new life, Catrina finds herself in a whole new situation as well. Her surroundings are different than what she once knew them to be. She has knowledge now on the interworkings of her new society, but there is more to that to the world. This is Magi. She has so many questions that it's hard to ignore the throbbing of her mind as she tries to think up answers to her problems.

How did she get into a manga?

Has the plot started yet?

Those white birds when she was four...Were they the Rukh?

How could she see them?

And something that's very important to her but probably not to anyone else: who is her father? She knows he's a Fanalis, and that's the reason her thick tresses are a fiery red. Also, she knows he somehow was able to woo her mother, a feat which is hard to do considering Aishia's surprising reluctance to date. These questions and half-answers do nothing to ease her restlessness, so Catrina decides to distract herself.

One great distraction is running.

The time when she was four and raced to the barrier of the Amala tribe's was no fluke. She now races around the barrier on the barrier trail multiple times a day, going as fast as she can until she becomes tired. The eight year old has explored the whole outside of her tribe's land. Her record is running the length of the barrier 37 times in one day, a feat that left her exhausted and drained afterwards. It was so tiring that she, a Fanalis, refused to get up the next day due to tired limbs and burning muscles.

It was _so _worth it.

Honestly, a few of her questions are put to rest.

What did she look like? The answer was as simple as looking in a mirror. Thick, straight red hair to her shoulder blades, and her mother's orange eyes. She has the unusual Fanalis eye shape and dark lashes that appeared at first glance to be markings.

What makes the Amala's so special to slavers? The Amala tribe went into hiding all those years ago because they have a gift. They have magic, and that is what caught the slave traders' eyes. It's a nice prospect. A tribe of magical warriors, each one able to perform wonders. They were the best kind of soldiers, matching magicians and even the legendary Fanalis themselves. Catrina understood how that was frightening to her family. They wanted to protect their brethren, so they constructed the barrier, keeping the secret of the Amala tribe forever.

_But why didn't they just fight back?_

Another question for the list, apparently.

Her mother tells her about the Amala magic when she turns eight, old enough to begin training.

"Most Amala children have to first work on physical strength before they can move onto magic, but you're part Fanalis, so..." They engage in a staring match. Then, laughter lights up their faces and the sound emitted represents a strong bond. "We will move right on to your magic!"

"What is the magic, Mama?"

"Amala magic is an old art of Necromancy." Her mouth becomes as dry as a desert.

"_Necromancy_?"

"Eh, yes?"

"_Oh my God! That is so cool!_" Catrina squeals, unable to help the smile that breaks out on her face. Aishia chuckles into her hand.

"You like Necromancy? Even though it means summoning the dead back to life and using their reanimated corpse as a soldier?"

"I like it, but that doesn't mean it ain't gross," Catrina agrees, crossing her arms and continuing to smile. "It's our tribe's magic though, right? So I'm going to master it."

"Why? All this time you said you hated our family."

"I don't hate them...That's not true, actually. I thought I hated them. But now I realize I just hated the way they treat us. But...I'm going to make them acknowledge my strength." Catrina stands up from the kitchen table, tiny and still so young but her determination as strong as an adult's. Aishia watches with awe. "It's my dream, and I will achieve it! I am not just a Fanalis; I am an Amala as well! And I will show our tribe, our family, that I'm worthy of their love. And then, I will show them that they don't need to fear the outside world, because I will protect them with my very life!"

* * *

Aishia lets her pride shape her face. Her very being feels like she's flying high above the clouds, wings touching the white cotton clouds. Most mothers would be worried or anxious when their child says they are going to protect something with their life, but not Aishia. No, she's too happy that her daughter understands the importance of not giving into her anger and making a choice that could harm your future.

Maybe she's also elated that her only daughter, her dear Kitten, her brave Catrina is following in her footsteps. There is nothing more precious than seeing one's own child inherit their dream. For Aishia, it's to free the Amala tribe from isolation. To think that Catrina even thought of that on her own...That girl is too smart sometimes.

Aishia doesn't think she can ever love anyone as much as she loves her daughter at this very moment.

* * *

_Somethings are easier said then done. _

"My parents both say you're a monster-"

"-And that's why you don't have a father."

"No, I think it's because her father _is_ a monster."

"Our town would be better without you!"

"Why don't you just leave, ugly!"

"Yeah!"

_Children are devils._

As the other children mock her, Catrina can only try not to cry. Around her are four boys, each of them ten and easily a foot taller. A two-year age difference doesn't seem like a lot, but Catrina knows that, in this situation, it really is. Ten year olds are quicker, smarter, and have better coordination...Which is why they are able to shove her around like a pinball, playing a cruel game of pass until she falls to the ground. She bits her lip to distract from the tears as her knees dig into the stone, denying her tormenters any chance of seeing her cry. She looks up, promising herself that it's worth it. Her mother is so proud of her for being the bigger person...And her dream won't come true unless she has the determination to accomplish it.

The boys laugh and one by one leave, chattering about going to play ball or tag. Catrina watches them go, before staring down at the blood trickling from her skinned knees.

She feels the first tear of her life plop down onto the ground beside her.

* * *

This cruelty doesn't let up. It happens the next day, and the next day, and the next, until she becomes horribly used to their harsh words and routine. The physical aspects don't bother her much- Alice made her resilient to pain, and her Fanalis father blessed her with a strong body. The _words_ hurt though. Each one is a cut across her skin, each hurting more than the last. As someone who has never been the object of an insult or joke, Catrina finds herself shocked again and again as she's made fun of by her bullies. She feels as though the world is crashing down around her after every assault.

But then Catrina returns home, takes a magic lesson, and things are be better, for a time.

_Not this time._

"I hear your mom is a whore."

Digs at her father, she can take. He's not around, she doesn't know him. Calling her a monster is another matter. Closer to home, she's grown resilient to that form of pain. Her appearance doesn't bother her, only them. But insulting her _mother_? The one person she loves, the one person who gives a damn about her in this whole godforsaken prison? A string that is stretched taught is given a final pull, and it snaps. _S__he_ snaps.

"What did you say?" She leaps to her feet, grabbing the boy's tunic and pulling him nose to nose. His eyes widen, his mouth dropping open. His little bottom lip trembles, shocked and scared by her sudden intense, feral reaction. She's sure she looks beastly. "We gonna play games now? Call each other names? Alright, _let's play_!"

She roughly throws the boy down, watching as he's discarded loudly on the floor. He groans in pain, before he begins to hiccups with childish sobs. She rounds on the other three and smiles at them, carnal and pissed off. Vaguely, a rational side of her brain reminds her that they're only repeating what their parents say. They don't even know what "whore" means.

_I don't __care._

"If my mom's a whore, then yours is doing the baker, _right_?" Catrina eyes the tiniest, watching how his lower lip trembles. She slams her hands against his chest, watching it cave in. His breath literally sticks in his throat. He falls to the floor, and when he regains his breath, he heaves in large gulps of air.

The two largest go at her, but they don't match a Fanalis. She elbows one and kicks the other. They are thrown against the alley wall with matching 'oofms'. She grins.

"Wow, and here I thought you guys were strong. But now I see you all are just total whimps!" She laughs at them and walks away, pausing at the mouth of the alley to give them a serious look. "Mess with me again, and I'll give you hell."

* * *

Sometimes bigger kids try to bully her, but once she gives them the same treatment as her past tormenters, they back off. Eventually, every kid in the village is afraid of Catrina and her Fanalis strength, which becomes somewhat of a blessing and a curse.

Yes, it saves her many times and she absolutely adores it, but now she has no friends. Every adult seemed to hate her more, holding onto their children tightly when she passes. Her mother never questions what Catrina does, nor how she gets hurt, but the disappointment in her face is enough to make Catrina wish she was born all Amala. Then her mother can live peacefully, then she can have friends.

But life isn't fair, and she's called the 'Sharp Tongue' for a reason.

Somethings are easier said then done, but somethings are easier done then said as well. She wants to be acknowledged by and lead her tribe in the future, but she always ends up fighting with the other boys and girls, distancing herself from them. It's not just, she decides, but it is what it is, and she has to accept that and keep trying to achieve her goal, despite the mistakes she's made. The Sharp Tongue will trudge through life with determination, and make her mother proud of her despite the problems she has created through violence.

* * *

Aishia finds that walking with her daughter to town is always nice. They chat about how the flowers are doing, who has done what in recent events, and today, Aishia questions Catrina on if she likes the new dress she got for her tenth birthday.

"Does it fit alright?" Aishia asks, winking. Catrina blushes, a feature that lights up her tan skin. Aishia feels so lucky to have a wonderful and pretty daughter.

"I think so. I really like it, Mama, the dress is a nice color." Aishia smiles and must say that the dress does look good. It's light pink, ending at her knees. A black ribbon is tied around her waist, which makes the girl appear sweet and young. Not that Catrina isn't still young, but she had grown two inches this summer, and Aishia feels that her baby is growing up too fast.

Catrina took the top half of her fiery locks and coaxed them into a bun, leaving the bottom half down so it hangs to her shoulder blades. When they are at home, she will be careless and make the bun messy, wearing loose pants and shirts to run around in. As much as Aishia enjoys seeing her baby in dresses, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing Catrina come skipping home with dirt on her pants and a chipper smile on her face. When they go to town, Catrina makes sure not a hair is out of line, and that she's wearing clean dresses.

Aishia finds that walking with her daughter _through_ town isn't always nice. The stares over the years have lessened on Aishia herself, possibly because she's known the townspeople since childhood, but the cost is that their eyes have shifted over to her daughter. Whenever they are in town, Catrina is ultimately the center of attention. Even now Aishia can't believe her child's strength.

Catrina takes each step with determination, eyes sparkling with her own pride and honor. She lifts her chin in defiance, catching the gazes of those who stare with her own Amala orange one. She is the embodiment of a warrior, a leader in her own right. With each whispered word Catrina's spirit shines brighter, and every harsh sound makes her revel in the light of courageousness. Aishia is certain she is the most amazing person she's ever met, daughter or not. Catrina is a hero. To take discrimination in stride is a true accomplishment.

There is nothing quite like Catrina's courage. Not magic from her mother, nor Fanalis strength from her father. And that is all Aishia could hope for; her daughter to be her own person, free from the chains that have bound her mother to go where the wind takes her.

The rock is rough on the outside, the gray surface battered and sharp. It rockets through the air, shining in the way of the sun before crashing down on Catrina's forehead. Aishia gasps as Catrina stops completely, stunned at the act committed. Blood now trickles down from the cut on her forehead, as crimson as her hair. Aishia reaches forward, steading her daughter, who looks ready to fall down. Aishia shoots a look of disgust toward the direction in which the rock came from, before she and Catrina high tail it out of the town.

_Laughter follows in their wake._

* * *

Fire, steady and calm, slides toward her. With quivering lips and twitching hands, she presses herself against the wall. With her eyes widening to the size of saucers, she finds herself unable to look away from the hot flames. Her head shakes wildly, her loose hair flying into her face.

"No...No...Please, God, not again, _not again._" Her voice is hoarse, and she realizes for the first time that she's been screaming. Catrina's whole house is being consumed by the hot red flames. Her fear spikes, terror consuming her being. She closes her eyes, shivering hard.

_I don't want to die. Please, don't let me die._

Back in the hospital, she had given up. She hadn't tried to get out of the room, giving up on the life she had. She didn't try to live another day. She resigned to broken lungs and frail legs and overwhelming fire. Rationalizing it isn't impossible, but there is nothing more terrifying than knowing that she was so sick of what she was that she was ready to die.

_Pain...Pain isn't a reason to want to give up._

She's not afraid of pain anymore. She's suffered and suffered, but does that really mean that she doesn't want to live? That this new experience, this new _chance_, should go to waste?

_No. I don't _want_ that._

Orange is the color of the flames, matching the eyes that snap open. She begins to run, coming closer and closer to the heat, before sprinting as fast as she can through them. The flames lick her dress, lighting the nightgown aflame. She doesn't care, kicking open the door and jumping high up into the night. Men and women in black stand around her house, their eyes widening as they watch her emerge from the front door. Her mother lays unconscious far away from the flames, her arms and legs bound with rope. They saved her mother and left her to die. Perhaps they see her as a demon, and by killing her they could save Aishia. But there, soaring in the air as her attackers stare up with horrified expressions, she feels more like an angel.

She hits the ground running, targeting the first of them. She smacks one and kicks another, taking them down with her brute strength. Out of the corner of her eye, her mother sits up, groaning.

Mother and daughter meet eyes in front of their burning house.

One Amala man grabs her and holds her down, despite her struggling. She kicks and roars. If they want a Fanalis demon child, they are _so_ getting one.

It takes three men to contain her in the end, but Catrina doesn't have time to be disappointed. Aishia screams as loudly as she can, tears trickling down her cheeks as the first man lifts his hand and chants a spell. She screams out _Jabari! _and _Faraji! a_nd _Dalila! _She's calling to the assailants, begging them to let go of her daughter and release her. But Catrina won't back down now. The ten year old's lips form words, though the cry of the fire keeps Aishia from hearing exactly what she's saying.

Soon after that, all hell breaks loose.

* * *

_"I'll come back."_

* * *

"Wut's that?" Two figures, one tall with bulky muscles and the other very petite, both stop, looking at the horizon. The day is hot and long, the sun only now setting over the desert landscape. A lone silhouette walks alone, swaying side to side. It's not much of a walk but a stumble- one leg in front of the other, wobbling back and forth in front of the orange, hazy sun.

"It's her!" The tinier figure, a girl, squeals before beginning to run to the silhouette. The muscular man races after her, committed to getting to the stranger as fast as he can while also groaning in pain at the sunburn covering his back.

As they grow closer, the mysterious person they're racing toward grows more and more clear. They come upon a ten year old with a tattered white nightgown and dirt-ridden hair. She looks messed up, cuts and bruises dotting her little body. Blood dribbles down her arm, where a nasty, deep gash sits dividing her arm. No longer seeing what is in front of her, she stops short of the girl and man. As if in a trace, she looks past them, dizzily teetering from side to side. It's like she is on autopilot, lost within the safety of her own mind- though she's had to sacrifice her body and wellbeing to do that.

"Eren, please carry this poor girl back to our house."

"Why can't _you_ carry 'er?" Eren groans, wincing as he grabs his scarlet red arms.

"...I'm going to give you a moment to think about what you just said." The young girl responds, looking deadpan.

"...I hate ya so much sometimes."

* * *

"Ohhhh~ Looks like someone's waking up! Eren, grab some water!"

"Ya know, all ya do is treat me like a slave..."

"Hahaha! Bad the Princess and Eren the Servant~"

The girl on the bed stirs, her hair spread out around her. Hazily, she registers voices playfully chattering to each other by her bedside, their loving words unfamiliar to her. She hears loud, heavy footsteps as one of them leaves, before silence descends. She opens her eyes, blinking hard. The light is blinding, coming in from the window at the other end of the room. Something smells sweet, like roses on a winter day, the icy fragrance wafting through the warm air. A hand touches her cheek, cold but soft, the perfect temperature to battle the heat.

Catrina squirms a little, snuggling into the hand. _Then she sees it. _A red rose, the color of blood, petals soft like velvet and fragile like thin ice. If you touch them, they will rip apart, a single tear sullying their beauty and uniqueness. She squeezes her eyes tightly and then opens them.

The girl is delicate. She has pale skin and silky pink hair, a certain softness to her features she's rarely seen before- especially not in a child. And her eyes? They are the very eyes that she had mistaken for a rose. They're red and vibrant, blooming with life and beauty. When she speaks, her mouth spreads into a pretty little smile. The girl has a voice like a stream, calm and collected and sounding like a twinkle.

"Hi, **_Alice_**. Are you feeling better?"

* * *

**Part 2: The Shadow in the Palace**

John Steiner _wasn't_ sure what to expect out of life.

_"Oi, John, mijo." _

_"Sí, Mama?" His mother stares at him, her hands busy tying back her thick brown hair into a bun. She's an older looking woman, with distinct Mexican features. Her coco powder skin, calf-brown eyes, and thick, dark hair fully fit the bill for one of latino descendent. John isn't much different, though people tell him that his blue-green eyes are distinctly white- a trait he got from his father, along with his name. John Steiner. His mom wanted to name him Juan Ginebra-Steiner, but his father won out because a "whiter" name would do him well for job and college applications. _

_"Did you finish your work?"  
_

_John rolls his eyes. _

_"Sí, Mama. I did it earlier."  
_

_"Don't lie," She squints at him, peering through his behavior as if to see the truth. "I don't wanna see you hanging out with the no-good boys without reassurance that you aren't throwing away your future."  
_

_"Mama! Dios mio, porqué está enojarte?" Why are you angry? __He asks this in spanish, mostly because he knows it'll make her feel more comfortable and less angry. Luckily it works, and his mother scoffs, muttering a prayer for her son under her breath. John smiles crookedly at her as he leaves their house. The less his mother gets on his case about his "future", the better. She's always asking God to let her baby become a doctor or a lawyer, some profession that will guarantee him a stable lifestyle. But it's clear to John that he could never to such a thing. He's not smart enough for that, and no ivy league school is going to take a chance on a guy like him, white name or not._

_But it doesn't matter. He doesn't need to worry about money or housing quite __yet. He's fine the way he is, a lazy teen with nothing to lose._

_(You never wanted anything, because you were never sure you could have it.)_

He isn't sure that life is that good. Betrayals, hatred, lies, thievery. All sorts of suffering outlines society, eagerly sinking into cities and towns without restraint, tainting beauty with it's dark threads of greed and corruption. The best course of action, to him, is to just avoid those threads. Don't let the needles stitching in and out of the fabric prick you. Stay close to buildings, flash a knife when a "pal" gets a little too upset, keep away from a gangster's girl- even if she's looking at you with hungry eyes. John isn't necessarily _book_ smart, but he sure as hell pull one over on a guy without any repercussions.

Because he's "people" smart.

_"Alyssa, please," John chuckles, brushing his thumb over her chin. "You know I don't do parties."_

_"Aw, come on," Alyssa purrs, pressing closer. She's a pretty little thing, with long hair and red lipstick. "It's just everyone hanging out."_

_"Hm, a night of fun and drugs and alcohol." He musses, smirking. "Sounds like a party."  
_

_"Ay, bebé, have some fun," She whines. He keeps on grinning. _

I would, but that's not smart.

_"Next time, cielito." Then he maneuvers around her, listening to the sound of her laughter as he goes. _

_"You're a coward, Juan." He flashes his teeth at her, his lips pulled back in a smile.  
_

_"I'm _smart_, cielito." _

(You were, huh?)

He _was_ smart. He talked the right people, said the witty, correct thing, avoided the usual hotspots of drug and law enforcement activity. He was careful, safe, and made his mother somewhat proud. Though neither of his parents cared about what he was avoiding and how well he was avoiding it; instead, they were constantly badgering him to do better in his studies. Any time he tried convincing either of them that he _had _to make nice with a certain gangster or at _least _show his face at a gathering, they'd scoff and yell and growl out their anger. Then they'd turn on one another, blaming the other for their crappy lives.

But John, for all his hard work, flipped the coin one too many times. No...That's not it. He did do everything right. It was just that he had the unfortunate luck of being at the wrong place at the wrong time with someone he'd never seen before- someone new to the burro.

_Suffering is everywhere._

_As he dies, he ponders these very words over and over again as the blood trickles out of his body. Then John sees a girl, standing at the mouth of the alley, the white light behind her blinding him. She rushes over to him, calling 911 like a good little Samaritan. Who knows why a _gringa_ is walking around this neck of the woods, but John doesn't really care. The thief had taken his wallet and stabbed him to boot, leaving him bloody and broken and barely conscious on the hard cement. _

_The girl hoists him up, setting his head on her lap. She brushes his dark hair out of his face, her lips pursed. __John had hoped to die in the arms of a beauty, but her plain features and glasses will have to do. He stares. There is something off about her. Most people who have to live through this experience would be crying, or panicking, but her expression stays stony, icy almost. He does admit that his eyes are blurry and her lips tighten, but still, she seems cut off from her own emotions. _

_"If you die now, who will miss you?" It's a harsh question that holds no ill will. John screws up his face at this and gazed beyond her thick-rimmed glasses. Her eyes seem empty. Perhaps she's not as cold as he thought she was. _

_"Nobody." He grumbles sourly, coughing. His stomach is a mixture of pain and liquid and flame. He feels so many things as he dies. Anger, shock, crushing depression. Everything he's done until know seems meaningless. He had no reason for any of it. _

_"That's sad."_

_"I-I know." He coughs more harshly, blood leaking out of his mouth._

_"How about we make a deal?"_

_"W-Wha are ya? Un diablo?" His words are full of red liquid and mispronounced words._

_"I'll miss you, and return, you'll die without regrets. Can you do that?" John tries to recall any time someone had been as truthful as this woman. The truth doesn't care if someone dies, and the truth never wavers, just like her. She knows he is going to die, and yet doesn't seem to give a damn. It's hurtful, but looking into her empty eyes, he finds that there is plenty of room for him to live on inside of her memory._

_"Yeah...Yo puedo..." He goes still in her arms, thinking that maybe if she takes off the glasses and stops acting bitchy, she'd be cute._

* * *

_If this is Hell I'm going to be _pissed.

**_Do you mind lending me a hand?_**

_Why would I do that?_

**_There is goodness within you, I can see it_**

_Tch._

**_This is a great task, Shadow of the Angel's Wings_**

* * *

Pots and pans.

_...First of all: ¿qué?_

Something smelling like exotic spices and tasting absolutely wonderful assaults his senses, overflowing him with it's deliciousness.

_¿Qué?_

He feels warm and cozy. He can completely sense the things going on around him, an unsettling and interesting sensation that goes straight to his very core. He wonders if this is what Heaven's like: only pure emotion and feeling. His _abuela _once told him that heaven is full of love, and that's how family finds each other, because you never forget who you love.

A hand on a stomach, a child's giggle, and a kind smile.

The emotions are so _nice_ that John can't help but be happy- though he doesn't even know _why _he feels like that. This can't be Heaven. Heaven is supposed to allow him to watch over his mother and father.

When the air touches his skin and he breathes in a breath, he can't help but let loose cry. The only thing is that he can't _stop _crying, his mouth refusing to close. He twitches, flapping his arms and legs up and down in an attempt to catch his balance. Someone is holding him, and he's certain it's a giant.

No way. This can't be Heaven at all.

"It's a boy!"

"Let me see," The rough hands give away to calloused but thin ones, and he squirms. "Oh, Lord, he's _beautiful_."

Something wet lands on his cheek, like water. A tear?

"He is. What's his name?"

"His name? Hmm...His name is Asad."

_¿...Qué?_

* * *

John's third grade teacher was a lousy old man with a scowling face. He used to punish the bad kids by having them sit in the corner and read the dictionary, later quizzing them on what a certain words meant. John got past this evil test by memorizing the one word he _always _used on the quiz.

_Reincarnation: the philosophical or religious concept that an aspect of a living being starts a new life in a different physical body or form after each biological death._

_Son. _

_Of.  
_

_A. _

_Bi-_

* * *

The next time he awakes, he realizes he can open his eyes a tiny bit.

He looks into the face of a little girl. Shock races through him and he jolts, looking with wide eyes up at this giant child. She traces the line of his face, her cheeks flushed in a cute way. Children in the burro were cute like this, though they rarely looked so innocent and kind. Her eyes are wide, a blue he cannot describe easily. It's not like the sea, since that's too dark, nor is it like the sky, which is too bright. He lands on a pure, unpolluted lake in the spring, with the sun shining directly over it. Her hair is brown, the color of a fawn, a piece of it falling onto his face.

He twitches due to the itch that develops and, without his consent, his mouth opens, allowing a whimper to escape.

"Don't cry, Brother!" The girl exclaims, causing the day old baby to wince. "I'll protect you."

She picks him up carefully, but her little arms make John-_Asad_\- fear for his life. Or, at the very least, the safety of his skull. But instead, the girl handles him with ease and poise, concentrating on her rocking.

"I'm your Big Sister. I'll always be here, okay?"

* * *

His father turned out to be silver haired and black eyed, with a deep voice and warm eyes.

His mother appeared to be brown haired and blue eyed, with a gentle deposition and loving smiles.

His sister made a point to remind Asad every day of her love and devotion, telling him that when he's older, their father will teach them their family's "super-secret skill".

He found himself at peace with them. They were kind people. He thought that he could even grow to love them, given time and love and warmth.

(Which is why he doesn't like to think about how they died.)

* * *

In the living room, his parents entertain guests. They talk in hushed voices, not knowing that their daughter stands close to the doorway, holding baby Asad. Things seem to be fine, but their father's face grows increasingly more and more tense, and their mother looks alarmed.

"I cannot agree to this," His father says, breaking the pattern of quiet words. "I _won't_ agree to this."

That's when the guests decide to pull blades from the hidden sheathes.

Asad knows that his life will never be the same.

_Suffering is everywhere._

The two siblings watch as their mother and father are killed, and then, with wide, scared eyes, his older sister turns away and begins to run. She screeches to a stop, stumbling back once she realizes someone stands at the end of the hallway. She turns, looking for another escape route, but the guests who killed their parents emerge from the living room and stare at them. Asad squeezes his eyes shut and pretends nothing is happening, all the while having to listen to his sister scream as they slice her throat.

The arms that take him from the bloody form of his sister are stiff and chilly, obviously a person who has never handled a child before.

"Welcome to your new family, Asad."

* * *

The "guests" are shades in the room, each blacker than the darkness around them. Asad grows up surrounded by them, being moved from place to place and being transferred from person to person. He is held once by an orange haired woman who admires his blue eyes, before he's set onto the lap of a black haired and beautiful woman.

Said woman promises him, a three year old, many things. She promises him a successful future, a chance at learning knowledge beyond his wildest dreams, and adventure. She swears that she'll give him riches and pleasures beyond what he could possibly imagine as long as he does one little thing for her. He stares at her quite blankly, pretending to be a naive toddler who doesn't know right from left. She buys into it, her lips contorting into a teasing sneer since she _thinks_ that he'll never remember her words.

(A mistake.)

"All you have to do," Gyokuen Ren cooes at him, her eyes sparkling, "Is destroy this world."

_Suffering is everywhere._

* * *

_Running his hands across the shelves, John Steiner paces through the library impatiently. There had been a fight at his house between his parents, and he knows there has to be a cooling off period before he can come home again. __No use getting screamed at just because they're tired of yelling at each other._

_His hand freezes over a book. He pulls it out, and stares at the cover._

_Magi: the Labyrinth of Magic._

Is that a boy or a girl?

* * *

_Al Thamen: An organization full of idiots who think that just because they steal a baby, they have the right to raise that child in accordance with their beliefs._

Asad doesn't play into their hand, but, because he's "people" smart, he knows better than to openly detest them. He's seen what they do to the defective magicians they create in their labs. They throw the deformed, insane rejects into the trash, sometimes with a slashed throat and other times alive and kicking. It's horrifying and cruel, but Asad grows used to their sick ways of disposal, and does his best to detach himself from that side of the organization. In fact, the farther away he can get from their screwed up nature is enough for him, though as the years go on he feels more and more alienated from everything and everyone.

Which is probably why he reaches out to the only other child there, but he thinks it's probably caused by something else, too.

(John always did things for himself, and he died with nothing.)

_His name is Judal._

The little boy has a very sweet face, though somewhat tired and dark. His long hair swishes down to his waist, kept in an elaborate braid by the other Al Thamen members. Asad is introduced to him when he is six years old, having been told before hand, "Judal is the reason you are alive. And he is the reason you are being kept alive".

Asad looks down at the boy beside him. The four year old doesn't look up from the floor, loneliness swimming in his eyes. He's dressed in traditional Kou garbs, the country they reside in and the country that both of them were born in. Somehow Al Thamen infected a nobleman and took up residence in his home, where they house their young recruits for the time being. But they promise that new things are coming. They swear that _bigger_things are coming.

Asad takes Judal's hand. It's so cold, like he has stuck it into ice and left it there, but Asad doesn't mind. Judal looks up at him, and Asad, two years older, gives him a sly grin.

"These old farts suck," Judal smiles timidly and giggles, hiding his face behind his robes. Asad threads their fingers together and points to himself. "Listen up Judar!"

"Judal."

"Judal! I'm your Big Brother. I'll always be here, okay?" Judal seems confused. Asad just gives him a smile before quickly sweeping the boy into his arms, flying through the cloaked men. Turning his back to the door, he's able to force it open upon impact. Shouts ring through the hallway as the young boys make their escape, one clinging tightly to the other as they laugh loudly.

(Asad, if Al Thamen decides to kill you, then die with _something_.)

* * *

Three years later, Asad finds himself with a loyal little brother. Judal spends all of his free time clinging to Asad like glue, an attachment forged after years of Asad helping Judal face the horrors of Al-Thamen with support and encouragement. It seems strange to the older boy that Judal, an egotistical maniac and self-proclaimed killer, can actually be nice, but it's been proven. Judal regards Asad with wonder in his red ringed eyes, wonder that perfectly mirrors a little boy looking at his hero.

Al Thamen's experiments- turning white Rukh black with magic- have yet to touch Judal, and Asad will never let that happen. Now that Asad knows Judal, the young, naïve and shy boy, he can't imagine him being anything _but_ that. Asad was told to watch over Judal because the young magi is the reason that he was born. Call him crazy, but Asad _believes_ that. It explains everything. Being born into a fictional world after death, experiencing horrors and torture in the form of "experimental treatments"...It would drive anyone to seek some form of reason for their pitiful lives.

Judal will be his reason. Judal will be his _something._

* * *

Asad learns quickly why Al-Thamen chose to kidnap him. It's because of his family's "super-secret skill".

He can manipulate light. It's really easy to do, after all the hard work he's put into it and the many experiments. He's blocked out memories of those dark, painful nights on a cold stone floor, but he can't forget that they happened. He's reminded every time he looks in the mirror and sees how his fawn-brown hair turned silver and how his lake-colored eyes are now as black as midnight. His skills make him important. He serves as a bodyguard and babysitter to Judal, protecting the boy with his ability to shield him in a layer of light. Once thoroughly trained, the priests also officially call him an assassin. It's an surprising turn, but he should've known they'd make him into a killer the day that they first gave him a knife and declared him fit for training. On occasions, the priests merely refer to him as the Shadow.

_"Tonight is the Shadow's first solo job."_

Running along the rooftops, he is as silent as the wind. The full moon shines down on him like a silent beacon of disappointment, so he distracts himself with the hard tiles underneath his feet. The city he is in is quiet, lonely where it sits along the border of Kou and Gai. The wars are still raging, and the flames are coming closer and closer with each day. Asad finds himself respecting Crown Prince Hakuyuu and Second Prince Hakuren. They are brave men, with strength and honor. Though only having caught a glimpse of them once, and of their sister only a few more times.

Up ahead, a mansion is lit up like a light bulb, people coming to and from from the house. Laughter, cheering and all sorts of giddiness exudes from the mansion, a sickening mixture of alcohol and nobles without any cares. The nine year old stops on the nearest rooftop, glaring at the happy people with disdain.

_How can they be happy when _that man_ is planning to sacrifice soldiers in a desperate attempt to destroy the Kou Empire?_

Asad was never told the noble's name, only what he's doing and where to find him. The noble is starting a campaign against Kou in his city, knowing that he'll be destroyed, to make money. He plans to take the money he raises for the 'war effort' to add to his purse, possibly to then flee Gai before the imminent takeover occurs.

So, Asad was called in.

* * *

_"You idiots like war, right? So why try to stop him?" Asad questions, propping his feet up on the table in front of him, arms crossed. He glares at the men in across from him. He cannot tell them apart, they all wear matching headdresses and throne crowns. He has a funny feeling that even if he were to see their faces, he still wouldn't be able to tell one from the other._

_"Well..."_

_"...We at the Organization..."_

_"...Would prefer the expansion of Kou to go smoothly."_

_"You really think I would believe that bull?" Asad leans forward, putting his feet down and placing his hands on the tabletop, eyes turning into slits. "The Kou Empire prefers to _squash_ resistance under their feet. They _enjoy _fighting. Stop lying and tell me the truth."_

_The men shift uncomfortably. Judal has fallen for their tricks multiple times, believing the lies they feed him with ease. Asad can't blame him though, Judal has never known anything else. However, Asad _has_, and refuses to be manipulated for the sake of a woman such as _Gyokuen Ren_._

_"Aren't you going to say something?" He prompts, goading them with a sneer._

_"He isn't different from the others..."_

_"...But as your superiors..."_

_"...We would like to test your skills."_

_Asad keeps his face still. He doesn't allow himself to react, but on the inside, his heart races and surprise trembles along his fingers. He puts up a bored front, rolling his eyes._

_"How so?"_

_"Kill the man who leads the troops..."_

_"...With your special skills..."_

_"...And if you don't..." All three of them move at once, resting their chins on the palms of their wrinkled hands. Asad can practically feel the malice in their matching grins. They say in unison:_

_"We'll just send Judal instead."_

* * *

One of the upstairs windows is unlocked. He jumps to the roof and hangs with both hands by the rafters, using his foot to slide it open. Swiftly, he swings back and forth until he jumps through the now-open window, barely touching the sides or rustling the curtains. It was a hard training to learn how to use such skill, but Al Thamen pounded it into him unrelentingly.

He pauses, taking a look around the room he is in, assessing his next move. There is a posh bed on the right of him, with pink fluffy covers and dark polished wood. A vanity and closet open strewn with fancy dresses confirms his suspicions that this is a woman's room, and judging on the size of the clothes, it must be a young girl. Asad pretends guilt doesn't nag at him. Pressing his ear to a door, he can hear the party going on downstairs. No guards seem to be walking the corridor, a mistake that will cost the noble his life. He steps out, looking right and left, seeing no soul in the hallway. He takes a deep breath and lets it out, imagining a blanket wrapping around him. Everything creases and bends, light adjusting with tiny ripples in the air.

With that, Asad disappears into thin air.

He has mastered the art of silence. Silence is a sound within itself, and bypassing trained ears takes skill and practice. With complete stillness, one breathe, one creak, one misstep, and you'll be caught.

There are men up ahead. They climb the grand staircase and laugh, dressed in ruffles and silk. His target is among them, a fat man with a double chin and green eyes and flushed cheeks. The target wears the most expensive clothes, bragging about something or other.

"My daughter is so beautiful," He begins, and Asad wants to barf. "That she already has suitors banging on her door!"

They all laugh and congratulate the man, following him to his private office. Asad grins. Things can't get more perfect. He trails them, glad that they are drunk, and enters the office beside them, holding back laughter.

Any joy he feels fades out of him, however, and he rubs the necklace around his neck. It's a simple necklace, with a silver chain and a black locket in the shape of a heart. Opening it, he looks upon a miniature painting of a flower. It has red petals and a yellow lining, large yellow pollen sprouting from the center. The men speak for a while, drawling out numbers and discussing politics. Nobles are never as stupid as you'd like them to be, and Asad feels like he might die from boredom. Finally the crucial moment arrives, and the other men are dismissed to go back to the party.

"I'll be back down in a little while," The noble tells them, waving his hand casually. As they leave, Asad looks at the man he needs to murder, sighs, and pulls his knives out from his sleeves.

* * *

Asad doesn't run on the rooftops anymore, but walk, _stroll,_ almost. His hands are clean. There isn't a chance of blood being on him, he's made sure of that.

He stops.

He thinks.

And with guilt eating at his soul, he tries to remember _her_ name.

Asad tries to remember his sister's name.

His head snaps to the side, looking far away, where a column of Rukh shoots up from the ground. It's a baby, and he stares at it with fascination. Another column, pink, flies up to the sky followed by another, which is gray and blue. A green one pops up out of nowhere, and then a tan colored one. He spreads his arms, like an eagle, and lifts his head to the sky as purple Rukh spiral in a circle around him.

A lone tear travels down his cheek, and he whispers her name. The name is unheard by a soul, but is captured by the Rukh, flying up and away from him. The Rukh allows the wind to take it and imprint it along the land.

* * *

_"Marigold."_

* * *

**_Years later..._**

Eighth Imperial Princess Kougyoku is an interesting person, he decides one day at the Royal Palace.

It all starts when he's looking for Judal.

The boy has disappeared from one of their 'lessons', and the old farts commanded Asad to go find him. He has a new title now. It hadn't surprised him once the older men told him Judal is the Kou Empire's High Priest and that they were moving to the palace, but it _did_ shocked him when he was named the 'Holy Keeper' and told to look after Judal. It really isn't anything different than his usual duties, only now he's a noble with a _lot _of paperwork.

_Gyokuen sure loves to torture me._

But she's good at what she does, and as long as Asad plays into her hand, she generally leaves him alone. Besides, the thirteen year old's sure that she's just _itching_ to dig her hands into poor ol' Koutoku's fortune. After killing her sons and first husband, she informed Asad that his new duties as a noble also include keeping a close eye on Hakuei and Hakuryuu to report back to her on their behaviors. As badly as he felt toward the two youngest "Haku"s for their tragedy, he did what he had to and told Gyokuen of Hakuryuu's backlash. The boy had become increasingly agitated and withdrawn. Gyokuen smiled happily at that news and rewarded Asad with a pat on the head and a bonus to his allowance.

He spent the money on a beautiful spear, which he then had sent anonymously to Hakuryuu along with a note: _"don't show your emotions so easily"_.

So there he is, walking down the corridors in his black Kou robes when he sees a mysterious child. Her robes are somewhat fine, but also dirty. They are loose in some areas and tight in others, telling him that she had dressed herself. Her hair is messy and let down, falling into her face and clumping in knots around her shoulders. She appears to be moping, her face downcast and eyes drooping. She pauses in front of her door, turning her head towards him. In all truth and honesty, she scares the crap out of him with her sullen face.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asks, stepping closer. She rakes her gaze up down his form and then sniffs loudly, entering her room.

Asad's eye twitches.

"Did you just give me a once over...?"

Then, curiosity spiked, he heads to the sliding door. While he knows that entering a woman's room- even if said "woman" is barely ten- is a definite no-no in Kou, he still has the desire to go in. He sighs dramatically, fingering the twin swords at his waist. His sensei would tell him to leave her be, and run off into the sunset with one of his daughters-

A headache starts pounding against his skull.

_No more imagining sensei's advice._

Well, who needs social norms anyway? He pushes open the door, only to see the same girl sitting on the floor, making paper dolls. If he didn't know who she was then, he sure as hell did the moment she throws a doll aside and starts making a whole new one with the skill and speed of a master.

_This is a total sweat-drop moment._

The girl stops what she is doing and then turns to face him, nose twitching.

"Who...Are you?" She asks, shy. Asad feels pity for the poor girl. She is what? Ten? And living alone and acting so hopeless? The Holy Keeper inwardly grumbles about having a conscience while he smiles at her. He holds out his hand and leans to her height.

"I'm your new friend."

"Do I even know you?"

"You _could_, if you take my hand."

"But...I don't think I can leave my room..." The girl awkwardly looks at her doll, turning her face away from him.

"Well, I'm the Holy Keeper, and if I say it's alright, it's alright!"

She stares at him for a while, and then looks at his outstretched hand. Kougyoku lifts her own hand and grasps his. Asad smiles widely and pulls her up, turning to the door.

He doesn't really know why he chose to do it, but shrugs such stupid thoughts off.

(Die with something. Suffering doesn't _need _to be everywhere.)

* * *

Kougyoku doesn't learn Asad's name for several days after they first met. Instead, he forces her to call him 'Holy Keeper', his smile smug and arrogant. But, after a year of being together with the insufferable boy, she feels lucky to have met him. He's become her first _real_ friend, even introducing her to his little brother Judal to become friends as well. Asad even arranged for Kougyoku to gain her own servants and advisors, citing that, as a princess, it's only natural for her to create her own court within the court. Ka Koubun becomes her personal advisor, a man with a strange tattoo and a clear head. Ka Koubun also becomes one of her friends, though Asad tells her he has plans of his own.

The eleven year old learns a lot of things from Asad as well. How to dress properly, how to hide her scorn for others, how to swear (now _that _was a fun lesson), even how to present herself in front of nobles. They are lessons that she should've learned at a younger age but never had the chance to. And yet, when she discovers that Asad only just recently claimed a noble title, she wonders how he can be so well versed in all these lessons himself. In fact, though she knows quite a bit about Asad, she doesn't know anything about his past. He doesn't talk about his family or parents, nor does he mention anything that happened to him before they met.

It's odd, but a part of her tells her not to ask. She believes in that part. She trusts it, though she's aware that there is absolutely no reason to.

Today he is teaching her how to do her hair.

"Why do I even need to do this?" Kougyoku grumbles, stewing as he pulls a brush through her unruly hair.

_God, this is so embarrassing!_

"Because you're meeting with Fourth Prince Hakuryuu and First Princess Hakuei today, and your father has high hopes that you'll woo them into joining his...Agenda or whatever," Asad laughs, and Kougyoku's neck blushes furiously. "Politics. They're fun when you're not involved!"

"I'm not a woo-er!" She exclaims, crossing her arms. "How do you even know how to do hair?"

"I've picked up a few things here and there," He says slyly, combing the tangles out. She stays quiet for a while. It feels good to have someone caring for her, even if they're three years apart and he's a guy. She watches Asad in the mirror, studying him as his hands disappear into her hair to pull up her hair. Asad's skin is pale, paler than her's, but it makes him look somewhat angelic. His skin compliments his hair, which is silver. While it's feathery and messy in the front, he holds the rest back in a smooth, untangled ponytail. He has onyx eyes, coal black and mysterious. "Your hair is really pretty, Princess."

The blush moves from her neck to her cheeks, and she tries to ignore the racing of her heart. Her heart seems to skip a beat whenever he touches her head while styling it, and she looks down at her lap in embarrassment.

"I'm not a Princess," She answers, "I'm just the bastard daughter of the Emperor."

"Well," He puts the finishing touches on her hairpin that Ka Koubun gave her and smooths down the hair. His hands drift to rest on her shoulders, a slow smirk crossing his face. With his eyes capturing hers in the mirror, she watches as he lowers his face down to beside her ear. He whispers, "I think you are worthy enough to be a Princess, and pretty enough as well."

The statement freezes Kougyoku on the spot, a blush consuming her. Asad lets out a snicker, pulling back. She snaps away from him, twisting in her chair.

"S-shut up! Stupid Keeper, idiot, moron!" She whacks him with her sleeves, completely embarrassed. Asad dodges her careless swings, grabbing her flailing wrists to pull her into a hug. She struggles, calms after a moment, refusing to hug him back.

"Settle down, Princess. Wouldn't want your hair to be ruined so soon."

* * *

"We don't like your close relationship with the Eighth Imperial Princess."

"Well, maybe I don't give a damn."

(Laughter like the scraping of knives on a chalk board.)

"Holy Keeper, we believe it to be wise to stay away from Princess Kougyoku."

"Or what?"

"She's just the eighth daughter, Asad. No one would notice if-"

"Don't you _dare_ threaten her."

"Then what will it be?"

(A pause that is filled with unspoken curses.)

"I hear things as well, Marrkio."

"Do you now?"

(A smirk slides across a boy's face, as sick and twisted as the game they're playing.)

"Oh, indeed. Little whispers about the incident that left the past Emperor in the past."

"What're you saying, exactly?"

"Metaphorically speaking, what do you think would happen if word got out? How many people would willingly follow a murderer into war? I _do _wonder."

"..."

"Look at the time! I promised to meet Judal and Kougyoku. Shall I be going now?"

(Triumph.)

"Yes. Tell Judal he better not skip anymore lessons."

"As you wish."

(One leaves, the other stays.)

"Foolish boy. Trying to threaten me? Perhaps I'll pay a visit to Kougyoku and-"

"You better not."

(Another person comes into the room, having hid in the darkness.)

"Your Majesty! Such a pleasure-"

"Marrkio, don't threaten my new daughter, please. I was willing before hand, but now..."

(An image appears out of nowhere, shimmering. On the screen is a boy with silver hair jogging over to a black haired boy fighting with a girl in regal clothes.)

"I would like to keep observing this...Shadow."

* * *

It's a day like every other, Kougyoku practicing manners with Ka Koubun and Judal stealing peaches from the kitchen. Asad lays in the company of a large tree in one of the Palace's many gardens, resting from a day of paperwork and peace. Sighing, the eighteen year old looks to the blue sky, wishing either his little brother or Princess would come hang out with him. It's a calm, summer day, and he's surprisingly bored. Al Thamen is on a hiatus, Gyokuen ceasing their plans until she can settle more firmly into Koutoku's graces. Apparently the man has taken a firm interest in something other than wine or women, and Gyokuen is less than pleased by the development.

While she re-hypnotizes Koutoku, Asad and the other superiors in Al Thamen were given "time off", a short period of rest as they await new orders and developments. He's happy with the rest, but at the same times, he hates the quiet. Being left to his own devices is fine with him except when he doesn't have anyone to spend time with. Then he begins to think about the horrible things he's had to do for Al Thamen, all the lies and death and hatred he's had to develop. He starts to think about _Magnostadt_ and what he did to that dark-eyed princess...He remembers a cold, bloody night in a place ruled by a charming yet young King.

They're bad memories he cannot shake nor share, and they haunt him when he's lonely. If he thinks too much about them, then the scars he bears and the blood on his hands-

_"Hi!"_ Someone screams in his ear. He jumps up, loosing his balance and falling on his butt. His hand instinctively goes to his swords, but he doesn't pull one out. He glares at the culprit, only to be looking into the eyes of very young girl. Her eyes are a blood-colored red, an interesting and mischievous color one doesn't see very often. Accompanying her, an older man who looks like a heavy weight boxer and another young girl who doesn't wear shoes stand close by, smiling cheerfully.

"Who the hell are you people?" He growls, eyeing them for weapons. The girl holds a golden staff, and the boxer has a bow and sheath of arrows hung casually on his back. The girl without shoes- a redhead- doesn't have any weapons either, though he notices how she casually glances at his swords and then meets his gaze challengingly, her smile never wavering.

"I'm Bad! Wait, don't give me that look! My full name is Badroulbadour, and I'm here to talk with you~" The little girl, Bad, giggles, offering him her hand. He eyes it and gets up on his own, dusting off his clothes. since they haven't instantly attacked, the means they aren't here to fight. But, since the girl hasn't apologized and has actually introduced herself, it also means she isn't here for sight-seeing.

"And how about the other two?"

"Oh! This big guy here is Eren, he's my big brother and servant~ and this awesome chick is Catrina! She's my best friend and sister!" Asad scoffs slightly at Bad and shakes his head, wondering how this group even got into the Palace. However, the girl's sweet words and innocence makes him feel somewhat lighthearted. They must be guests of Prince Kouha. It would explain their strange demeanors and definitely-not-Kou clothes.

"Alright then. Nice to meet you, Bad, Eren, and Catrina," He runs a hand through his hair and gives them his trademark smirk. At least he can have _some_ fun today, if not with his brother or Princess. "My name is-"

"**_John_. _John Steiner_.** Am I right? Oh, yes I am! How wonderful." Bad grins, her eyes half lidded and sparkling with delight. "I believe we have a lot to talk about, my dearest Shadow."

"H-how did you know that?!" Asad stumbles back, his face draining of color. For a moment he thinks he's hallucinating, but then he grits his teeth and whips out his sword, growling, "Who let you in here?!"

"That would be me, Holy Keeper," Asad snaps his head in the direction of the new feminine voice so fast he practically gets whiplash. In front of him, clad in a white and pink elaborate dress, the First Princess of the Kou Empire smiles at him, showing all her white teeth. He stares, entranced and confused, at Hakuei Ren.

"...Your...Highness?"

"You may know me as Lady Hakuei, Holy Keeper, but I also go as another as well," Hakuei nods her head toward Bad, who giggles with excitement and nudges her two companions.

"She's one of the people I told you guys about! This is the Feather, Hakuei Ren!"

* * *

THAT CLIFFHANGER THO! *grins widely*

So...How do you like Catrina (the Bird) and Asad (the Shadow)?

**Catrina:** A Fanalis-Amala who was born into a hidden society! She dreamed of being accepted by her tribe, but was forced to run away after a mysterious fire and fight with her attackers. After being reborn, Catrina began to think that her life has more meaning that it did as Alice, coming up with a motto: blank slate. Because of this, she strives to become a friendly, likable person, and does her hardest to accomplish this. She is very welcoming to those she cares for, such as her mother, and treats them in the highest regard. Through the years, she has grown to be more kind, considerate and cheerful, though it has taken time. However, she hasn't been able to shake all of her personality as Alice: she still retains much hatred and a distinct fear of fire. We've only just gotten a taste for Catrina's fury, but as the story progresses, we'll see just how uncontrollable her hatred and anger can become.

**Asad:** A different case all together. He had a difficult life when he lived in our world and now has a difficult life in this new one. He witnessed his mother, father and older sister (Marigold. Also, the flower painted in his locket is a marigold as well) be killed as a baby, just like Judal. His character doesn't really change much from John to Asad, but he does become more open to other people and desires to "do something" in order to fulfill John's despair at dying "with nothing", though he hardly gets chances to show these traits since he's a part of Al Thamen. His personality is that of a sarcastic, prideful if not slightly boastful young man, and he enjoys protecting others, even if he doesn't outright say it (like when he became Judal's older 'brother' and Kougyoku's "friend" *Wink wink, hint hint, nudge nudge*). At the same time, he can be quite stubborn, thoughtful, and, if the need arises, cruel. He places Judal and Kougyoku's needs, desires and lives far above that of his own.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	6. Chapter 5: Not Too Bad

Hello my darling readers! Chapter 5 is here! *Erupts into cheers* Last chapter we met the Bird (Catrina) and the Shadow (Asad). This chapter, we learn where Bad and Eren's adventures take them, and the mysterious people they meet...

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**THIRD ARC: **Road to Balbadd

CHAPTER 5: Not Too Bad

* * *

**_Because Bad isn't all bad, s_****_he was saved..._**

The entrance is silver and bright, a doorway with the appearance of a shiny, sea-swaddled pearl. The doorway around it is decorated with fine crown molding, which in turn is lathered with impressive, detailed designs and jewels. Such a beautiful and expensive looking door stops Eren in his tracks, but only partially because he's never seen such splendor. It's mostly because he knows that even one touch to the smooth looking surface and he'll be sucked in together with Bad. And just because Myeshia agreed to allow Eren to try and conquer her Dungeon, it doesn't mean that there isn't monsters and death traps awaiting them. Badroulbadour, however, shares none of his worries.

"Come on, Eren! Let's gooooo~" She giggles this, bouncing from foot to foot. But before she can leap into the void, Eren grabs her by the waist and pulls her back. He goes far enough away so that they can have a civil conversation on whether they are actually going to risk their lives for this.

"Bad, I'm not sure abo't this. I'm not even sure how ya convinced me to agree to this plan!" Bad grins at Eren's discomfort with the situation. He feels slightly jealous of her at that moment. A girl who has lived once in this crazy world already has knowledge about and comfort with Dungeons; she doesn't need to feel worry about dying. According to what he knows about her- which, sadly, happens to be very little- she's a skilled magician. But is he really supposed to rely on a six year old to protect him in a _Dungeon?_

_Who am I? Alibaba?_

He bets Alibaba just sneezed, wherever he is.

"I'm just a lot more witty than you," She taunts, bouncing up and down once again. Myeshia moved her Dungeon in front of the pretentious Wolf's Rock, and Eren and Bad now stand in front of the entryway of the Dungeon, preparing themselves for this exciting adventure. Myeshia's Dungeon had changed from the sprawling, fantasy-like castle it was when he first encountered it. Now it's a splendid church-like building, a dark grey color with accents of black. There are many small gothic-style towers branching off of the building, along with a magnificent spire in the shape of a crown sitting in the very center. The front face is covered in black-tinted Victorian windows, which are just as beautiful as the gilded finials.

Eren breathes in the chilly mountain air, soaking in the scent of his home for what could be the last time. Up above them, the stars wink at them, and the sky is as deep, dark blue, as endless as the possibilities that await him in the future. The thought is terrifying and thrilling, but he won't admit that to the girl next to him. Relishing the pine needles under his feet and the sight of the Dungeon before him, he prepares himself for something inevitable and wonderful.

"Are we really doin' this? Even Myeshia has her doubts abo't our ability to do this, and don't we need a Magi or somethin'?"

"I can be a stand in!"

"...You're a Magi?" He asks sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"No...But I am strong, and I have a secret weapon!" The skeptic look she receives from Eren makes her pout angrily.

"And wut's that, six year old?" Bad holds up her wand, jutting it into Eren's face. The Chandlen flinches at the closeness between the points and his eyes, but then inspects it.

"If you recall your manga, then you'll know what this is!" Eren reaches up a hand as if to touch it, but then snaps back as if an invisible force pushes him away.

"That's...That's Gyokuen's staff! No wait; it's Sheba's too, right? Dear God, how do ya have it?"

"You got it, good job! And it may have been Sheba's at one time, but it's definitely _not_ that woman's. You know earlier today, when..." Bad makes a disgusted face but proceeds on, forcing the word out, "..._Gyokuen _came in, she was looking for this staff, and by extension me. In the other world, she got this stave because..." Bad trails off, staring upwards at the stars. Eren listens intently, and with the pieces of information in front of him, he finishes softly,

"Gyokuen had the staff 'cause she kidnapped ya in the last timeline, right?" Bad doesn't answer, but the truth hangs heavily in the air between them.

"I'm glad you were there," She tells him, eyes never leaving the sky. "I don't want to have to put up with her again."

"...I'm a nice guy," Eren jokes, and Bad grins.

"Alright, enough with the sad talk! And don't you dare call Sheba a staff again! She's the most wonderful Divine Stave ever."

"You named the staff- er, the Divine Stave Sheba? As in, after it's original owner?"

"Heck yeah! To honor her and stuff," Bad literally glows with pride, and if Eren doesn't know any better the Stave in her hands seems to as well. _"And, she is not an it!"_

Bad roars, grabbing Eren. Her child-like monkey strength succeeds in pulling him to the entryway. He pulls back, fear slashing up his guts, but Bad refuses to give up. She lifts her foot, touching the door with the tip of her toe.

_They are sucked into the point of no return._

* * *

**_And went on a fantastic journey..._**

Eren puts his best effort into making his heart stop racing, but that _damn centipede_ had scared the living daylights out of him. This _is_ an incredibly dangerous Dungeon, but centipedes should _never_ be that big. In fact, centipedes shouldn't exist_ at all._

As spectacular as the Dungeon is on the outside, on the inside it's a strange wonderland of fear. When they first arrived, they were in a flat landscape that soon became infested with rats that clawed and raced towards them with beady eyes. Bad had no problem dispatching the rats with a flick of her wrist, steaming hot water drowning the screeching animals. When that debacle was over, a centipede came up in front of them and forced the duo into combat. Well, Bad into combat. The girl has _really_ good aim with Sheba. Unfortunately, the monster had a hydra-like quality: the ability to split into two after each hit. Seeing no other alternative, the two took off racing towards an exit, finding themselves in a tunnel.

Now, they follow the path laid before them. It spirals upwards, an incline allowing them to climb higher and higher. After a while, Bad tires, turning to Eren with her arms held up. He rolls his eyes and picks her up, holding her with one arm as he continues to climb. Living on a mountain and working in the villages at the base have conditioned him for this, and he is easily able to keep a steady pace while carrying his petite partner. As far as the pair is concerned, this is the only place they can go, considering the doors lead to this place...But after what feels like an hour, Eren begins to have doubts.

"I think it's a trap, Bad," Bad studies the upwards spiral before shrugging.

"Then let it come~"

Eren sighs, imagining a Indiana Jones-style boulder appearing before them from around the bend. The thought sends shivers down his back. They walk upwards, and upward, and upwards, until Eren's anticipation, dread, and utter boredom comes to a peak.

"When'll the trap part come 'n? I think we sh'uld go back." Eren huffs, adjusting Bad in his arms. "Maybe this trap is...Er...A nev'r-ending tunnel."

"Interesting," Bad responds, a little smile pulling at her lips. "But I'm not so sure. Myeshia is the Djinn of Justice and Balance. She is fair in her trails...Which means we must trust in her to continue."

As if her words cast a magic spell, they arrive at two doors. Eren looks at it with wide eyes before staring at the girl in his arms.

"Are you magic?"

"I'm a _magician." _Bad rolls her little eyes, squirming. He sets her down and she walks up to the two doors, studying them. "Maybe this isn't a trap. Maybe it's a _choice_."

Interest dwells within her red eyes, and Eren feels a major headache coming on.

"Hey Eren~?"

"Please don't tell me ya wanna split up."

"..."

"Ya wanna split up."

"Well, if you _suggest_ it-"

"Bad!" Eren catches her tiny shoulders in his big paws and plants himself in front of the doors, adamant on having a reasonable conversation before sprinting head first into danger. He's already failed once in getting the brat to listen him _before _they entered the Dungeon, but he will not fail now that they are _in _the Dungeon. "If this's a choice like ya say, then one door must lead to certain death. Let's take a look 'round first, try to see wut we should do."

Bad nods, having to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.

"But Eren-"

"No buts, we can't split up."

"Eren I think-"

"After all, yer a child still,"

"Wait I think I-"

"'Nd I can't let ya go alone!"

"EREN CHANDLEN!" Startled, Eren looks down at the red-faced girl, irritation written clear as day in her eyes. "I figured out the answer!"

"Wut? How?"

"It's up there!" She points above his head. Looking up, he can see words engraved into the stone above his head.

"Oh. Well 'en." Eren looks to Bad, and she stares back at him.

"Well?"

"I can't read."

"WHAT?" Eren covers his ears at the high pitch yell and shakes his head.

"Let's talk abo't this later, alright? Just read the dang inscription." Bad gives him a look that says, 'we-are-_so_-talking-about-this-later' and then looks back to the ceiling, squinting her eyes to read.

"It says, and I quote, 'Eren, good job at coming this far! And I'm very impressed with Bad's skills. Anyway, this next challenge is very complicated. One doorway leads to the past, but the other takes a more difficult path, the future. Both of you will exit at the same place, but only if you can get out'. Must be a message from Myeshia."

"'One leads straight to the past and the other to the future'? Which one do we choose?" the letters on the ceiling shake for a moment, and rearrange themselves. Eren jumps back in surprise and almost takes a tumble down the long winding path. Luckily, Bad pushes him forward before he can lose all of his balance.

"Be more careful!" She chastes him. "The new message says, 'only one person per doorway, sorry. But, I have full confidence that you can make it. And I'm not telling which is which, that would be too much information and it wouldn't be fun anymore'. Myeshia!"

Bad whines. Eren bops her lightly on the head.

"Darn it, this sucks. Somethin' horrible always, _always, _happens when the group splits up." Eren moans, and Bad takes her place in front of the right hand door. The two are exactly alike, dark wooden doors looking...Quite normal. Plain. Eren grumbles and takes the left one.

"Why do I have to take the left side?"

"This one looks less menacing."

Eren rolls his eyes and, in a fit of annoyance with his partner, walks straight through his door. It's light in the room. Pure white. He can't see where the walls begin or where the floor is, feeling as though he's standing in blank space. When he takes a look around, he notices that a few feet away lies a book.

_Did I choose the more difficult path?_

He picks up the book, only to hear the door slam shut behind him.

"Bad, that's not funny-" The door is gone. Where it was is now a bookcase, a brown bookcase filled with multi-colored book spines written in English. As he turns again, he realizes the white room is no longer empty. Under his feet are light wooden floors, and bookcases in a circle around him. Up above, the ceiling is painted gray and the walls a dark chocolate brown, the smell of paper and dust filling his nose. He steps toward the bookcase closest to his right, and, as he reaches out to touch it, something breathes on his shoulder. Whirling around, he jumps back and studies what is in front of him.

His breath is caught in his throat and his brain shuts down, unable to grasp what he is seeing.

"Can I have my book back?" Her tone of voice is cold and uncaring, and her eyes narrow behind the glasses that frame her nose. Eren looks down, shocked to see that in his hand is a copy of Magi: the Kingdom of Magic.

He shakes a little.

"What? Are you afraid of me?" The young man, who has large, sloping shoulders and muscles lining every limb, is too afraid to speak. The words lodge in his throat, and he struggles to look her in the eyes.

* * *

_Unbeknownst to Eren, a black slime travels from the girl's to him, beginning to slide up his shoes._

* * *

"No- No, I'm, I'm not." The girl doesn't believe him, according to the way she lifts up her eyebrows and her brown eyes become sharper.

"Is that the truth, **_Charlie_**?" Charlie Mason stands before her now, in his small, tiny body and with his nervous, shy demeanor. He can't look at her, not now, not ever. Why is she even talking to him? He's a nobody. Even when he was about to hit the concrete, she didn't change her facial-

_Wait_.

Charlie Mason is dead. He's Eren. Eren, the one the people of his lodge call the giant. Eren, who's a warrior of the Chandlen lodgings. Eren, who is here to capture a dungeon and save a girl who needs to be saved.

"That's the truth."

The black slime hisses as it falls off of Eren, and slithers away from the boy, disappearing into the cracks in the floor.

He gives the book back to her, and she takes it, greedily scanning the pages. When she looks up, her face doesn't change, but her eyes gleam with an unshown smile.

"Thank you, **_Charlie._**"

"No problem...**_Jane_**..." His elbow hits something and he glances at the bookshelf, then back at the girl. But she's gone, and so is the library. The room is white again, and a door slides open. He quickly sprints from the room and exits out into the entryway to the treasure room.

He rams into a pillar and collapses against it, taking shuttering breaths over and over again. How was Jane Hullburg there? _Why_ was Jane Hullburg there? Is this some sort of sick joke that he would see the girl who witnessed his death again? By God, what is going on? And another question...

"Where's Bad?" He says aloud, and looks back. The door he exited from is gone, but the other is still there. "Don't tell me that..."

_Was my doorway here the easy one?_

* * *

**_But that doesn't mean she is freed from her demons..._**

Bad pushes on the door handle and steps inside, only to find darkness waiting for her. The door closes behind her, leaving her completely blind as the blackness settles infinitely around her. She can't say she's afraid of the dark.

She finds it peaceful.

Darkness can cloak everything, and while this natural occurrence disturbs most, Bad welcomes it. She can lay on her bed and close her eyes, listening to the wonderful silence blanketing her. She doesn't have to do anything, won't have to say anything. She can simply be still and pretend that nothing exists, even her. But now isn't a good time to stop and smell the non-existent roses. She marches on, walking toward what she assumes to be the other side of the room. As she moves, she realizes that she's getting nowhere. Bad bites her lip and reaches out her hands, unable to determine if her eyes are closed or not.

Someone taps her shoulder.

All it takes is a blink.

The light is blinding, but it's not what brings tears to her eyes. Above her, the sky is a fiery from the sunset, and thick clouds of purple, red and yellow float loftily across the sea of orange. A gentle breeze brushes her arms and cools her, though the air is slightly heavy with the past afternoon's heat. A woman and a man sit on a cliff, staring at the city below them which twinkles with candles and lanterns. The grass around them is a greenish-yellow, Bad knows because she can't help but walk closer.

She knows this _place_.

Bad knows this _sunset_.

Badroulbadour knows these _people_.

Because the man there is the love of her life.

Something ugly roots her in place as she watches the scene go on, unable to stop it from happening. She wishes she could interrupt and alert him to her presence. She wishes she could pull his face towards hers, so he'd meet her eyes and fall in love with her all over again. Anything so that he would accept her once more.

"Why are we here?" The woman asks, and her love chuckles, grasping the woman's hand.

"I wanted to show you the sunset?" It's an explanation that comes across as more of a question. The woman laughs and rests her head on his arm. Bad flinches, her eye twitching.

_He's mine._

But he's _not_, and that hurts her more than an extreme magic ever could.

"That's good enough for me." Bad's fingers go numb. Something black and sinister roots it's way up from the ground up, slithering onto her legs. It's pure and unadulterated darkness, and Bad can't help but let it crawl over her. On the hand of a woman, a wedding ring is worn proudly. Bad doesn't cry, or sob, or scream. She just watches.

"I love you," The woman murmurs, and he smiles at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She's pretty, she supposes.

"I love you too."

Yes, Bad doesn't cry, or sob, or scream. But now she doesn't watch either, and instead begins to laugh. The laugh isn't hollow or full or low or high or carrying any kind of emotion. It's just a laugh, and somehow that's worse. The slime stops around her middle, and Bad's hands wrap around the darkness, grasping it. With strength virtually unseen in a little girl of six, Bad tears the monster off of her. It tries to get out of her grasp, but her hold is forged from iron. She grins at it. Bad laughs at it, and the darkness shrinks, realizing that this girl is far worse than it can ever be. And she doesn't even care. Bad throws it behind her shoulder and it slithers away as fast as it can, uncaring about anything else other than getting away from her. After all, the Princess of Depravity has arrived.

"So, this is the future you'd have now that I've Fallen?" Bad asks as the man stands up. The woman continues watching the sunset as her husband walks over to the little girl. "Do you like it?"

"Why are you here, Bad?"

"I'm here to clear a Dung-"

_"Bad,"_ He tilts his head, serious. He's not at all the reassuring man he was when they were together. When he was _hers_. "This is the future you see. The future you think will happen. The future you hope to happen."

"...I see. So then, if I had gone into the other doorway-"

"You would have met people from your past."

"I guess I chose the right one, eh?"

"Let me ask you again: why are you here Bad?" Bad can't help but look into his eyes (his beautiful, beautiful eyes) and ask herself the very same question. Why did this appeared to her? She could've seen Eren's future, or her future, but for some reason she was pulled into _his _future. Which brings along other questions as well.

Why did she ask Eren to capture a Dungeon?

Why did she Fall into depravity?

Why did make so many plans to save the world even if she's Fallen?

The answer is so simple that it isn't sad, but almost ironic.

"I'm here because I love you," She smiles like she used to, innocent and kind and filled with all her truthfulness. Her emotions are splayed out on her face. The man she loves finally smiles back at her, and he kneels to her height, taking her hand. He's on one knee, like he's going to propose to her. He did propose once...But it was a complicated situation, which is why they never could get married. That had always been one of Bad's biggest regrets. "I've done all of this because I love you. Does that mean that it was alright of me to Fall? No. But knowing what the fate of this world doesn't help matters. I did what I had to do, and I don't regret it. Because...Because even if you marry someone else, I will always_ love you."_

He kisses her knuckles, and presses her palm against his cheek, leaning into it. It's almost as if he's real, and he's holding onto her for as long as he can before they have to separate again. She notices how everything else fades to white. It's only him and her.

"Goodbye, Bad."

"Goodbye," She doesn't want to blink, because if she does, Bad knows he'll leave again. It will be the last time she ever gets to say she loves him, to see the adoration in his eyes and to feel the gentleness in his touch. "I'll really miss you, _"

(And then, she blinks.)

* * *

**_But people still care for her..._**

The second Bad's shoe hits the floor, she is tackled into a fierce hug. Eren doesn't even try to hold in his strength, wrapping his arms all the way around the six year old and _squeezing_.

"WHERE'VE YA BEEN?!" Oh, she doesn't know, proclaiming her love to her ex-lover who doesn't actually _exist_? She whispers a reply and tries to remember how to breathe.

"I party hard, Eren."

* * *

**_Even though she entangles them in her web of lies and deceit..._**

The treasure room lay behind this last trial.

"It's called the Gate of truth," Bad informs Eren, who nods his head in agreement. The two face the door. With the stakes high and their exciting running amuck, they lay their hands on the door, preparing to enter the room.

They'll change the world.

Bad looks at Eren and winks.

"You remember the words?"

"I've been waiting to say them for _literally_ ever."

"On three!" A grin is exchanged for a smile.

"One," Eren whispers.

"Two," Bad murmurs.

"Three!"

**"Open Sesame!"**

The two enter the uninhabited mountain.

* * *

**_Some try to tell her that they are saddened by the life she is forced into..._**

"It should be back at the rock," Bad tells Eren, trudging up the steep hill.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm jus' worried that someone is gonna to pop outta nowhere and attack us." He shivers at the thought and helps the six year old up a rock. "That would be horrible."

"Yup."

The two walk along the paths, Eren showing Bad the way because he quickly learns Bad has no sense of direction what so ever.

"I've never seen a Necropolis before," The girl says, looking around at their surroundings. It's quiet except for them, no birds in the sky or bugs on the ground.

"Necro-polis?"

"You don't remember? Well, a Necropolis is a vast space outside of the treasure room. It's a city of the dead, basically."

"Wow. That's purty cool."

"Yeah, except this one is different than other Necropolises. It's not a city but a mountain. Then again, cities are usually built around Dungeons, and since Myeshia moved hers underground, this land remained untouched."

"I guess so."

The duo continues on until they reach Wolf Rock and the treasure room doors stand proudly before them. Eren revels in the fact that they have gone this far already. They braved monsters, traps, that damn psychological test and now they are finally in front of the prize. This is everything he's been waiting for- everything he'd dreamed an adventure would be like. Now he's about to finish the test and, quite possibly, get a Djinn. The idea is as daunting and terrifying as it is exciting.

"Ready?"

"More than I'll ever be,"

They give the twin doors a heave. When they open, the pair walk into a room filled to the brim with treasure. The walls are gold and blue, and coins, crowns, swords and jewels shine brilliantly in their eyes. The two dash inside and look around, eyes swimming with the riches around them. There has never been so much splendor and riches before Eren in his whole life, and he looks upon the treasure room with they eyes of a naive toddler. He twirls around, letting out a laugh. All his money...Can it _really_ be his?

"Hello there!"

They turn towards the voice in time to witness a blue smoke-like substance come out from a giant jug in the center of the room. It shapes and molds itself into Myeshia. With the Djinn's appearance, the jewels intensify tenfold. As if gravity stops, the coins flow upwards around her, swimming in neat, orderly rings all around them.

"Where is the one who would be King?" Myeshia asks, the smile adorning her face as beautiful as the precious stones all around her.

"Mye~Shia!"

"Whoa! Myeshia!" She winks at them, her thick white braid defying gravity. Bad's own pink hair flies straight up and, with a startled squeak, she forces her dress down when it lifts a bit _too_ far up. Eren doesn't have much to worry about with his loose Arabic pants and dark green sash, but his hair stands on end and he looks like someone electrified him.

"My name is Myeshia," She lifts her hand and points to herself. "I was created from justice and balance, and I am a gravity wielding Djinn. As the mistress of the Dungeon, I hereby acknowledge you've cleared this Dungeon."

"Cleared?!" Eren hoots in joy. He doesn't even care that he's floating in midair by the time Myeshia finishes her spiel, but upon realization jolts and tries to keep his balance. Bad lets her own high spirits known by shouting in joy and doing a very impressive mid-air spin, considering she's still wearing a dress. Myeshia laughs and levels her maternal smile at them.

"Anyway, I suppose we all should have a more serious discussion?" Bad grins as she is let down on the ground gently, as does Eren. The coins spin for a while longer, but soon fly into several bags, preparing for departure.

"What do we need to talk about, Myeshia?" Said Djinn's smile melts away. She appears serious, which is an incredible feat due to her gentle eyes.

"Well, you need to decide which of you is going to become my King vessel and use my gravity magic," Eren and Bad look at one another and then back to the floating woman, confused.

"But...Myeshia, ain't Bad a magician? Magicians can't have Djinn." Myeshia tilts her head back and forth in an, 'sort-of' gesture.

"A magician can't have Djinns, yes, but Bad isn't a magician."

_"What!?"_ Bad falls back on her butt. Her face is filled with shock. "That's not possible! I've been doing magic since...Forever!"

"Well, not exactly, Princess. The Divine Staves you use are a very special exception to magic. A long time ago, a very talented- and genius- magician made it so that anyone, human or magician or...Ahem, can use the Staves and their power." Bad looks at Sheba, running her fingers over the pink gem on the top.

"Is it true?" She whispers very softly, and the Stave hums under her fingertips. "I see. This complicates things, but doesn't ruin anything. Don't worry, I'm not mad, Sheba." Bad turns to Myeshia and nods her head, picking herself up and wiping off invisible dirt.

"Alright, so as to who will become the King Vessel, there are many ways we can handle this...You both can fight for it?"

"I ain't fightin' a six year old."

"..."

"Bad?"

"..."

"This's the part where ya recipro-cate my nice words?"

"...Fine, I won't fight the Chandlen," Myeshia laughs nervously at the exchange.

"Alright then...One of you can back down?" Bad takes a deep breath. She closes her eyes and thinks, running over her memories and the plans she has concocted over the course of these six years. If she has Myeshia as her Djinn, then doing what has to be done will be much easier. But then again, it can ruin a lot of very important things. People will rely on her too much, and certain events won't occur. She already has enough power with the Staves sealed in her body, and Bad isn't sure that taking on even more magic will be a good thing.

Yes, she decides, spreading out the power evenly with her companions will ensure everyone of them has the strength to protect themselves.

"I will back down," Bad grins. "After all, I did all this for Eren to become a Dungeon Capturer, so I see no reason why I should take his place." Eren blushes deeply and Myeshia nods her head, understanding lighting up her blue eyes.

"That's very sweet of you, Bad. Eren, you are my King now." A baffled expression graces Eren's face as he blushes an even deeper color.

"T-that's...Wow..."

"Yay! So I suppose that Eren gets your gravity magic then?"

"Yes indeed!"

Myeshia motions to two pieces of jewelry. They float over to Eren and Bad, coming to rest in their hands. Bad's is a small hoop earing made out of white gold. She admires it in the light, holding it up to her right ear. Eren's is a large silver cuff, and he places it on his left wrist, surprised to see it's perfect fit.

"Do you like them?"

"It's beautiful Myeshia! It looks a lot like yours." Bad giggles.

"Yeah, t-thanks."

"They are tokens of good will. You should take your leave now. I believe _Gyokuen_ is coming for you." Eren and Bad flinch. They share a look of guilt.

"I fergot abo't her."

"Me too," Bad grins at Myeshia, but her heart isn't in it anymore.

"I'll see you soon, Myeshia! Oh, and do you mind maybe taking us somewhere other than the place the Dungeon once was? I would really prefer _not_ being around..._Her._" The Djinn nods. A blue light of a magic circle shines below them, loaded up with them and their treasure.

"I understand. Here, take this road out," The two get on the 'road', and Myeshia flicks her wrist. As the two humans are being lifted into the air, Bad looks back at the one who has been protecting her for so long. Myeshia meets her gaze and a sad look crosses her features.

"I'm so sorry about what has happened to you. This is just like back then, when she betrayed our beloved King Solomon...And now it's happened to you, my dear Queen of Queens. You will always be that to me, Bad, even if you are now a Princess of Depravity."

In a flash of white and blue, a light slams into Eren's new cuff, and Myeshia is gone.

* * *

**_Others try to make her tell them what she is trying to do..._**

The view is the most breathtaking thing he's ever seen. All around him are the stars, which shine silver and white, each lighting up the navy sky to an eye-pleasing powder blue. Below him, coming closer by the second, is the Earth. It's so beautiful, blue and green and in places yellow, glowing in a pale light. Around it are strange beams of light like the one he rides, each red and regal.

He can't believe that he _captured a Dungeon._

Bad leans against a heavy bag of coins and watches the same scene he is, amusement crossing her eyes.

"Bad, can I ask you somethin'?" She lazily lifts her gaze towards him, the way she does so akin to how a tiger scans it's surroundings after a satisfying feast. Even though she's only six, Eren suddenly feels like he's trapped in a cage with a wild animal. Bad doesn't notice how scary the look in her red orbs can be, casually tilting her head to the side. "Outta everyone in my world, why'd ya choose my soul to take back with you?"

"...I just did."

"But-"

"I was told that you would help me build a better future. So I summoned you." Something heavy lands in his chest. It's all he can do to hold back the dark emotions. Anger, sadness, hurt and..._D__isappointment_. He doesn't know why he feels that way...Except that maybe, just maybe, it's because she'd tell him something about himself he'd never known before. Tell him that he's _special_.

"I jus'..." He closes his eyes tight and lets the words go, not wanting to see her reaction once he says them. "Why me?! I...I'm nothin' and yet ya...You chose me to help you save the world? Charlie Mason was a nobody, and here, in this forest, I'm jus' another Chandlen. I can't handle this responsi-bility!"

"You have power now," Those eyes of hers flicker to the cuff on his wrist, and he rubs it, finding it cool to the touch.

"So? Does that instantly make me strong?!" He knows it doesn't. He's had to work his butt off every day to make it in this world. Training with his bow, concentrating on his lessons, watching the hunters to learn their skills...He's done all he's could to be the strongest, and even then, he was powerless against Gyokuen. now she's telling him that he'll have to start from scratch- learn a hundred different new things in order to wield a Djinn. And even then, how does he know he won't freeze up against Gyokuen again.

_I'm...Not strong._

Not one bit when compared to the awesome power of Al Thamen or Badroulbadour. And that's a blow to his pride as a warrior.

"No, you idiot, but it makes you useful. Eren, if you're a nobody, then I'll claim you. If you don't want to be Charlie Mason, if you don't want to be a Chandlen, then become a servant of Bad. Because I _need_ you." Green clashes with red, and the stone in his belly becomes lighter.

_I'm...Needed?_

Something glows in his chest.

"Ya...Need me? Fer wut?"

S_omeone needs me. Does it really matter what?_

"You don't realize the full extent of what a horrible person I am, so let me warn you. Should be go together, I will use you, backstab others, steal, lie, cheat and bring darkness in my wake until my goal is accomplished."

"Is your goal truly that important to ya?" Bad stands, tilting her head back to stare into his eyes.

"What do you choose? To follow me and my path to darkness? Or will you go back to your lodging?"

"If I follow you...Wut will happen to me?"

"There will be pain. I cannot deny that. But there will be also be happy times. Laughter, joy, magic. We...We could be a family, for a time. We could hide our evil and live with goodness. I need to know your answer, Eren, because your choice will decide the fate of the world." In those terrifying red eyes is sincerity, and a calmness that reassures him. Everything about the girl he met just this afternoon is so _complicated_. He can't even decipher what kind of logic she uses, though he doesn't want to know. Maybe that's the allure of the Princess of Depravity, attracting those who secretly crave _more_.

Eren craves _more_. He wants adventure. He wants someone to _need _him...Mostly because he's never been needed.

(Charlie wasn't even wanted.)

What should he choose? The girl in front of him speaks truthfully of her goal and the things she needs to do, and her honesty speaks to him. But what about his nephew, his siblings and his parents? What about the other Chandlens at the lodging who have no idea where he has gone to? He balks at the idea of being used, backstabbing others, stealing, lying, cheating and bringing darkness, and doesn't think he's capable of doing such evil things. But, on the other hand...

Someone _needs_ him.

_Life always gives us a choice, but it's our duty to make the right one._

He finally understands. Now, with a light heart and a firm resolution, he looks at the girl who will change his life forever. He takes her hand and shakes it, a very serious expression gracing his features. If life is giving him a choice, then he has to do the right thing, even if it scares him and requires him to be brave, a strength he has never needed to use before. And, this way, he gets to feed the part of him that craves.

"I...I choose to stay with ya. I'll follow you and your path, and we'll save the world."

* * *

**_And still some are swept away by her actions, uncaring where she takes them..._**

Bad has a bad idea and Eren pales as the girl gives him her signature grin.

They had landed in a desert, which was thankfully close to an oasis town. After a few hours of walking through the city, desperate for water and food, the two set themselves down in a tavern and were enjoying the food they ordered. The water was plentiful, the food savory, and the duo felt like they were in heaven. Sweet, sweet heaven. The waitress gave them a fake smile and took in their dusty, torn clothes from coming so far from the middle of nowhere, and said in a tone implying prejudice,

"How exactly are you going to pay for all of this?" Eren opened his mouth to explain, but Bad kicked him under the table and said in a sweet tone,

"Don't worry, we have money," The waitress smirked at them as if to say, 'of course you do', and left to tend to her other tables. Eren scowled at her, and then growled,

"Wut's the big idea?"

"Like that waitress needs to know that we have treasure on us," Bad crossed her arms and glaresd at the waitress. "We should get her back somehow."

"Wut? No, no, _no._ I know that look on yer face, and we're _not doing whatever it is yer thinkin',_" Bad found it sweet that he cared about her criminal record, and then the idea popped in her head. She grinned mischievously at her friend across from her.

Which leads to now, a pale Eren and a excited Bad.

"We are not-" He lowers his voice significantly, leaning in close, "Pullin' a dine and dash."

Bad shrugs and watches as their server walks into the kitchen.

"Time to get a crash course in how to be "Bad", Eren," Eren almost snorts at the pun before Bad pulls on his hand and speed walks to the exit, eyes trained on the doorway. People at the tables beside them pay no attention to them other than the curious looks of, 'why is that little girl with a really muscular guy?'. The door is pushed open quickly and the two make it outside. No sooner are they in the market that the two begin to sprint, leaving their finished and unpaid meal behind them.

* * *

Matilda walks out of the kitchen, setting food down at the table of two young men. They thank her and she gives them a flirtatious smile, hoping for a big tip. Turning around, she internally groans at the prospect of serving those two idiots at the back table. The little girl is adorable and the man is good-looking, but their clothes practically sell them out as beggars.

The child say they have money, but-

_Where did they go? _

Their seats are empty, and as the reality of what happened dawns on Matilda, she stomps her foot angrily. Heading back to the kitchen, she prepares to inform her boss that two beggars have conned them out of a meal.

* * *

**_But somehow the repercussions..._**

Bad and Eren laugh in their room until their stomachs hurt, the adrenaline and excitement making them jumpy. But soon the laughter fades, and guilt settles into Eren's stomach. He frowns at Bad, who sits cross-legged on her bed.

"I feel bad for not payin'." Bad gives him a sympathetic look, but she doesn't appear affected by the same emotions as he. He envies her for her unfazed attitude, before realizing it's probably because she already knows what is going to happen in this world, and therefor isn't effected by what she does at all. In fact, she wants to _affect _historical events themselves, and this is just...He frowns. Training?

"Don't be. The restaurant is expensive, and we only got in by luck. They can do with two free meals," Eren's frown deepens by her words, but the guilt does subside partially.

"But that girl...She was so against us being there. Didn't we prove 'er right?"

"Yup. And that is what we are suppose to do," Eren sits up from his bed, scratching his head.

"Wut do ya mean?"

"I did say we will have to do these sort of things. Being the bad to the good, making prejudices deeper, untangling years of trust with a single blow. It's our job."

It's getting dark, twilight dying so quickly after it's birth. Their room is faced away from sunset, showing the aging night sky and whips of purple clouds. The oasis town isn't big, but he can't see the horizon because of the other rooftops. The loud baritone of people rushing home for dinner or last minute trips float up from the street below, reminding him that there are people in this world who don't know about evil organizations or Djinns. They are simple, hardworking people thinking about their jobs and families and how to put food on the table. They don't know that, according to this reincarnated magician, the world is going to end unless he and Bad does something to stop it.

He takes a moment to think about that, squeezing his cuff. He only _just _learned he's in _Magi_. But that doesn't change the fact that there are _people _in this world. There aren't only Kings and Magi who seek to change the world. Things can be normal, and he has to remember that when he's working under Bad to protect the world. He has to think about all of the good people who _don't_ know, and who will never know, and don't deserve to be punished just because of that fact. If being "bad" is how to achieve their goals...

"Who's 'good', then?"

"You know that already, right?" She answers him, her voice weaker than it was before. It sounds fragile, the voice his mother uses whenever she gives out bad news. "It's _those_ people."

"Um...Oh. The main characters." Eren feels slightly stupid for not realizing that sooner. Bad flops back onto her bed, pushing back the covers and squeezing inside.

"Yeah." The Chandlen follows her example, and though it's barely night, the two fall asleep, Eren murmuring in a sleepy voice,

"I'm sorta sad 'cause of that..."

* * *

**_Never affect her..._**

Among the vast amounts of treasure Myeshia gave them, there is a special magic tool. That same tool is what Bad used to hide their fortune. It's a small bag that can expand at the mouth and hold an infinite amount of things, including all of the coins, jewels, crowns and other fortunes that they received from the Dungeon. It doesn't even look like a magic tool, made from blue satin with black and purple flowers stitched lovingly into the fabric. Bad wraps it with a leather strap and places it around Eren's neck, explaining that she's not good with money and that she trusts him to keep it safe, especially since among the riches she placed Sheba within the tool.

The next day, in the bazar, Eren almost puts his hand into the magic bag to pay for clothes when Bad hits his arm.

"Idiot! Why waste our money when there is a better solution?" Eren's eyes almost pop out of their sockets. They had planned to go by the bazar to get a few things and then return to the inn for another night. Bad determined they need to travel to the desert city of Damnat, so they've arranged to join a group of passing wanderers in town, and are now looking for supplies.

First the dine 'n' dash, and now stealing clothes? Eren isn't sure he's comfortable with the situations the pinkette is forcing him into, but he did sign up for this. No matter how guilty his conscious becomes, he only has himself to blame. Eren quietly looks around him.

The owner of the booth they are at is busy with another costumer, and they are in the perfect place near the front. Bad grins and slips the clothes behind her back. Eren follows her lead and they silently make their way out, slipping through the curtains and into the sand streets. They look at one another, pausing in the desert heat, both feeling the blood pumping hard through their veins and the adrenaline sharpening their visions. Then they are running, dodging the crowds and laughing until their ribs are sore, making their way back to their inn with various items lining their arms.

* * *

**_No matter where she goes..._**

The trip to Damnat is long. Really, really long. _Too _long.

The desert is much hotter than in the oasis town, and the caravan only lets Bad sit in a wagon for a few hours every day because of her age. Eren isn't so lucky. He's sixteen, but looks much older, and is made to walk upfront with the other weather ready men. Growing up in the mountains, where it's cold ten months out of the year and sometimes snows even in the summer, really bites him in the ass. Unable to bear the heat, he's gotten heatstroke too many times to count. Even his thick robes and covered head don't save him from the heat, and many an afternoon is marked with him throwing up on the side of the road. The women-folk understand his pain and coddle him, but the men laugh and tease him for his weakness, saying a boy as brawny as him should be tougher. They force him to drink so much water he ends up having to pee every half-hour.

Being a "man" also means he isn't able to take a break until it's dark and everyone settles down for dinner and sleeping. Which sucks. It sucks a lot. Bad never stops teasing him about this, and while it annoys him to no end, he can't help but feel refreshed after talking with her. It saves him from the boredom that threatens to consume every unbearable minute on the trail. Talking with Bad also grounds him to the fact that he's still young. The old men don't like to play around or tell jokes. Rather, they spend their time boasting about their camels and telling him long stories about the Jin (not Djinn, a mistake he first made and flipped out over). As interesting as some of the moments traveling through the desert are, he eventually starts begging God for it to be over.

God answers. Progressively and joyously, the desert melts into green grass and tall trees for shade, rivers appearing every now and then. The rivers bring much happiness to the Dungeon capturers. They fill up their canteens and drink several cups, bathing and chattering about how _worth it_ the journey was.

Luckily, the oasis town they were in (which he never learned the name of, sadly,) is close to Damnat, and so they get there within a month. Once he sees the city, he can't help but feel so strongly that he begins to cry. He pulls the sash he was given to wear on his head over his brow and closes his eyes, making sure nobody can see his tears, especially Bad. He'll never hear the end of it from the six year old devil if she were to see.

* * *

**_People think they know her..._**

Bad may seem as though she only appreciates doing bad things (and plotting while grinning mischievously), but she actually does enjoy several different activities as well. She enjoys traveling, love the feeling of stretching her legs as the dirt road takes her to unknown lands. She adores tapestries, inspecting the precise stitching and vibrant colors. She is obsessed with small animals, but that may just be because of her age. And, she really likes architecture.

_Really, really _likes architecture.

The city they are in, Damnat, is located on a large, sloping hill. The city adorns every surface of said hill, raising naturally out of the landscape with the grace a proud tree does in a forest. The houses are made of yellowish tan stones, giving the appearance of glowing buildings. There are Reiman designs, and pillars mark the wider streets. Even the streets were beautiful. Instead of using the same stone as the buildings, the architects used bluish-black cobblestones to create swirling patterns. It's magnificent, and Bad can't help but take a moment to drink it all in, looking over Damnat with a serene expression. Eren likes the architecture as well, but he pushes to get a room at a inn and something to eat before sight-seeing.

Bad's stomach growls. As much as she likes traveling, tapestries, animals and architecture, she loves food more.

* * *

**_Yet she proves them right and wrong..._**

"Well, we can't go back to Damnat for a while, now can we?" Bad says sarcastically, and Eren huffs, crossing his arms.

"I didn't know that was gonna happen!" He mutters angrily, and Bad's eye twitches.

"Really? You didn't know that the lady was going to _slap you_ and _scream_ if you snuck into her house to steal back a _watermelon_?" The whole situation is very complicated, but Eren doesn't appreciate his companion's snide tone. She has been yelling at him ever since they left Damnat about what she dubs, "the Watermelon Situation", and shows no signs of stopping with her relentless under-the-belt jabs at his pride.

"Shut up," He snaps, quieting the girl. They walk in silence for a few moments, Eren tense and brooding while Bad pretends she doesn't notice. Finally, a sigh graces the air and Bad once again grins at her older friend, cocking her head to the side.

"It was pretty awesome though," Eren tries to remain angry, but his lips move upwards without his consent. He lets out a snort of laughter.

"She bitch slapped me purty hard," Bad giggles and Eren smiles. "Like, does she lift weights or somethin'?"

The giggling becomes louder, and soon they are both cracking jokes about the insane strength of the lady and the absurdness of what happened. They are traveling down a dirt road, away from the city, and now looking for a place to go, no spot really gracing their minds. They don't have a destination, but they have each other. For now, that's really all they need.

"So, care to tell me abo't the people we're lookin' for?" Bad skips to match Eren's long strides, putting the duo at the same walking speed. All is forgiven, and the Watermelon Situation is finally resolved.

"Sure! We are searching for the Bird, who I know we meet when I'm still six, the Temptress, who we meet when I'm nine, and the Shadow, who we also meet in the same year as the Temptress. Other than that we need the Alchemist, the Pearl and the Feather."

"Do ya have any idea who these people are? As in, their real names? And, how in God's name do ya know when we'll meet them?" Badroulbadour looks to the horizon, seeing the pale blue sky, sunny and without clouds.

"I don't know about the Bird, Shadow, and Temptress, but while I was traveling back through time I caught glimpses of our meetings, as well as the faces of the other Alchemist, Pearl and Feather. So, I know we will get to the other souls!"

"Ya said ya only summoned back four souls. Who're the other three?" Eren asks, looking out to the end of his vision as well. Maybe if he tries to look exactly where she is looking, he will come to understand what is going through that head of hers. She truly is an enigma to him, a mystery within a mystery, an unsubtle reminder of all the things he doesn't know about this world and the Fate carved out for every person who lives within it.

"I did only summon four. The other three are 'redoing' their lives."

* * *

**_Yes, Bad..._**

"Hello," Bad looks up at the man in front of her, shock clenching her insides. But on the outside, she merely continues to grin, excitement sparkling in her red eyes. She recognizes this person. The man is tallish but not the size of Eren, and his large green hat is a major give away to who he is before she even tugged on his shirt. He smiles frailly, and it makes Bad's grin spread even wider. His kind blue eyes become sharp with recognition and the smile fades, leaving behind only his confused face.

"Hi, I'm Badroulbadour." She puts out her tiny palm and he takes it, lifting an eyebrow at her name.

"Badroulbadour? That's an unusual name. I preferred the other one," The man replies, giving her hand a gentle shake. "I'm Yunan, but you already know that, right?"

She nods and throws her arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest. She nearly yells,

"Of course! I could never forget you, Alchemist!"

* * *

It must've been fate, right? That Bad would meet the Alchemist, Yunan, at a banana stand in some small town? Yes, it has to be. She leads him through the crowd towards the tent where Eren is, explaining the situation to the fragile man behind her while they went. She tells him about how she and Eren escaped Gyokuen, how they captured a Dungeon, and about their travels. She also explains to him what she did to "hit the reset button", and how she's searching for the second soul.

"Aren't I the second soul?" He asks, and Bad shakes her head.

"You have the memories of the future that would have happened, but you didn't cross over from another world. Your soul hadn't change." Yunan nods in understanding and walks side by side with Bad, quiet for a moment.

"So. You decided to change this world?"

"Yes."

"And you thought Falling would be the best option to do that?" Bad grins, but its more crooked and sad than her usual one.

"I should have know you'd notice sooner or later. Yes, I did. I still do, actually," She pauses, letting him soak the information in. "But...that was also a selfish decision. I can't forgive fate."

Yunan knots his eyebrows together, but not in confusion. It's in sadness, because he knows what she means. He knows _exactly _what she means.

"I'm hoping that I'll be able to hide my depravity from the others for a while, specifically your fellow magi and a few idiot Kings." Yunan isn't affected by her casualness, thinking thoroughly about her plan.

"Hiding it is a good idea, but what will happen when the truth comes out? They won't trust you anymore," Bad squeezes her lips together tightly, a decision being weighed inside her.

"But if they know from the beginning," She begins, carefully thinking about her choice, "They will never trust me anyway. At least this way I can show them that I'm trustworthy despite being a depraved soul."

A beat of silence.

Her hair is ruffled by the older man, and she almost giggles at the suddenness of the action.

"You're such a cute little girl! I had no idea you were so adorable when you were young!" Yunan's coo is good natured and kind. Bad's grin changes back into it's normal state and she begins to skip, lifting up her chin in pride.

"I've always been cute. And you'll absolutely love Eren! He's so strong~!"

"That reminds me! There is someone you'll need to meet as well..." Bad cocks her head to the side and stares at Yunan with her red eyes, trying to get the answer from his facial expression. Suddenly it clicks, and her mouth falls open.

"Wait, do you mean-?"

* * *

Eren had just been minding his own business. He was looking through some scrolls, listening in to conversations going on around him, and being pretty normal. Then his female companion comes crashing through the crowd, and jumping up to hug him. She squeals about something incomprehensible as he stumbles backwards, steadying himself on the table behind him. Just as quickly as she hugs him, she drops her arms from his neck and hops back onto the ground, grinning ear to ear.

"What is it?" Eren asks, and Bad jumps up and down, grinning too largely to speak. Every time she tries to talk, giggles escape her and she squeezes his arm. Finally, after she calms down, she motions behind her and a man walks forward.

"Eren! I found him! The Alchemist, Yunan!"

Eren stares at Yunan, his eyes going wide, unintelligible sounds coming from his throat. What else is he to do, meeting someone he has known to be fictional? It's not like people casually say, _"oh yeah, I saw Naruto at the supermarket today"_.

"Hello Eren, I'm Yunan," He holds out his hand. Eren sucks up his fanboy reaction, taking the offered hand in his big paw and shaking it. Yunan's arm whips up and down because of this action, but Eren doesn't notice and says,

"Nice to meet'cha."

* * *

**_Despite everything..._**

Bad has always considered Yunan as a father figure. Now, in the form of a child, his fatherly tendencies and inner glow made her feel more at home than she has for a long time. In the other outcome, Yunan and Bad met because of _him_, and they instantly clicked. Yunan took care of her because of her easily dominated nature, he warned her away from those who would like to use her (cough cough a crafty sailor cough). He made sure she ate her fill, scowling but never voicing complaints whenever _he _would cuddle closer to her, highlighting his paternal instinct. Being back with him makes her feel less lonely despite having Eren around for the past few months.

Considering Eren, she thinks of him as more as a brother. Eren has a very strong sense of family, and despite their constant bickering and teasing, he often pats her head or carries her on his back. Everything he does has a brotherly feel to it, from helping her pick out new clothes to tucking her in at night. He took care of her while traveling, ensuring she was in good health. Heck, even their little spats are friendly, most of the teasing jokes the kind that only family can do to one another.

Bad now ponders this as the trio walks to Yunan's house, each one loaded down with some item. Eren carries his few possessions from the inn they stayed in and some groceries, Bad having her items and Yunan carrying the rest of the groceries. Bad smirks as she imagines Eren's reaction to the surprise in store at the house.

Yunan _loves_ living in the middle of nowhere. The town they were in is an _hour and a half_ walk to his house. They soon slip into a forest, going deeper and deeper until Bad is sure they are at the heart. Finally, they come upon Yunan's home.

The house is pretty. In the middle of a meadow, pink and red wildflowers blooming everywhere, a two story house is nestled comfortably in the center. The house is painted a deep navy blue with a perfect white trim. There is a porch with two rocking chairs and potted plants hanging from the ceiling. Bad vaguely remembers him having a cabin, not such a pretty house, but she brushes off her surprise and rationalizes it's the 'surprise''s influence. By the look on Eren's face, he's thinking the same thing but with a different solution than the one Bad has.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Yunan says, and when they go in, Bad first notices it. It isn't very subtle, but she's certain that Eren won't question nor notice the changes in the magi's house.

There is just...A touch of femininity to the house. In the living room there are tea cups on the table, and the tidy scrolls (too many of them to be read by just one person) sit on the coffee table. The bookshelf is filled to the brim with books (romance novels and magic books thick enough to match a dictionary). A painting chosen by a feminine eye- it must've been, because the Yunan she knows doesn't like decorations, preferring things to be sparse and simple- and said painting is of a lovely beach at sunset. Plus, the kitchen is orderly and clean, a sure tick off. Yunan never cleans his kitchen- a chore he always promises to do and then forgets to do.

They set the bags down on the kitchen counter, stretching their now light-feeling arms and cracking their backs, thankful for the release from the loads. Someone thuds down the staircase.

"I'll have you know that _I_ happened to clean up-" There is a pause as the two groups study one another. Bad and Yunan stand off to the side, not affected by the newcomer, but Eren doesn't understand. Then it clicks, and with recognition, his mouth drops open and his eyes grow as wide as saucers.

Her skin is pale and flawless, her eyes big and bright blue, the same color as her hair. She is of average height, but still shorter than Yunan. Her breast are- _ahem_\- just as big as the manga depicted them to be. She doesn't wear the same clothes as her canon counterpart, trading them out for a simple (and surprisingly modest) blue dress ending below her knees. The sleeves sit on the sides of her shoulders. Around her waist is a simple tan belt and hanging off her neck is a suiting seashell necklace, which appears to be homemade.

"I noticed! Thank you so much." Yunan says smoothly. She blinks and nods, looking at the newcomers- more specifically, at the mountain of a teenage boy standing in her kitchen. "May I introduce you to our guests?"

Another nod, and then she turns slightly red due to her embarrassing comment after she bounded down the stairs. The pride in her statement vanishes, leaving behind a quiet and respectable young lady with nice manners.

"This fellow is Eren Chandlen. He's come all the way from Chandlen Mountains. Eren, this is my apprentice-"

"_Magician companion." _She corrects, glaring. Yunan hides behind Eren, cowering.

"Right, that."

Shaking her head at Yunan, annoyed, the older magician proceeds to give Eren a smile.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Eren."

"Uh, yeah, um, nice to meet you."

Yunan then points to the young girl beside him.

"I bet you can't guess who this is."

Now it's her turn to gasp, her eyes filling with tears. She rushes forward, pulling the willing girl close, holding her in a tight grip.

"It's you! My God, you're so young!" The blue haired woman brushes away locks of pink hair and lets a tear fall down her cheek. "It's good to see you-"

"Badroulbadour, or Bad," She says quickly, grinning. The woman blinks in surprise, suspicion lining the curves of her face, but she nods anyway and smiles her tender smile.

"It's good to see you, Bad." Eren fails to catch this exchange in hushes voices, mainly because he's still trying to wrap his head around seeing fictional characters he idolized coming alive around him. His dazed expression truly is a treat. Bad clears her throat, gaining his attention. She grins, her eyes glistening with untold happiness. Here they are, the man she considers a father, the teenage boy who's practically her brother, and the woman from her past who was completely accepting of her unusual powers.

_The world is moving._

"Eren, as you probably know, Yunan is the Alchemist, but this is..." Her grin spreads from ear to ear. "Yamuraiha, the Pearl! The second of the three 'redoing' souls!"

* * *

_**Isn't all bad.**_

* * *

Woohoo~! I finished this chapter during vacation actually, even though I promised myself that I wouldn't do that. But I had free time and the only thing I really wanted to do was write this, sooooo~ Did you guys like the bit about them leaving Damnat and the Watermelon Situation? I'm thinking I might post another story about their travels, but that will be for another time. Btw, remember the watermelon story, it's a reoccurring story XD.

**Myeshia's Dungeon**: If you want to see what Myeshia's Dungeon looks like, look up High Kirk of St. Giles. It's a beautiful Church.

**Desert Bit: **I actually read a book about crossing the desert, so some of this is true stuff. And the thing about "Jin"s comes from my friend who told me about a Muslim belief about "hot blooded tricksters" who exist as a separate intelligent beings beside humans. FUN FACT.

**Yunan &amp; Yamu: **I'm so glad that I finally got the Pearl (Yamuraiha) and the Alchemist (Yunan) introduced! After all, the next chapters won't make sense unless they were introduced, sooooo...Yeah XD. Anyway, I called Yunan the Alchemist because on the magi wiki his spells are listed under Alchemist Magic, and also his spells take small particles around the world and reconfigures them to become new things, which is really, _really_ basic alchemy. Yamu is in a complete different situation than in the canon story! It will be explained better next chapter.

**Road to Balbadd:** This arc is really just about the seven (eight if you include Bad) souls coming together and the path they each take to get to the starting point, which, if you didn't know, is Balbadd. Idk, maybe three chapters? Well, it's gonna be awesome! I'll keep working hard!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	7. Chapter 6: Together, At Last

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**THIRD ARC: **Road to Balbadd

CHAPTER 6: Together, At Last

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

_"Say, let me ask you a question."_

_"A question?"_

_"Yeah. It's about someone who I've never met."_

_"Who?"_

_"A King...his name was Solomon, and he's the man who changed the path of fate."_

_"What? How?"_

_"By giving up what's important to him."_

_"What does this have to do with your question?"_

_"Well, what is that important to you that you'd be willing to give it up? I'm not quite sure about myself."_

_"...The thing that's most important to me...is...my goodness."_

_"Hm?"_

_"It's the only thing that's kept me alive. I could have Fallen, just like the Kou Empress and the other Al Thamen members, but I didn't. I managed to remember that I don't want to be like them, so I stayed true to myself, and my values. Even if everything is predetermined, we ourselves don't know what's going to happen next, right? So it's still our choices that effect things, right?"_

_"...Yeah, that's right. But sometimes it can be sad to think about."_

_"It's alright! After all, if fate gave you me, then I couldn't possibly hate it! You saved me, and for that I will be forever grateful."_

* * *

"It's alright," She whispers into the dark, and lays still. She can't help but feel that sadness wash over her, just like he said it would. It's that dream again, and Bad wishes it would just go away, and stop trying to make her eat her own words. She had told him that her goodness was most important, and now, where was that?

Gone.

Traded in for the power to change Fate and give courage to the other seven souls that need her to be strong, to be steady, to be _there_. No more kindness, just sly grins and backhanded complements.

She understood this, and had accepted it a long time ago. So why does she feel so empty? Hollow, like a apple without a core, or a coconut without it's milk.

Just sad, and lonely, and incredibly lovesick. Bad wants to get away from it, from the heartache and the longing and the emptiness, so she slides out of the bed and grabs her pillow, padding across her room and out into the hallway. Outside, rain patters against the window in a soothing way, and the warmth from the long ago fire still heats their home.

Yunan and co. had moved from the forest to a place in a woody area, near a town but still hidden behind the trees to avoid any suspicions about their odd family. Bad had no doubts that tomorrow would be a sunny, clear day, but tonight it was damp and cold outside. She ghosted past Yamu's-now-Eren's room, not wanting to disturb the Mountain, and instead heads toward the last room in the house.

Since there is four people and three bedrooms, Yunan said Eren could sleep in Yamu's room and Bad in the spare, thus making it so that Yamu and Yunan could sleep together. Yamu had yelled at him to sleep on the couch, but then the magi smiled his frail smile at her and said,

"Yamu, don't tell me you'd be embarrassed about sleeping with me?"

"I-I'm not!" Did she blush?

"You used to sleep in the same bed as me when you were a child." Yeah, pretty sure that was a blush.

"S-shut up." Wait...

"It's not like you have a crush on me, right Yamu?" Now that she thinks of it...

"Don't be stupid! We'll sleep in the same bed, but don't try anything!" Does Yunan like Yamu?

Finding the question too confusing and improbable (at least, since she's always seen Yunan as a father), Bad shakes her head furiously and knocks softly on the door. There is silence for a while, and Bad seriously considers rushing back to her room, tail between her legs. Eyeing Eren's door, she knocks again. Her companion from the desert to the Damnat to here wouldn't wake up that easily (she knows from experience), but she doesn't recall either Yunan or Yamu being this light of sleepers.

"Come in," came a soft, tired sigh. It was unexpected, so she flinches, but then gently swings the door open soundlessly and shuts it behind her. A sleepy Yamu sits up beside Yunan, who squints in the dark to see who it is and then motions her closer.

"What's wrong, Bad?" Yamu yawns out, and Yunan smiles.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Bad clutches her pillow to her chest and nods, then realizing he probably can't see her in the dark.

"Yeah..." She says, "Something like that..." Yamu and Yunan exchange looks, and then Yamu motions her to come closer. Bad climbs up the bed and in-between the two. Yamu pulls down the covers for her, and the blonde magi helps her settle in. Yamu pulls her to her, stroking her hair with those long, skillful fingers and Yunan covers them all.

"Want to talk about it?" Yamu asks in a delicate tone, worry lining her voice. Bad leans into her touch, and with every stroke the sadness fades and the hollowness is filled up.

"Not really..."

"But?" Yunan asks, and the gentle probing of his question brings a small smile to her face.

"Well...I just dreamed about him."

"Oh," The two older people say in unison, and the silence laps over them like a wave on the beach. As it recedes, Yamu kisses her forehead. The action is warm and motherly, and it makes Bad relax even more into their embrace.

"That must have been nice," The blue haired woman says, "To see him again."

"I-It was...sort of," She replies, and Yunan huffs behind them.

"Don't be jealous, Yunan!" Yamu giggles, reaching out a hand to smack his arm playfully. "Just because our little Bad is in love~" Bad blushes furiously, and wraps her tiny arms around Yamu's waist, snuggling closer.

It's so nice. She'd never been hugged like this before- two people trying to cheer her up while comforting her, laughing and filling her up with love. It is the kind of love that doesn't make your heart race, or blush, or even stutter. It is the kind that's right there, so obvious that everyone knows about it, and makes you feel like you're on a cloud.

It's wonderful.

* * *

"I think she's asleep," Yunan whispers to Yamu, and the blue haired magician brushes her hands through the child's hair again, causing the little girl to hug her tighter unconsciously.

"She's so cute," Yamu giggles, and Yunan chuckles. "We'll take care of her, right?"

"...Of course. Bad's like a daughter, after all."

* * *

When she wakes up the next morning, the two are still on either side of her. Yunan has his long arm across the two girls, and his hand lays splayed on Yamu's back. Yamu herself had kept Bad in her grasp all night, and her fingers are frozen in place inside the girl's pink hair. The steady breathing reminds her that they are sleeping, and thus don't know that their foreheads, above Bad, are touching, noses barely apart.

_Is this what it's like to have a mother and father?_

* * *

"Ugh, where are we going Bad? The town is in the opposite direction."

"I recognize this place."

"Eh? Hey, what's that?" Eren and Bad both stop, looking at the horizon in which a lone silhouette walks.

It's not much of a walk but a stumble, one leg in front of the other, swaying back and forth in front of the setting sun.

"It's her!" Bad squeals, beginning to run to the silhouette. The other tall and muscular man races after her, committed to getting to the stranger as fast as he can.

The silhouette is a ten year old with a tattered white nightgown and dirt-ridden hair, no longer seeing what is in front of her. She stops short of the Bad and Eren, and sways from the left to the right as if in a trace.

It is like she is on autopilot, lost within the safety of her own mind.

"Eren, please carry this poor girl back to our house."

"What can't YOU carry her?"

"…I'm going to give you a moment to think about what you just said."

"…I hate you so much sometimes."

* * *

"Ohhhh~ Looks like someone's waking up! Eren, grab some water please!"

"I capture a stupid dungeon for you and all ya do is treat me like a slave…"

"Hahaha! Bad the Princess and Eren the Servant~"

The girl on the bed stirs, her thick red hair spread out around her. When she opens her eyes, Bad can see how beautiful they are. The eyes are the color of bright tangerines, with little flecks of pink and red, her eye shape similar if not exactly the same as a Fanalis's. Her skin is tanned to perfection, and along her arms and legs are the signs of well trained muscles.

Yamu had replaced the girl's nightgown with a light weight dress, healed most of her wounds, clean her hair and face and instructed Bad to, "watch the poor dear", considering the amount of cuts on her torso and bruises on her back. The worst of all her injuries, however, would be the gash down her left arm, wrapped in heavy gauze and bandages.

The smile that Bad gives the girl is sweet, filled with comfort for the confused and scared child.

"Hi, **_Alice_**. Are you feeling better?"

* * *

"Catrina, please meet Yunan and Yamuraiha, my parents!"

"E-EH?!" Bad giggles at the red haired girl, and then winks at the flustered magician and blushing magi, Eren holding back a laugh behind them. Catrina was clad in a new pink dress, ending a bit before her knees. After eating her fill and grilling Bad for answers (which Bad was not expecting from the fellow child at all), she regained her former strength, with a healthy glow to her tan skin and a smile on her lips. "B-but I thought-"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! They aren't my real parents, but they take care of Eren and I, so it's like being adopted."

"Yes but...Isn't Yunan suppose to be a lone traveler, and Yamuraiha with Sinbad as one of his eight generals?" Bad continues grinning, and Eren nods his head at Catrina's assumption and rationality. Yunan and Yamu are sitting side by side on one end of the table, Bad on a corner and Eren on the other, leaving Catrina facing the two magic users.

"That's exactly what I thought too," Eren explains, resting his head in his palm. "But then Bad gave me a detailed and confusing explanation, so...get ready for that."

"Ahem. Well, as I already told you before hand, I brought a total of seven souls back with me to this new timeline. Four of you I summoned from another world, but three just 'restarted' and kept their previous memories."

"O-okay. Um, so you brought back Eren, me, and then the Temptress and Shadow, right? And the other three souls, the 'redoing' or 'restarting' are the Pearl, the Alchemist, and...the Feather?"

"Exactly! She's smarter than you, Eren."

"Shut up!"

"But how does that answer my question?" Bad tilts her head, eyeing Eren, Catrina, and her adoptive mother and father.

"Well, every person here shares a special ability. We know what's going to happen in the future, and what events are going to take place, one at a time. Because of this, we can defy Fate, and create a new path to save the world."

"Defy Fate?"

"Yes. Fate had a plan without you all, thus, you can do whatever you want and Fate can't control or stop you," Catrina presses a hand to her forehead. This is starting to really confuse her, like Eren said it would, but somehow she's understanding, little by little. "For instance, let's pretend Fate is a sandcastle. Every grain of sand is a person, and in the end, they are all mashed together to create the castle. But we have shovels."

"So you mean...we can shape the outcome?"

"EXACTLY!" Bad does a miniature victory dance, and grins at the redhead. "We, the people with knowledge of the future, can go anywhere and nobody, not even Fate, can control us or make us do what they want. _Fate and destiny don't apply to us_."

"Which would be how I came to be here, with Yunan," Yamu says, and she motions to the magi beside her. Yamu looks at Yunan, and the blonde shakes his head, pointing at her. They engage in a staring match, bumping one another with their shoulders until Yamu gives an exasperated sigh and says, "Fine, I'll explain."

Bad stands at attention, and Eren and Catrina do the same. Despite all the time Eren and Bad have spent with the two adults, they haven't talked about how they met.

"Yunan kidnapped me."

"WHAT?!" Yunan begins to laugh, but Yamu's face is stone cold, and the kids all look faint.

"I didn't kidnap you, Yamu!" the blue eyed man says, laughter lacing his words. "You're exaggerating." The blue haired woman huffs.

"Fine, so he didn't exactly kidnap me, but nine years ago he came and we ran off together."

"That's so romantic~!" Bad exclaims, her eyes clouded with visions of running off with a handsome man. Catrina nods in agreement, a faint blush dusting across her cheeks as she imagines a prince carrying her off into the sunset.

"Wait, nine years ago? Wouldn't you be eleven or something?"

"Ten, actually," Bad and Catrina hang their heads in defeat, their fantasies of moonlight rendezvous crushed under the foot of the Mountain. Yamu turns redder than a tomato and looks down.

"How old are you, Yunan?"

"That's a secret~" The man singsongs, and Yamu turns an even darker shade of red, if that is even possible.

"Are you guys dating?" Catrina asks in astonishment, and finally Yunan blushes too, and Bad jumps to her feet.

"They aren't actually married but they act like they are. I think it's because Papa is too embarrassed to ask Mama out."

"B-Bad!"

"We're right here!"

* * *

**One Year Later...**

Eren couldn't say that living with two fiction characters wasn't completely awesome. They traveled from Oasis towns to forests to woodlands to the mountains, across fields of green grass and trails of scorpions, meeting people who each have amazing tales of the land to tell, and also learning more and more about this world he has been dropped into.

Not that he doesn't already know a lot about it, but he never really understood the true depth of this world before, possibly because he has never lived in a place with monsters, magic and adventures. Magic. He still can't even believe that he's a Dungeon Capturer, it's just to crazy for him even begin to believe, even though he was there when Myeshia joined with his cuff.

For the past year, they all traveled together. Yunan teaching Eren about his Djinn Metal Vessel and Yamu gives joint lessons to both Bad and Catrina about magic. Bad is at a surprisingly advanced level despite her age, but it's probably because she was a high level magician in her past life, and remembers several of the lessons she learned there. Her knowledge and magic level are high, but she still needs to retrain her body to be a good magician. Catrina revealed to them about her tribe, which greatly intrigued Yunan.

"The Amala tribe?!" He had exclaimed, and Catrina blushed and nodded. Eren looked back and forth between the too, completely confused. He had never heard of the Amala tribe, at least it was never in the manga. Yamu sits stands beside Yunan, which is apparently her reserved place. Whenever they were eating or sitting or even standing Yamu and Yunan would be together, making Bad's assumption that the magi is too embarrassed to ask Yamu out are true.

"What's that?"

"The Amalas are a special group of people with a very strong magic. Before the slave trade started up, they were the most powerful tribe that existed; They were in league with the Kouga Empire back when it was strong." Yunan answers, lacing his fingers together.

"A-Amazing!" Catrina blushed harder and murmured a quick thank you.

"But..." The ten year old looked down, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "My family concocted a barrier to hide themselves after the slave trade started up. Apparently they got raided and a few people got taken; that was enough to ensure every Amala needed to hide. God knows they might have been taken down."

"So they were cowards?" Eren throughly regrets saying those words. The anger that spilled over her face was enough to make him gulp, and the hurt was enough to make him flinch.

"They weren't cowards!" She roared, jumping to her feet. "They wanted to protect themselves and people they love! Maybe they did hide, but it was out of necessity. My family is strong and prideful- even if they have become blinded because of the time spent away from the outside. I still love them, despite their flaws, and someday I will return to their sides and lead them to a new home where they needn't hide out of fear!"

The three other people looked at her with awe, holding up their hands in defeat.

"I-I'm sorry Catrina, I don't know why I said that," Eren apologized, bowing his head in shame. Catrina merely nodded and looked away, still a bit miffed at the tall and muscular guy. "But Catrina, why'd you leave if you love your family? What happened to give you...That?"

The red head's orange eyes travel down to the long scar along her arm. The gash itself healed, but in it's wake left a pink and tan scar, making it's way from an inch above her elbow down to her wrist, the skin along the side becoming scratchy and almost bubbly in complexion. She shakes her head, and says softly,

"I don't want to talk about it."

"...I see..." Yamu murmurs, reaching out and taking the Amala's hand. The girl almost pulls away, but then allows the magician to comfort her,

"I can't believe they still exist; I haven't seen one since...God, I think it was my second life," Catrina smiled sadly at Yunan.

"My family has been hiding for that long, eh?" Memories flowed like a river across her orange eyes, and Eren became somber at the sight of her unhappiness.

"What kind of magic do they use?" The ten year old blinked, and then the sadness faded from her smile and was replaced by joy and excitement. A bit of smugness lines the contours of her face, and Eren can sense the pride she holds for her family.

"Necromancy!"

"WHA-WHAT?!"

* * *

"I've been thinking," It's night, and Catrina is in the kitchen with Yamu cleaning up after dinner. Their house is warm from the sunshine and the fire in the fireplace is bright against the windows, the armchairs and sofa soft to the touch. Eren turns his attention to to the girl, and Yunan smiles without showing his teeth. "Maybe we should come up with a code word."

"For what?" Eren asks, yawning.

"For the other time period Yunan, Yamu and I all experienced!"

"What do you propose?" The blond man asks, and Eren nonchalantly throws out,

"What about the Bad Era?"

"'Bad Era'? You make it sound like I was the leader or something!"

"Huh? You weren't?" If it wasn't for the genuine confusion on his face, Bad would have been insulted by his words. Perhaps he thought she _was_ a ruler or Princess in that time, but she was actually far from it. Except for the time spent with that woman, Bad lived a low key life, traveling around the planet with her lover and helping him with his mission.

"No. Actually, I was thinking we could just call it Other, like the _other _ timeline."

"I like it. Nice thinking, Bad," Yunan praises. Despite being much older intelligently, Bad can't help the warmth that floods her and she beams, sitting up in her seat and giving Eren gloating look, not that the older boy cared as much.

* * *

"Are you sure they'll be alright?" Her voice is worried, and she slumps like something heavy is weighing on her. She stands in front of him, looking out in the direction of where they went like she could possibly get another glimpse at their forms, despite them disappearing minutes ago. Yunan moves without thinking, placing his hands on her shoulders and pressing his chin to her temple. Yamu stiffens at his touch, and the magi silently curses himself for doing such an intimate thing.

He has lived nine lives, technically ten if you count the Other, and only a few times has he ever felt this way. Like there is a pulling at his body and soul, bringing him closer and closer to this woman, whom barely talked to him in the Other.

"Do you think we would have been together in the Other?" Yamu asks, voicing his thoughts. He almost smiles.

"Yes, I think so. You would have asked me about my abilities, and I would have answered, and we would have a long conversation on magic and Aladdin's Alma Toran explanation, and then became good friends and-"

"And then you'd finally ask me to date you?"

"D-DON'T BE LIKE BAD!"

* * *

_Where are we going?_

Is the thought that continues to bite at Catrina today. How is it that no matter where she goes, questions find their way to her, and end up nipping at her heels like hungry dogs. Luckily, their makeshift group of a seven, eleven, and seventeen year old are traveling across an empty plain, heading south down, down, down the country.

Eren is sunburned, but Bad (despite her pale porcelain skin) is perfectly fine, and Catrina's tough, tanned Amala complexion helps her walk without trouble from the beating sun overhead.

"I bet you all are wondering where we are going!" The girl exclaims, pointing her finger up into the air. Catrina's eyes widened and she wonders how the girl possibly knew what she was thinking about. "Why we left the safety of Mama and Papa's house."

"Yes," Eren asks, bored and in pain from his red back and neck. Poor guy looks just like a lobster.

"Why we didn't stay longer to learn and study under more experienced adults who could help us in the future."

"Yep."

"Why I dragged you two out of our house and down south, resulting in Eren getting riducously sunburned and annoyed beyond comprehension at me."

"Exactly," His voice is annoyed and gravely, holding a note of anger, surprising to Catrina who knows him as a relatively calm and easygoing guy who frequently banters with the youngest member of their group.

"Well, it was for this reason!" Bad sprints forward up the hill in front, and Catrina matches her pace with ease, leaving the pained and moaning Eren behind them in the dust. Catrina's eyes are sharp due to being a Fanalis, so she looks out, and the moment they reach the crest of the hill she gasps.

When Eren reaches them, his furious expression disappears and the three stand before the gloriously shining ocean, sparkling blues of every color displayed before them in all it's magnificent beauty. Bad spreads her arms, and the wind blows back her pink hair. Catrina can smell the salt in the air and on her tongue, the pulse of the far away waves smashing on the beach.

"It was for this reason," Bad repeats, her voice softer and calmer this time. "We need to experience this world before we can save it; and as I explained to Mama and Papa before we left, you both need someone to show you the beauty and the ugliness of such a world before placing your lives down on the line to protect it."

Stepping forward, Bad turns, her hair flying toward them and covering her face. Her arms are lowered, and she doesn't look at them.

"I can't reassure you that you'll see your loved ones again. I also can't tell you that in the end, everything will be alright. But, I can let you know that whatever happens, I will protect you with my very life," Those words. Where has she heard them before? "I will not let anyone hurt you, and would gladly die before anyone else. Eren is my brother, and Catrina is my most important friend, so no matter what...no matter how...I will prove to you, my family, that I'm worthy of your love and strength!"

_And I will show our tribe, our family, that I'm worthy of their love. And then, I will show them that they don't need to fear the outside world, because I will protect them with my very life!_

Before the tears spill from her eyes, Catrina wonders how Bad is able to read her mind. Taking her own words and throwing them back at her with such genuine passion, how could she not suddenly see Bad how she really is.

Not the petite and cute little girl with pink hair and red eyes, but the warrior who was and is willing to give up everything for her precious people. Catrina falls to her knees and grabs Bad, pulling her into a hug as she cries into her neck. Bad is confused and panics, repeatedly asking Catrina what's wrong, but Catrina doesn't answer for a long while. And when she does, Eren too kneels and pulls the three into his beefy arms.

"I-I'm going to f-f-follow you Bad, so (hiccup) please don't s-say (sob) you'll die for me."

* * *

**Two Years Later...**

Centola stares at the girl in front of her, completely dumfounded and confused.

"So...That's how you got here?" Bad nods, proud for recounting the story perfectly. "You do realize you left out a bunch of details, right?" And her face falls, lower lip jutting out.

"...Sorry. I guess I'm not as good a story teller as Eren." Centola suddenly feels bad for making Bad feel bad.

"E-eh No! I just meant that there are parts you skipped over like, um, the two years you spent with Eren and Catrina!" The girl brightens up again, and she answers,

"I did what I said I would. I took them around the world, starting in Aktia and taking a ship across to Reim, and then down to Partevia. We hit up a bunch of costal cities and then back to Aktia to Delhinmar and finally to Balbadd to meet you!" Centola's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets and she leans forward, interested.

"In two years! I can't believe you were able to travel to so many places!" Bad laughs slightly, her grin growing over her face.

"Actually, we used a magic circle in Reim to get down to Partevia. That dang Partevian Magician Counselor is annoying..." Bad then mumbles under her breath about never going to Partevia again, and Centola sits back, sighing and wishing she could have been there to see those places. A bell chimes through the air, and Bad lights up.

"That's the dinner bell! Come on, lets introduce you to Catrina and Eren!" Bad gave Centola the 411 on Eren and Catrina (the Mountain and Bird), after the older girl had set up her cot and few meager items. Bad described Eren as a good natured twenty year old who she unknowingly sent too far back than she should have and now he was much older than them.

"It's alright though," she quickly assuages Centola's nerves. "His age helps get me out of trouble, especially since people think he's older brother most of the time."

Eren apparently spent the years B.B. ("Before Bad, duh,") living with his large family on a mountain, learning how to hunt and the art of archery ("He's very proud of his bow and arrows, so make sure not to touch them!"). Eren is a Dungeon Capturer, which made Centola gasp and lean forward in surprise, astonished and excited at this new piece of information. She had secretly dreamed about Dungeons, wondering what the inside of one looked like, and what it would be like to actually have a Djinn. Eren's Djinn is called Myeshia, Bad herself helped him capture Myeshia.

"No way! That's amazing, Bad!" The girl had perked up at Centola's praise.

Catrina, as Bad put it, was a polite and friendly thirteen year old who she sent too far forward and was now younger than them. Centola rolled her eyes, and Bad had puffed up her cheeks, saying "It's not my fault! I got you right..." The preteen is part Fanalis, a fact that shocked Centola when she learns of it.

Catrina spent her years B.B. living with her mother inside her tribe's ("The Amala tribe. They are really secretive and powerful!") barrier, but then an unknown event caused her to leave and meet up with Bad and Eren. When asked about this unknown event, Bad became very quiet, whispering, "She never talks about it; but whatever it was gave her a nasty scar. Catrina still vows to return to her home though. It...worries me."

Centola patted the nine year old's head and murmured,

"We all have people we worry about. They remind us of our weakness, and we encourage their strength."

Meeting these souls was a different case altogether. When she walks with Bad into the dining tent (more like dragged there by the surprisingly strong child), she suddenly becomes shy, blushing from the stairs of the other occupants in the room.

"Who is that?"

"Newbie,"

"She's purty."

"Yeah, maybe-"

"BAD, COME OVER HERE WE SAVED YOU A SEAT!" The shout echoes across the tent, rattling the occupants and jolting them out of the gossip circling her. The person who called for Bad sits smack dab in the center of the tent, and it's occupants hold one red haired girl stuffing her face and a guy waving frantically at them, looking just like a heavy weight boxer.

Bad pulls Centola over to the two and instantly the fourteen year old curses her luck. Everyone was staring at her now! She would have to start being less noticeable-

"Hey guys! Guess what?" The man's deep pine colored eyes are already trained on her, but the other girl stops eating for a moment and looks up, blinking away the taste of the meat and regaining her focus on Centola. Her orbs are bright orange, just as unique as Bad's are, and they sparkle with flecks of red and gold.

"What is it?" She asks, and her voice isn't as deep as the man's is. It's feminine, but with an almost scratchy and rough undertone, sounding to the ears like unsmoothed china.

"I got a new friend! Eren, Catrina, meet Centola. Centola, meet Eren," She points to the man, but it was pretty obvious who was who. "And Catrina."

"Nice to meet you, Centola," Eren says, and his smile is warm.

"Hi," Catrina blushes, staring down at her food with embarrassment.

"Hello. Nice to meet you two." She sits down awkwardly, and Bad bounces into the seat beside her. After a few moments of silence pass with nobody talking, Bad begins to swing her legs back and forth. She swings them slowly, and then harder. And harder. And harder. Until she glares at the other two and nearly shouts,

"Say something, will you!" They both look guilty, and then Eren clears his throat.

"So...what brings you to our lovely caravan?"

"I was actually going to go meet with my aunt in Rayide," Centola shyly replies "But then I suppose Bad's sort of made that plan uncertain."

"E-eh?" The red head said, and Centola really looks at her. While she appears to have the bright hair, tanned skin and the eye shape of a Fanalis, the color of her eyes set her apart. Catrina's thick straight locks shot down to her shoulder blades, and the girl had pulled the top half up in a messy bun, a special laurel-like hair ornament with blue gems used to hold it up. "What do you mean?"

The man was pretty interesting as well. His hair is green and neatly combed, and his outfit is orderly as well, despite him only wearing desert-style arabian pants and a green sash. He wasn't very modest about showing off his abs and letting everyone to see his muscles.

"W-well, Bad said I am called the 'Temptress'." The two others pause, merely staring until the key fits into the lock and they point at the two sitting across from them, talking over each other and shouting. The rest of the tent turns from their meal to watch the two others, whispering to one another.

So much for laying low.

* * *

The next day, Akram stood at attention, encircled by the others in the caravan. He glares at everyone, although that might just be the way he looks. Thinking about his angry face brings Mrs. Gamela to mind, and her good mood is instantly dampened by the thought. Akram begins to give a speech, and while she listens for the first few minutes, Centola begins to look around at her surroundings.

Her Balbadd stands proudly, the buildings reaching to the sky and the Palace in the distance brightly glowing. The sky is overcast, casting cool air across the city. Weather like this is unfamiliar to her. In a lot of ways, Balbadd is like California, with everlasting sunshine and ice cold water, hot in the summer, slightly chilly in the winter, and warm in the fall and spring.

It's so beautiful, despite being cramped and dirty and crowded. Centola loves Balbadd, and she loves her friends.

_Kassim must hate me._

A hand, cold and small, grasps her own, and Centola snaps back to reality.

"We are going to move fast, and laggers will be left behind. Pack up quickly and then we are out." Akram finishes, and a resounding,

"Yessir," Is heard. Centola decides not to join in lest she be thought stupid for answering late. Bad pulls her away to their tent, and Eren and Catrina shoot her smiles as they head off to clean up as well.

She stops. Looking behind her, up onto a rooftop, someone watches. Bad tugs at her, and she complies, but only after giving a weak wave to the person above them.

* * *

The black haired boy follows the path she and the child takes back to their residence, and then his hand moves to his pocket, taking out a cigar and lighting it. Several long drags later, he leaves, and so does the girl he loves.

He'll let her leave because he loves her. And because she deserves a life devoid of his reckless nature and thirst for revenge.

But perhaps that's not just it. Kassim'll never, ever say it out loud, however maybe the real reason he's letting her go is because she'll never, ever love him back. Does that make him selfish? Yes, yes it does. But then again how could he stand by and watch her meet another man, marry another man, have a family without him and become famous for her voice, until she forgets about him and the dreams she gave him? How could she leave him alone, just like his mother and Mariam and Alibaba did?

How could he stand that?

How?

How?

How. Please, someone tell him how Kassim could possibly live without her. The cigar falls through his fingers, and a water droplet falls from the sky above, landing on the embers and putting it out. He looks upward, and while the smile crosses his face, it's more ironic than happy.

The sky was crying because she was leaving, right? No wonder. After all, anyone who knew Centola became sad when they heard she was leaving. Zaynab had sat down, and then stood up again, demanding answers from Kassim.

"Why is she leaving?! She...I thought she loved the slum people..."

"She does," Kassim had replied. "It's my fault. Centola left because of me."

There wasn't anger in Zaynab's eyes, nor Hassan's for that matter. They had merely looked hurt. They liked- no, they loved Centola. She was kind to them, and never showed pity because she was in the exact same position. Zaynab once admitted to him about listening to one of Centola's speeches when they were kids, and she said that was the reason she liked the strawberry blonde so much.

"What she said about the future..." The woman had smiled, and Hassan grasped her hand "It was so beautiful, you know? Gave me hope."

"It gave me hope too," The cigar, brown and wet is smushed underfoot as he walks away. "But what help is hope when you need money for rent? Or when food is scarce and the people you love are crying from hunger? Does hope shelter you when it's raining, or save you from a segregation camp? No. So what good is hope, when she's leaving you alone, and there's nothing to be done to stop her? What do you yourself do, when your hope is riding away in a caravan?"

* * *

**6 Months Later...**

"So."

"So."

"This is the Kou Empire, eh?"

"Apparently."

"Are we suppose to come here? Aren't you in trouble with Gyokuen Ren?"

"Yup"

"Isn't she gonna, I don't know, try to kill us?"

"Probably."

"Well...Alright then."

* * *

She's adorable, but there is something dark inside her eyes that gives her away. Those eyes, staring at her with (fake?) innocence, hiding the terror that must plague her. Gyokuen feels her lips slip into an easy and kind smile, and she offers the girl her hand.

"It's so nice to see you again. You ran the first time we met." The girl takes her hand, an action that surprises her to no end, and then matches her smile with a childish and trusting grin.

"I'm sorry about that, but I came to see you~!" she giggles, and there is just something too...perfect about the way she is acting. Wouldn't she be scared, or yell for help at being in the same hallway as her? The questions run through her head, but the child she has been searching for is right in front of her now. Gyokuen turns and leads the girl that looks like that woman through the hallway and deeper into her palace.

* * *

"Let's play a game, Gyokuen."

"A game?"

"Yes. A game. It's called, I know something you don't, and I am very good at it."

"That sounds delightful. Tell me about it."

"Well, it's very simple. We look at one another, and say something that the other doesn't know about a person, place, or thing. The first person to look away, show emotion, run out of secrets or falter loses. If I win, you owe me a favor."

"And if I win?"

"Then I owe you a favor."

"How do I know you won't cheat?"

"You don't, silly goose!"

"I killed my first husband and two eldest sons."

"The Divine Staves were altered by Uraltugo Noi Nueph so that anyone, human or magician, can use them."

"I was once a magi from Alma Toran."

"Alma Toran was a world that existed in another dimension."

"The arrogant King Solomon replaced our father."

"You're the reason my mother is dead."

"I'm going to destroy this world."

"Actually, you aren't. **Because I'm going to kill you**."

"...!"

"Teehee~! Looks like you owe me a favor, Gyo~Ku~En!"

The girl stands up, and heads toward the exit. Before she could go however, Gyokuen asks one thing.

"Who are you?" The child turns, and even though there is (fake, definitely fake) innocence within those sweet red eyes, all the Empress can see is the look they had that caused her to falter.

They were wide, and the pupil was the size of a needle point. Blood was the first thing that came to mind, but then there it was; The insanity. An unhinged door hanging wide open, marbles scattered across a ballroom, the shattering of glass. It was like looking in a mirror, and for the first time in years, Gyokuen actually felt...

The Rukh around her were pitch black, darker than anything she'd seen from Asad or the other Al Thamen members, and they fluttered close to the child, excited and chirping loudly in glee. Gyokuen could hear them singing to her, cooing softly in her ear and praising the day she was born.

_"The Princess! Our Princess!"_ They shouted and screamed, _"Our Princess will free us!"_

"My name is Badroulbadour, but some people merely call me Bad."

"Suiting."

"I would hope so." Bad turns and leaves, and Gyokuen stares at the empty space in front of her. The girl had beaten her. Actually and honestly beaten her. That...That has never happened before.

How did she know about Ugo, Alma Toran, and what happened Gyokuen did to her mother? It was impossible. Asad must have- but he doesn't know about Alma Toran, no one does. Asad telling her about her husband's and children's deaths could explain how Bad barely batted an eyelash, however Asad couldn't know about Bad's mother. It was impossible.

An impossibility of her own creation.

Somebody is giggling, and she realizes it's herself. Gyokuen laughs until her stomach hurts, hunched over and gripping her sides. She wipes the tears at the corners of her eyes, and says to the empty void,

"I actually felt...I actually felt _excited_."

* * *

There are two people in front of Asad at the moment.

The room they are in is akin to a living room, with a table with tea and cushions under foot to sit on. Asad sips his drink, wishing he had some plum wine to replace it with, and stares at the other two. They are both fiddling with their various clothing items nervously, completely aware of the awkward tension in the room. Sighing, the teen, motions to them.

"You don't know what to say now that the girl has gone off, right?"

"Wh-what!? Of course not!" The man- Erin, Eric?- exclaims, and the girl blushes.

"W-well...Actually she told before she left to become friends with you, so..." The man turns a few shades of red as well and looks to his tea. Asad rolls his eyes, and strikes a thinking poise.

"My name is Asad. My favorite color is black, I wear black, and my favorite foods are peaches and Kou cuisine. I have two friends, and one of them is my little brother. My pastimes include but are not limited to: practicing my sword skills, hanging out with my friends, annoying those bastard priests and sharpening my magoi control. I'm the Shadow!" He smirks devilishly "Is that what you wanted to know?"

"I was wondering why you were even in Kou. Does your mom and dad live here?" Asad feels the curtain drop over his features, and he gives them a blank stare.

"They're dead."

"I'm...uh...sorry."

"Doesn't matter." The silence looms over them, and the two across from him go right back to their awkward tendencies. Why is he even here? He could be stealing fruit with his brother or teasing his Princess, but there he was, having cold tea with uninteresting people. How dull.

"...My name is Centola De Coverna." The trio swivel around in their seats to look at the doorway, where a very pretty girl has materialized. Asad's eyes widen, even though he chastise himself for doing such a thing. It's on the inside that matters, not the outside (a fact that John never learned while living, and only realized during death with that girl holding him).

Her eyes are like green glass mirrors, shining with kindness that announce her soft features, her strawberry blond hair in a braid tied with a green ribbon. The girl, Centola, is wearing a tradition desert style outfit, and it looks like the kind Balbadd women wear, except shorter (going to her knees, not the floor).

"Centola!" The man cries in surprise, and the girl looks delighted that the other has come.

"My favorite color is pink, as girly as it is, but I usually just wear my Balbadd clothes. I like all food but especially apples. I'm not sure how many friends I have, and my past times include singing and dancing, and I really like to write songs. I'm the Temptress." She continues, mirroring Asad's likes. Centola moves forward and takes the empty seat next to the silver haired boy, giving him a soft smile.

"Well, my name is Eren Chandlen, and my favorite color is light blue, despite being surrounded by green," Eren motions to himself, and it's true. With his neatly combed green hair and pine colored eyes, green really does surround him. It doesn't help that Eren wears a green sash instead of a shirt. Not that he was jealous of Eren's large shoulders and defined abs. Definitely not jealous. "Bad forces me to try all sorts of dishes, so I don't really have a favorite food. My friends are Catrina, Bad, and Centola, however they are more like family than friends. I love archery and making my own arrows! Bad says I'm the Mountain, for obvious reasons."

"Um, I'm Catrina, nice to meet you. I like the color red- but only the shade that reminds me of roses- and...I like my mother's special soup," Catrina smiles fondly at the memory, and then continues on. As she speaks, Asad looks her over. Her straight hair shoots down like a waterfall to her shoulder blades, and you can really tell she has Fanalis blood despite her orange eyes and welcoming demeanor. "I'm friends with Bad, Eren and Centola like Eren has said, and I agree with his assumption that we are family. I like to run because I'm a Fanalis, and I like to practice my magic."

"Magic? You're a magician?"

"No, my father is a Fanalis, but my mother is an Amala and I grew up with her. I don't think you've ever heard of the Amalas, but they are a tribe who can do a special kind of magic, and I'm like them," She smiles wider, warming up to the conversation. "I'm the Bird, which is ironic because my name has 'Cat' in it."

"Oh, I see what you did there!" Asad realizes he's smiling, and he didn't even notice it.

* * *

Asad likes them. But he feels like he shouldn't. Something about the way they made him feel warm, feel welcome, was just so...Unexpected.

Judal is now a sixteen year old terror who constantly bugs his older brother to go out on adventures with him. Asad would then tease his young sibling relentlessly, saying things like, "Aw~ my little Judar doesn't want to be alone!" And if his Princess was around; "I would love to, but then who would protect little 'Gyoku?"

Judal then stalks off, yelling something about going out to visit the Idiot King or touring the world, wanting to raise Dungeons.

It's better if Judal hangs out with Sinbad. If he does, then he won't become so entangled with Al Thamen, and it would make Asad's necessary actions easier to do. Judal will be safe, and Asad will make sure of it. Even if it means pushing the little boy with long hair and red ringed eyes away. Even if it hurts.

So how did they do it?

Sneak into his heart when he wasn't looking, and show him that he isn't alone? As an assassin, as the Shadow, he mustn't get to close to people lest Al Thamen uses them to manipulate him. And yet it's feels so nice to have people he can speak to apart from Judal and Kougyoku.

Centola is sweet, and they talk about the slums and her friends Alibaba and Kassim (the first conversation went basically like this, "YOU KNOW ALIBABA AND KASSIM?" "Uh, yes, I grew up with-" "THAT'S SO COOL!").

Catrina likes physical training, and multiple times they work out together, despite it leaving Asad out of breath and heaving.

Eren is a good sparring partner, and the lad has many stories of hunting expeditions and the world outside of Kou that Asad hasn't seen yet.

Kougyoku's face was priceless when she first saw Centola and Asad together, and how jealous she was when Centola unknowingly grabbed Asad's hand to pull him over to Eren and Catrina.

Judal set up a prank meant for...well, anyone and Bad accidentally walked through it. It was hilarious. Bad was then utterly pissed off and kicked an unsuspecting Judal's ass. That was even more hilarious.

Bad. What can he say about Bad? She was the person who started it all, and she has a knack for saying the right things and making the people around her begin to laugh and become lighthearted no matter how they were feeling before. It was an amazing ability, and he couldn't help but come to want to be around her. Of course, that is what everyone of them really felt toward the young girl, wasn't it?

...

He is really, really happy. There's no other way to explain it.

* * *

Kougyoku wraps her arms around her legs, curling up into a ball in the corner of her room. The moonlight always shines through the thin doorways, and the Princess buries her face into her light robes.

"Why...?" She whispers, digging her nails into her palms. "Why?" Her voice is sad and dejected, and anyone could tell that the eighth Princess of the Kou Emperor was incredibly upset.

"Why do you love them more than...Us?"

There was just something in the way Asad acted when he was with the newcomers. Like, he was free from chains, and smiled more freely. He still teases Kougyoku and Judal, but there is a certain light that she's never noticed humming under his skin =. Asad is more engaged in their silly squabbles and lets himself really let loose, doing things that she never thought he would.

Like the other day when he had heard the music from the neighboring orchestra, and then had taken Kougyoku by the elbow, spinning her into his arms and bringing her into a strange and foreign dance that Asad seemed to know. She took one look into those onyx eyes and then...The Princess got all woozy inside. He looked so...Sincere. Like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

Actually...Maybe she was lying...

"Why do you love them more than me?"

Where is she? Kougyoku didn't remember leaving her room, nor walking down the hallways but now stands as still, looking out to where she is. Now that she looks closer...Kougyoku realizes this must be-

"I think I hear something over here,"

"Let's check it out." Kougyoku become truly aware of the situation. She is standing in a random hallway, dressed only in her sleeping robes and her hair is a mess. She's wearing no makeup, and it's way past midnight, plus two guards are walking toward her.

Half asleep + midnight + guards = no escape.

Just as the guards are about to round the corner, two hands grab her shoulders and she is pulled into the room closest to her. The eighth Princess face is smashed into a chest as the door is slid closed. Kougyoku hears a heartbeat. It's strong yet quiet, not fast and pounding like hers must be. She crashes backwards, pushing against the chest and thinking about screaming for help when the one holding her grabs her quickly, mashing his lips onto Kougyoku's.

Shock and surprise fills her, and she stays silent as those guards pass by, talking to one another about their poor hearing. Oh, the irony. When the person pulls away, she's blushing and has tears in her eyes.

"I-I'm not going to thank you, Asad."

_But I have to ask you something_

"I wouldn't dream of it, Princess." In the night, his eyes blend in with the darkness. He lets her go, sliding the door open and checking for anymore people. "Good job getting all the way here though. You're quiet."

"I-I!" He shushes her, and smirks.

"Whisper, Princess," He steps out and offers her his hand, and she hesitates. His smirk melts into a smile, and he murmurs, "I'm your friend, remember?"

They are soon walking hand and hand back to her room, both silent and padding as quietly as they can past rooms with sleeping people. The hard wood floors creak whenever she applies to much pressure, but Asad is light footed and if it wasn't for his grip on her, Kougyoku wouldn't know he was there. No one crosses their path, and they shortly come to her room.

"Now, don't go sneaking off into the night again, I might not be there to kiss you~" her entire face goes red, and she can't believe how stupid she must look.

"I think you owe me an apology for that!" she whisper yells, and he raises an eyebrow.

"I do?"

"Yes! That was my first kiss, idiot!" Asad pauses, and it annoys her how she can't see what thoughts are crossing through his mind.

"Then you should apologize too."

"Why me-"

"Because that was my first kiss," The smirk is back in full force "And to think I wasted it on trying to help you out of trouble. Tsk, Tsk."

_I was his first kiss..._

"Fine, I'm sorry you can't help but take advantage of a young maiden," He chuckles lowly and says,

"I'm sorry that you couldn't resist my charms." Tripping over her words, she tries to think of a response.

_STOP STUTTERING IDIOT!_

He pushes the Princess back into her room and is about to shut the door when she rushes forward again.

"Wait!" She stops the door. "Um...I wanted to ask you something."

"And it couldn't wait for morning?"

_You'd probably be with Eren, or Bad or that pretty girl._

"No. I wanted to ask you..." She says it very quietly.

"What?"

Kougyoku says it a bit louder.

"I still can't hear you," The Princess blushes and grabs his ear, pulling her mouth close to it.

"Iwaswonderingifyoustilllikeme."

"...Why would you think I don't, 'Gyoku?" Asad's voice is soft, and the sharpness of his face amplify, making him look...Worried.

"'Cause...'Cause...you've been hanging out with those new people and I..." Oh no, please don't cry, please don't cry, please don't cry. "I feel a bit left out."

The silence is so nice sometimes. When she was little, Kougyoku could sit out in the garden where no one would bother her and listen to the birds. Sometimes she would sing, and fill the void with a bit of music. When Asad first came, he'd join her, and the companionship of her friend lulled her into a quiet bonding moment, although Judal would then come and ruin it.

But the silence wasn't always nice. She'd enter a room and all conversation stopped. Whispers would then start from every direction, but she couldn't make out the words, no matter how much she tried to hear them. The loneliness gripping at her heart, and tugging at her feet. Don't try it would whisper nobody cares about you anyway.

This is something different though. She isn't alone, but it made her heart race. The conversation has stopped, but she can almost hear the words he's going to say.

"I'm sorry, Kougyoku. I didn't mean to make you feel that way," And there it is, the words she needs, but not what she wants. What does she want? For him to say something other than that? He not going to- "I just assumed that since your a very important person to me, you'd know I want you around."

Kougyoku doesn't have the words to express her emotions, so she hugs him, and hides her face away from his.

"Apology accepted."

_I want to be important to you_

* * *

Hakuei was fond of Bad in the Other.

Who doesn't like a girl with a big heart and innocent deposition? So that's why she helped get her into the palace. Bad explained the situation in amazing detail (although the complicatedness was hard to understand), and told her about what she plans to do.

"Save the world, huh?"

But Bad isn't the same. She's changed somehow. Hakuei still likes her, yes, but her insides scream at her to be careful, and not to trust the child. Paimon heats up at her side whenever Bad is near, which is a major red flag. Paimon had visited her in her dream, something she rarely does, and had wide eyes.

"Don't trust her, my Queen. That girl...she's evil." So if Paimon, a Djinn who has lived way longer than Hakuei warns her away from the nine year old, then shouldn't she listen?

"Yes, but I need your help."

But...But even if Bad is evil...Bad...

Badroulbadour lost everything. The people who loved her, and her boyfriend. Hakuei can't imagine finally getting everything after all the pain and suffering and then having it taken away again. So wouldn't you go a little crazy too? Think that the only way to save the people you care about is to be evil? Hakuei understands it, and even if she herself knows not to trust Bad, she has to.

Hakuei lost people she won't get to see again. Her two older brothers, and her dad. Loosing them the second time hurt worse, but at least she was able to tell them how much she cared this time around. At least she could make up for the words she didn't get to say in the Other. So she understands Bad's craziness, because she's a little insane as well.

Her son would be another example. Her precious, perfect son, lost forever in the memories of a dark, destroyed world. Hakuei really wishes she could hate Bad after all that's happened, but she can't. She just can't blame her, as much as the First Imperial Princess wants to.

"Anything you need, Bad."

* * *

"I understand, you know," It's midday, and they are going in a few days. It's been a month since Centola, Catrina, Bad and Eren came to Kou, and now they're leaving.

However, they're also leaving Asad behind.

"...?" He doesn't respond, but Bad can hear the question in the air. They side side by side beside the pond, dipping their feet in. They had been chatting about random subjects, but now Bad has to say this.

"In the Other, I was just like you, being used to protect innocent people," It's true. At least, she thought she had been...

"Like...Me? But I'm not protecting-" Asad shakes his head in disagreement, but she finds it hard to believe that he doesn't know what he's doing.

"You protect Judal. You love him, right? Because he's your little brother. I get that. You also do it to protect Kougyoku, but I suppose that's a different kind of love~" She kicks her feet, watching the water droplets soar into the air and then become absorbed back into pond below.

"N-no! I don't...Who did you fight to protect?" Bad pretends she thinking about the answer, but that's not true. She just doesn't want to admit her fault.

"The people of Kou, I guess. I thought that they deserved someone to help them, since Al Thamen said they were helpless. I was a bit naive back then." She's lying. Bad's lying to him, but doesn't want to say who she really was protecting.

_You protected her. She fooled you into believing she was weak, that she was _right_, And you fell for it._

"...being good doesn't mean you're naive."

A good point.

"You're right, Asad~ But being naive doesn't mean you're good."

A bad truth.

* * *

_Mommy~_

_Mommy?_

_Wat's gowing on?_

_MOMM-!_

She wakes up crying, clutching her sheets and shaking with the memories of her little boy. Hakuei Ren can't forget him. Her son running up and down the halls, a smile from ear to ear across his face, hair flopping into his eyes just like a puppy.

The Imperial Princess turned General misses him so much. It's funny, in a twisted way, that she misses someone who, in essence, has never existed. Or, should she say won't exist. Will he?

But that would require following Fate's path, and to do that would lead to the worlds destruction. Wouldn't it?

Could she get her child back?

"Stop thinking like that, Hakuei!" She slaps her cheeks, breathing heavily and forcing herself to calm down. "You will change Fate!"

But at the same time…

_Would I be happier as a pawn for Fate?_

* * *

"B-Bad!" Stopping, said girl turns around and stares at the person behind her.

_Oh dear God not him._

Sighing, Badroulbadour glares at the black haired teen behind her.

"Yes?"

"I-I...Um…" He looks down, clenching his fists at his sides awkwardly. Bad remembers Judal from the other, but she's pretty sure he was never this subdued. It must be Asad's influence, since he took on almost all of Judal's (dirty) work, and left the boy to merely raise dungeons and do the role of the Oracle and High Priest.

Because of that Judal is now...well, less Judal. Not very sadistic (although he pulls annoying pranks) but still teasing (for instance; after the prank, he called her an, "idiot midget") and definitely arrogant, but in a way that's not as rude as he used to be.

_Damn it, Asad._

"I don't have all day, Judar."

"It's Judal."

"Whatever." She turns to leave, but he steps forward again.

"Hey, wait! I wanted to say...I'msorryforpullingaprankonyou" Turning on his heel, he speed walks away and Bad stares after him, dumbfounded. And then, she begins to giggle.

"I wasn't expecting that!" shaking her head, the child gazes off where Judal left and whispers softly, "Damn it Asad...you sure know how to complicate things, don't 'cha. "

* * *

"Hey Gyo~Ku~En!"

"Hello little one. Why are you here?" Her voice sends chills down Bad's back, but she doesn't allow her utter repulsion show on her face.

_Be calm, Bad. You're in control of the situation._

Gyokuen sits among her Priest, having tea and discussing whatever it is they talk about. Several of said Priests stiffen at Bad's intimate way of speaking with Gyokuen, but don't interrupt.

"Sorry for barging in, but I would like to speak to you about something~"

"Oh? And what would that be?" She smiles, and those dang memories bang against her skull.

**_That smile,_** they whisper, and somebody giggles while another screams,**_ Is the same one she used when you-_**

"I would like to cash in that favor you owe me," The priests gasp, and one shoots up, saying-

"Her Highness owes a brat like you nothin-"

"Be quiet," Gyokuen says in her caring, gentle voice, and the Killing Intent in the room spikes. The Priest who had shot up is pressed back down onto the ground due to the pressure, and Bad admits that her knees buckle slightly. She doesn't drop like some Priest do, however, and instead keeps her calm demeanor. "Are you alright, Bad?"

When Gyokuen asks this and turns to the girl, a flicker of confusion flashes across her face. It looked almost to say, 'Why isn't she frightened?'.

**_She never looked at you like that before. Because you were her __pet__. You did every little thing she asked you-_**

"I'm fine, thank you~! Anyway, about that favor…"

* * *

"You guys are really leaving?" The mornings in Kou are incredibly nice, the cool breeze spreading across your face and tussling your hair, the sun greeting you with a warm smile and the scent of cherry blossoms wafting across the streets, exploring every crook and nanny it can find.

Catrina still can't believe they are leaving such a beautiful place. Her sharp nose appreciates the subtle yet very there scents in the air and the refreshing cleanness of the Palace, and far away the hint of salt nipping at her tongue. She can hear the rustle of every tree, and the way the people walk (quiet and refined) do wonders for her calm.

But then again, this is Kou.

As in, the country that houses Al Thamen, the people who kill for their twisted goals and are so blinded by hatred that they can't see what's right in front of them. They take innocence and turn it into evil. Sometimes she can taste something sour and heavy in the air, but thinks it's just her imagination. It is just that, right?

To say that she prefers Reim would be an understatement. She loves Reim, especially since that's where she...

Absentmindedly, Catrina touches the tips of her fingers to her hair ornament, the green laurel with little blue gems wrapped around her bun perfectly. The Fanalis-Amala feels safer when she touches it.

It was a present from her father, after all.

Eren stands on her left, and Bad on her right, Centola's hands on her shoulders behind her. In front of them are Asad, Kougyoku, Hakuei and Judal, all different levels of disappointed because of their departure.

Judal looks bummed, probably because Bad and him grew close over the month despite their rough start and constant jabs at one another. The older teen ruffles Bad's hair and makes a risque joke about 'the other night', but his heart isn't in it. Bad rolls her eyes and smacks his hand away, replying she doesn't know what he's blathering about, but her voice is familiar and teasing. Catrina liked Judal's character in the manga, but has kept her distance from the real thing due to his annoying habit of making fun of others.

That kind of person is just not someone she wants to be around, and Catrina finds no fault in her actions. She just doesn't talk much to him.

Hakuei is exchanging words with Eren, saying in a humorous tone,

"Maybe I should slap you again...It'll be our hello and goodbye!" This is refering to how when they first met, Hakuei had slapped Eren for 'not wearing clothes', which wasn't really fair since Eren only wears a sash and arabic pants.

Kougyoku is speaking to Centola, which was a bit awkward for Catrina considering it was like being in a human sandwich.

"I'm glad we've become good friends," Centola says, patting Catrina's head absentmindedly. "It's nice to have someone who appreciates that value of makeup!"

Kougyoku laughs and takes Centola's free hand.

"Me too! Before you girls came I was surrounded by idiot boys!"

"Hey, I heard that!" Asad calls in mock outrage, and they all laugh. Catrina laughs slightly as well, but she didn't click with the Kou Princesses or Oracle like the others did. Yes, she got along very well with Asad, but Kougyoku and Hakuei and Judal just didn't seem to notice her like they did Centola, Eren and Bad.

It's not like she minded, but it got sort of lonely being the seventh wheel.

_Am I a bad person for wanting attention from time to time, or being let in on an inside joke?_

Alice had always been alone in her past life, and for the first ten Catrina had been alone too. Is it so wrong that she would like more friends? Well...when you put it that way it seems like she doesn't want the ones she has now, which isn't true at all.

It's hard to find the words to say sometimes.

"Goodbye! See you all soon!" Hakuei.

"Bye!" Asad. "I'll miss you guys!"

"Don't have too much fun without me, shorty!" Judal, who else?

"Goodbye, may we see one another in the future." Kougyoku, practicing her manners.

"Don't worry! I'm sure we will see one another very soon~" Bad, stop with the foreshadowing.

* * *

"Bye little one~ I hope we see one another again." the woman stands in her room, dressed head to toe in luxurious clothes. She stares off at the figures leaving the city and smiles, her eyes turning black in the shadows.

Gyokuen looks at the smallest figure, and taps her chin.

"Hmm…'leave Asad alone, please'...'and don't hurt my dear friends'," Gyokuen suddenly stops tapping and instead smoothes out her dress, smiling a little bit. "I can make that work, little-"

_"The Princess! Our Princess! Our Princess will free us!"_

"...Princess~"

* * *

**5 months later...**

Rayide isn't very pretty, but it has a rustic charm to it, with old buildings and little houses tucked into its folds. Something Centola notices instantly about the place, however, would be the abundance of alleyways and taverns and brothels that stand within the city.

_Just like mom said…_

She clutches the diary close to her as the four of them walk through the streets, and glances at the names of the bars, hoping to see something that catches her eye.

_The Black Robin...Sundown...Knight's Shield...Ugh, none of these seem right!_

They eventually get a room at an inn and settle down, Bad, Catrina and Centola sharing a room while Eren gets one to himself.

"Alright!" He exclaimed "I actually get my own room!" Bad made a joke about pervertedness, which was perfect for the situation but Centola didn't laugh.

Bad frowned.

In the room now, Bad is setting up shop (putting clothes in the closet) while Catrina and Centola chat on one of the twin beds.

"I don't know where to start looking!" Centola complains, and she flops back onto the bed, sighing in relief at the sudden absence of pain from her back. Walking countless miles here was a very taxing journey, after all.

"Did your mother give you any clue to help you look?" Centola shakes her head, holding the diary up.

"No. My mother was a bit absentminded," Catrina snorts and Centola traces a hand lovingly over the soft cover. Yes, Lilliana was bright but sometimes she'd forget things, like people's birthdays or what time it was. "However mom was beautiful, and very kind. I was lucky to have her considering I grew up in the Slums, and the only other nice mother there was Anise."

"What was the Slums like?" The Fanalis-Amala questions, laying down beside the older teen.

"In society's opinion: dirty, and filled to the brim with thieves, murderers, and prostitutes. In my opinion: home. I had friends there, and people who loved me. Yes, it was dirty and filled with thieves, murderers and prostitutes, but there was good people there, hopeful people there. It was where I belonged. Where I first (well, not really first but you know) walked, talked...it taught me to be humble, and happy." The thirteen year old smiles at the fifteen year old, and whispers,

"That must have been nice."

"Yeah...But a lot of people I knew died there."

"Your mother?" Bad asks, coming over from the closet where their few clothing items hung. Centola nods sadly, and looks to the ceiling, once more clutching the diary to her chest and once more sighing.

"But more than that...Anise, my mom, Mariam, Zainab's little brother...It's sad to think about it because when I was Jane I never really knew the extent of how many people died," The blonde sits up again, pulling Bad onto her lap. "To live through it...made me realize I have to cherish the people around me so I don't have regrets if they die too."

"We won't die." Catrina leans her head on Centola's shoulder, and Bad snuggles into her neck, wrapping her thin arms around the much older girl.

"I'm not going to let any of you die," Bad soothingly says, tightening her grip. "Not brother Eren and brother Asad, or sister Catrina and sister Centola. Not Auntie Hakuei, Mama or Papa either. Everything I do is to protect you all...So…"

"I love you two. My little sisters." Centola means it.

* * *

_I did something bad._

Badroulbadour knows exactly what she did. Badroulbadour knows exactly why she did it. and Badroulbadour knows that if Asad or Kougyoku ever find out, they will probably hate her with every beat of their hearts.

But Bad also knows that they will still have to rely on her, and trust her. Because everything she does, she does to protect them all. So…

They should stand back and let the Royals of Despair do their dance.

* * *

Catrina finds that she really loves Centola. The girl was just so pretty and naturally welcoming, never excluding anyone for any reason. They get along swimmingly, and also...

Bad and Catrina sit side by side on the edge of the older girl's bed, and Centola brushes their hair with a comb, using her gentle hands to coordinate their unruly hair into the usual hairstyles.

Centola first brushes Bad's pink strands and then at the girl's request creates two braids at the top of her head and putting the long locks into a ponytail, which looked completely adorable on the child.

"I'm going to wear it like this from now on!"

"It looks great on you," Centola kisses her temple and moves onto Catrina.

"Can you do the normal?" The fifteen year old nods. Catrina really likes it when Centola does her hair. Her gentle fingers tugging and coaxing the red hair into something lovely, wrapping the hair ornament around the bun, and finally reassuring her that she looks wonderful. It gives her a feeling of belonging, of having people who love you around.

A feeling of family.

* * *

The next morning, the group splits up. Centola takes off to find her aunt, promising to be back by dinner, leaving the three without a plan. Well, not entirely.

Eren doesn't know what Bad is planning for them, but knows it probably isn't going to bode well by the creepy glint in the youth's eye and how her grin is more sinister than reassuring. Then again, when is Bad ever very reassuring?

But he still loves her, his stupid little sister. He never had a younger sibling, being the last of nine children.

How is his family?

Makin, his wife Kalila, and his niece?

What about the twins, Azzam and Azusena? Azusena's husband Tarek and son Dabir?

Tawil, Wasim, Zayna, Haroun, Zafirah? What about his mother Uzza, or his father Hanif? Do they miss him?

Feeling a little empty and realizing he's acting too much like Catrina with all the questions, he stops his mental train of thought and decides to let Bad take him where ever she's gonna take him. It'll be fine, right?

* * *

_THIS IS NOT FINE._

The pressure is too much for him, and he is easily pressed to the ground, flat like a pancake. This must be how it feels to have a boulder- no, an entire mountain's weight on your back, suffocating and incredibly hard to breathe. His eyesight becomes blurry, and it looks like someone is turning down the dimmer on the lights, everything twinged with a sleepy darkness.

As soon as it comes, it's gone, and Eren gasps for air, trying to push himself up but failing miserably. Vaguely, he hears Catrina groan and struggle to get up on her knees. Jealousy courses through him, but then he remembers that she's part Fanalis, so of course she would have the strength to get back up after this ordeal.

As the lights come back on (too bright, too bright!) the Chandlen finds it within himself to lift his heavy and muscle bound body up, looking forward to the girl in front of them. Bad stands innocently, a grin on her lips and amusement in her eyes.

"Good~! I'm impressed with your skills, big sister and brother!" Eren is still breathing hard, grasping his knees tightly to take away from the pain in his chest.

"How…?" He says breathlessly, "Your...cough Sheba is in cough...here…" The green haired man lifts a paw and pats the bag around his neck, blue satin with black and purple flowers. It was funny how they still have leftover money from their Dungeon Capturing adventure, but then again Bad is a total money lover, and only uses their coins and treasure on inns and necessary items.

Bad is a good thief, as well.

"I didn't use magic on you two," Bad explains, crossing her arms and looking undeniably cool with the sun shining down on her. "I used my Killing Intent."

"Killing Intent?" Catrina asks, disbelief lining her face. "But thats…"

"In a way, Killing Intent is the precursor to killing someone. But KI can also be used to intimidate potential threats and take down others without a fight,"

"Amazing," Eren mutters, as he has never felt KI before.

"So that's why you took us to the outskirts of Rayide?"

"Yes, so no one else will be affected by my Killing Intent, obviously."

"Wow! But wait, why would you use it on Eren and I?" The Fanalis tilts her head, and Eren gulps, having a sinking feeling that the reason is going to put the two in a very tight spot. Literally. As he expected, Bad's eyes gleam and she announces,

"You both are going to train with me!"

* * *

Well, it turns out that to find your aunt who is the boss of a nearly world-wide spy network, all you have to do is pay the sleaziest lowlife a handful of gold coins that you got from a nine-almost-ten year old year old.

Surprisingly effective.

It was easy to pick out Zeina from the others in the room, not because she lay couch, or because of her beauty and how the entire room gravitates toward her, but because of one little detail that Centola has been searching for.

A flower in her hair.

The people in the room share looks as they watch her enter and head toward the couch with the guide (the very same sleazy lowlife!) but don't make a move to stop her, merely staring, intrigued.

Zeina, as mentioned before, lay comfortably on a red velvet couch, surrounded by pillows and extravagant fabrics of dark, musty colors. The lighting is dim, but Zeina's pale blonde curls shine with a mesmerizing light, arranged around her in a flowing sort of manner. Tucked neatly behind her right ear is a orange tropical-looking flower, something that reminds her of Hawaii and sunsets.

"Hello there," Zeina says politely, "How may I help you, pretty maiden?" Centola has gotten used to people calling her pretty, but the feeling of flattery still makes her smile sweetly.

"Are you Zeina De Coverna?" Zeina studies her with maroon eyes, her lips arching upward.

"Yes, I am Zeina De Coverna. Now, how may I help you?"

"Well…" Nervous butterflies tickle her stomach and soar up her throat, but she swallows them down. Then, smiling even bigger, with a calculated step forward, she says, "My name is Centola De Coverna. I'm your niece."

* * *

This was an unexpected turn of events, to say the least. Zeina sits up, stunned at this revelation. She quickly forces her face back into it's normal look; mysterious with a hint of amusement. It took her years to perfect that look, and she isn't going to let it slip by without a fight.

"Come again?" Polite, polite.

"I am Centola De Coverna, daughter of your younger sister Lilliana De Coverna"

"...Oh, I see. But if you're her daughter…" Zeina stands, and looks closer, trying to see the resemblance between her beloved little sister and this teenager in front of her.

Naturally graceful, just like mother (Farida)…Not too tall, the perfect height around 5'5''…Tannish skin, without a single pimple, undoubtedly beautiful as a Temptress should be…

But those things could be a coincidence, and Centola has strawberry blond hair, wavy, but not enough to convince her. Besides, Lilliana would have told her if she had a daughter. A letter, or maybe a visit-

_Wait._

Those eyes. Like mirrors that shows you a better version of yourself, glowing green and truthful despite the words that may leave her mouth. The same eyes that her sister has, that would look up to her during lessons and on the road.

Those wonderfully familiar eyes. Zeina barely holds back a gasp, and instead funnels her surprise into a smile. She takes the surprised girl into a brief hug and then says,

"Ah, my darling niece! I'm glad to meet you."

* * *

Zeina likes to put on a show. The bar in which she was when Centola found her was just a ruse to trick her lackeys into thinking that she will only accept the best of the best. Winking, Zeina tells her,

"They feel special when I pick them for assignments. Really boosts their confidence." But Zeina's apartment wasn't like that at all. In fact, her apartment (above the bar) is...Normal. Normal furniture, normal household items. In one corner potted plants grow beautifully, and in another a large bookshelf is lined with thick books which brings memories of Mrs. Gamela to mind.

Zeina sits in a chair and motions toward the couch, which Centola takes willingly.

"So…" Zeina's does a little circle with her wrist, punctuating the air with her strong yet unintimidating voice. "How is my dear little sister?"

The smile that graces her face is dazzling. Centola has realized that all Temptresses are levels of pretty, but there is true happiness behind this smile. It's the giddy smile developed after years of love and fond memories. It's the smile of a big sister who is proud to be a big sister.

"Z-Zeina-"

"Please, call me Aunt Zeina"

"Okay...Aunt Zeina, I have bad news," Denial flickers across maroon orbs at Centola's tone, but the sad frown that overtakes her face expresses denial in it's truest form.

"No…" Zeina says, her voice cracking and she shakes her head. "No…"

"My mother…Lilliana is dead, Auntie," Centola almost says 'I'm sorry', but this is her mother. She doesn't have to apologize for her mother's death; it wasn't her fault. But tears materialize in the older woman's eyes, and Centola reaches out, taking the Temptress's hand.

"My little sister is dead…? How?"

"Um...Last year, before I found my mother's diary to me, she was killed…She was in the market...And then when people where moving around she was pushed. She fell down but a cart was passing by and it…"

_Her neck was twisted and her eyes unseeing, her skin devoid of warmth and the color of milk. It wasn't fair! Why was her mommy-_

"I see...I'm sorry about that, Centola…" Her voice is composed despite the crumbling of her calm facade.

_Is this how I must have looked to Alibaba and Kassim when mom died? Is this how I appeared to Mariam during her final moments? I...I hope not..._

* * *

"Train you?"

"Yes! Please, I want to become a full fledged Temptress!"

"Heavens, why?"

"Because it was my mother's final wish for me...And...And…"

"Do you feel it as well?"

"...?"

"There is darkness closing in around this planet, and I can sense something malicious being brought to the surface."

"How do you know that?"

"So you do feel it...I know because of the increase of suspicious activity everywhere. Every corner of my spy network is squirming with news of fights and fires and the Kou Empire's expansion. Not to mention that High King Sinbad who continues to resist my own expansion into his land…Handsome bastard..."

"What?!"

"What? Oh yes. Could it be that the real reason you wish to become a Temptress is because of this darkness?"

"...I...I don't want that…"

"Hm?"

"I don't want the fights to reach my home...I don't want it to infect my friends, and I don't want to lose the people I love!"

"!"

"So for that reason, please, I beg you, teach me how to be strong!"

"...Alright then. But first, you must prove yourself to me! Start by-"

* * *

THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT I HAD WRITTEN BEFORE! I would show you the previous draft, but it got deleted so I had to start from the middle and retype + change a bunch of things :(. This chapter really didn't want to get done, but it did.

Relationships: Yamu X Yunan is my guilty pleasure, sorry! and I really like Asad and Kougyoku, as creepy as it is (I planned for him to see her as a younger sister, and then I looked back and realized omg they are perfect, and yeah). So...Who's Hakuei's son's father? And Hakuei's son? QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS. I didn't plan for her to have a son, but then he came to me like, "Sup" and I was all "Who are you?" and he replied, "A character in your story" so...

Yeah. I'm done with this shiz. Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand.

BYE~~~~~~~

P.S. Gyokuen is really freaking hard to write, so I hope y'all are alright with what I did with her POV.


	8. Chapter 7: Bad in Balbadd

**Starry Skies**

**Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC: **Begin Again

CHAPTER 7: Bad in Balbadd

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

Balbadd is sort of beautiful, and sort of disgusting. Each building appears washed in yellow light, and the streets are tan colored brick. The hills surrounding them are bright green and the sea is a sparkling blue deep and unfiltered. Light and dark mix together like a watercolor painting. Above them the sky is sickenly bright with a touch of fluffy, cotton like clouds. The sunlight pours generously on her and the city like a warm, loving smile. But the darkness that hides behind the surface and throbs in the veins surrounding every citizen. It was perfectly clear to the duo standing on one of the many hills, and the smaller figure squirms while she looks at it, her lips twisting into a distasteful frown.

"I don't like it." She whines, turning to her companion who graces her with an elegant eye roll and a dazzling smile.

"Bad, you don't have to like it to visit it." Bad throws herself down, sitting cross legged and pouting. She's trying to make her friend feel bad about letting Bad go alone into the large, overpopulated city.

"But Centola! I'm don't wanna go alone~" Centola only smiles again, patting Bad on the head with a gentle, poised hand.

"You're being dramatic," the sixteen year old says, putting a hand on her hip, "I think someone doesn't want to see her old boyfriend."

Bad turns a shade of red she reserves for only the moments in which this subject is brought up.

"W-what?!" She exclaims, her voice going into a very high soprano range. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I can always tell when you're lying! Come on 'bad' girl, you might not have said _who_ this mystery man is but by the way you're acting I have a good idea that he's going to be here." Centola makes a mental debate on whether or not she should join the girl on the dirt ground but then settles for an in-between in which she crouches to match Bad's height. "But maybe this isn't a bad thing."

Bad giggles.

"A 'bad' thing?" The two girls exchange looks and then burst out laughing, Bad grabbing Centola and pulling her into a very uncomfortable and awkward hug.

"I'll miss you big sis," She whispers, and Centola hugs her tighter.

"I'll miss you too, lovely," Centola backs away and stares at her old home, her green glass eyes turning foggy and distant. "Be good to my Balbadd, alright? And don't annoy Kassim or Alibaba. I love them."

"And here I thought I was the one with love problems~" Centola gives her a posh shrug. Bad takes a moment to come to terms with how much Centola has changed in the year and a half since they met. Centola is no longer the naïve, sweet girl but now a beautiful, elegant and confident young woman with looks to make men (and sometimes women) fall to their knees. Everything she does now is controlled and refined; yet appearing as natural as batting an eyelash. "But I have a problem, Centola."

Centola raises a waxed and thin eyebrow. She makes beauty seem so easy and yet Bad has seen her ripping each eyebrow out leaving her with red marks on her forehead and tears streaking down her cheeks.

"What is the problem, my dear?" Bad pouts again, sighing with troubles weighing on her shoulders.

"I don't know how I'm going to accomplish my part of the job." Centola raises both her eyebrows in surprise, but then they relax and that smile that is as beautiful as a cut diamond is back and in full force. The older girl gives a melodious sound that is actually her _giggle_ and says,

"Really? _You_ don't know how to finish _your_ part in the job?" She laughs again, immune to Bad's signature 'I'm mad but it's freaking adorable' death glare.

"I'm serious! Due to the information I've gathered, I've found that infiltrating their ranks will be completely impossible!" Centola finally calms down and pats Bad's head.

"Not entirely true bad girl," Bad gives Centola a questioning look and tries to come up with a solution to her predicament. What could Centola have? Special connections? A guy? Money, a bribe, a special charm that will make everyone who sees her think Bad is way older than she really is?

(In truth, Centola does have _all_ of that.)

She was expecting a lot of things, but what is held up in front of her. Bad stares at it, then her older friend, and back.

"This? Are you sure it'll help me gain entry?"

"I am _entirely_ certain. Trust me, Bad, with the right timing and a few choice words, you'll be on the in like that!" She snaps her fingers to emphasize her point.

"Really?"

"Bad, this. Will. Help. You. But, you have to work hard to use it correctly," Bad opens her hand and the object of their conversation falls into her open palm. "Besides, you always know what to do and say. You'll be fine, I know it." A smile is shared between the friends, and Bad is off, walking down the steep road and toward the glowing city of disaster.

The pinkette grips Sheba close to her. For her plan to come to fruition, she needs her dear Divine Stave by her side, and said Stave thrums ecstatically in her palm. She's happy to be used after years inside the magical tool used to hold their treasure from Eren and Bad's Dungeon Capturing. Bad feels like a child with her toy, except in this case the toy was a highly dangerous magic weapon that could be used to destroy the world or conquer it.

_But Sheba is not an "it"._

She turns back, lifting her arm and waving at Centola, who is now a far speck on the giant sloping hill. Centola waves back, and calls something out but Bad can't hear her.

At the bottom of the hill she looks up again, half hoping to see her reassuring friend watching over her. But Centola is gone; off to fulfill her duty, and Bad now remembers the ache of loneliness. She doesn't want to be alone, but now is not the time to be whining about such a thing. This was _her_ plan, and she needs to help in making it become a reality.

With her head held high and determination burning in her chest, she walks forward into Balbadd. She prepares for the war she has been waiting for since she first Fell into depravity, clutching Sheba until her knuckles are white.

_Let the games begin._

* * *

Being a Fanalis comes with its perks. Her senses become sharper, her eyesight keener, her nose smelling every scent it picks up. She can pick up any trail, any hint or clue needed flying through her mind faster than a cheetah.

Are there cheetahs in this world? She doesn't remember.

Her eyes flicker to the side, observing the man striding beside her, unusually quiet.

"Eren?" The big man looks startled.

"Uh, yeah? What's up Cat?" Catrina smiles at him, bumping him with her elbow in the stomach. He doesn't react due to his large abs, which makes Catrina happy. Eren is the only person she can rough house with without him ending up in excruciating pain.

"You have that look on." Eren knots his eyebrows.

"What look?" The Fanalis-Amala micks him, pressing her lips in a straight line and glaring at nothing, nose becoming tense as a wrinkle forms on her forehead.

"Your 'worried' look." Eren stares at her, and then bursts out laughing.

"Ya look constipated!" She makes a disgusted face and pushes him away, joining in with the laughter despite her actions.

"You are _so_ gross!" They laugh and continue walking down the path. "But I can see why you're worried. I am too."

"I'm not worried." He says gruffly, nudging her.

"Doing the face again." Quickly he changes his facial expression. "Bad's alone in Balbadd. I'm scared for her, and so is everyone else."

"Please. Gettin' a break from the silly brat? This is a dream!" But his voice is hollow like the inside of an owl's burrow.

"She's playing a dangerous game, Eren. You and I both know that. But she's strong and slippier than a snake. I have no doubt that whatever trouble she cooks up, Bad will be safe, if not smart enough to be out of the way." They chuckle at the sentiment, and when it gets quiet Catrina continues on. "Besides, when we get to Balbadd and start our part in the 'festivities' coming soon, everything will turn out okay. We will have Bad's back, and in return the plan will proceed as it should."

Eren nods his head in agreement and gives Catrina a thankful look.

"You're right, 'n thanks. But ya know, I don't think we've had much time spent alone together."

"That's a lie! What about the _truffle _incident?"

"That was NOT my fault!"

"Oh, and I suppose the Ice sculpture **disaster** was just the result of a 'freak earthquake'?"

"I never knew ya could be so mean!"

"What exactly is it that Bad always says? Oh yeah, _I'm just a lot more witty than you."_

"THIS IS WHY WE DON'T HANG OUT ALONE OFTEN."

* * *

Yamuraiha could say that Yunan is the most annoying person ever.

Like now, when he stops to buy a bracelet from the street rats and then gets his coin bag stolen.

How does one who has lived a very, very long time get tricked by kids?

"Hey! Wait!" He cried, shaking his fist as the children giggle and run away, back to the dirt homes they undoubtedly have from their clothing (rags. Hopeful, adorable, mischievous children dressed in rags).

"How much money did you have in there?" She asks worriedly, but somehow isn't that upset at the prospect of those (hopeful, adorable, mischievous) children getting money for their families. In fact, she's a bit worried they might not have enough.

"Ehhhh...I don't know, but a handful of coins, I think…" Yunan fixes his hat. "Luckily our money is in your bag."

Yamu nods, and the two make their way through the market, Yamu pulling Yunan along since the man has no sense in direction what-so-ever.

She still has to admit though…

Yamuraiha can't say that the blonde haired blue eyed magi is not one of the kindest people ever.

* * *

Khadeja can't help but completely love her Mistress's ability, despite it's faults.

For instance: getting into the very fancy hotel that all sorts of royals stay in during their visits to Balbadd! All her Mistress had to do was bat her eyelashes, flash one of her lovely smiles and _boom!_ They were in.

Brushing her thoughts away, she takes her place beside her Mistress on the couch.

Mistress Centola sits elegantly with one arm draped artfully on the side of the couch and her legs neatly crossed. Surrounding her are several servants trying to shmooze her with lines like,

"Need anything else, Lady Centola?"

"The noble over there seems to have taken an interest in you, Lady Centola! Look how wealthy he must be!"

Khadeja is uncomfortable by the amount of suck-ups around her Mistress and lifts her nose at them, turning the air around them icy with her constant stink eye.

"Mistress, shall we head to our rooms? I hear that our bags have arrived." Centola gives a wide smile at the people around her, and replies,

"That sounds delightful. I am tired after our long journey here." With grace she stands up and flicks strands of her hair over her shoulder, wiggling her fingers and bidding the servants farewell.

"Ta ta!" And they head to the stairs. Khadeja huffs once they are out of earshot and mumbles angrily,

"Those vultures! You're the niece of Zeina De Coverna, shouldn't they know better than to mess with you?! I should-"

"Please, calm yourself Khadeja. I am not offended by their flattery nor am I affected by it."

"But Mistress-"

"My dear, do not allow your anger to show. It's unseemingly." These words, while chastising and shaming are still tinted with the honey of her voice, and Khadeja can feel her anger deflate. Despite being much older than her Mistress (Centola being sixteen and the right-hand woman being twenty-five), Khadeja still respects the teen much more than the adults around her.

While she feels that serving a woman much younger than herself would be degrading considering Centola has no royal blood nor stature in the higher 'realm' (the social latter of the kingdoms), Khadeja owes Zeina and Centola both for their help in some personal matters back in Rayide and therefore feels a deep loyalty to her dear young Mistress.

"Forgive me, my Lady."

"No need, for you are trustworthy and will continue to be in my good graces, Khadeja."

"Thank you, my Lady."

* * *

Kougyoku has taken ill. Asad quickly takes her side and sits on the edge of the princess's bed, watching over her. Ka Koubun looks like he wants to object, but once Asad takes out one sword and begins to polish it, the advisor quickly takes his leave and retreats to another part of the Palace.

"You're so mean to Ka Koubun," Kougyoku chastes him lightly, but the corners of her lips are pointed upward and he knows she's not mad.

"If I wasn't, he wouldn't leave us alone together." The Princess blushes and the smile that Asad has adored since she first showed him it spreads like a rainbow across her face.

"You are such an idiot."

"I'm _your_ idiot." She lifts a sleeve up to cover her laughter but he takes her wrist away and leans in close, grinning at her. "Don't hide your pretty face from me." He whispers, and under his fingertips her pulse races.

Asad presses his lips to Kougyoku's knuckles. In his other world, Kougyoku was just another character in the manga and he wasn't very fond of her, but here, she is a flesh and blood human who he sees as someone very close to his heart.

"Asad," The choked mumble coming from his Princess snaps him out of his reverie and her eyes (pink like the cherry blossoms that spin in the air during the spring) are filled with tears. "I don't want to marry the King of Balbadd."

Kougyoku begins to sob, and Asad pulls her in close, rubbing her back and smoothing down her hair, trying to find the words to tell his Princess (because that is what she is. Even if someone tries to take her away, she's _his,_) that everything will be alright in the end.

"Kougyoku…" Asad holds her face in his lithe hands, pressing their foreheads together. "I'm not leaving you. I _refuse_ to leave you."

"Please," She begs, gripping the top of his kimono-like outfit "I'm scared." He pulls her close again, and her tears slide against his skin.

"I want you to be happy," He whispers, "How can I do that for you?"

Kougyoku's eyes glitter with those tears, and even while crying her cheeks are flushed in the prettiest way that Asad knows Centola would like to study and later imitate.

"Distract me?" It's less of a question and more of a command, but Asad is used to people bossing him around. He smirks, but his heart isn't really in it.

"Aye, aye Princess," He scoops her up and makes a beeline for the window, opening it and bursting into the air. A trip through the town would definitely do wonders for Kougyoku, and the Princess lets out a undignified shriek at his spontaneous actions.

'_Ill' my ass. Have fun alone, Ka Koubun and Judar!_

* * *

Centola prays the shiver that just went down her spine has nothing to do with the activities of Asad and his girlfriend (she is his girlfriend, right? If not, then Asad has a lot of explaining to do). Asad often has the ability to make her sneeze or get the chills whenever he talks about her, and for that reason Bad always makes jokes that because Asad died in her arms they must be "spiritually bound". But Centola really just thinks Asad enjoys creeping her out.

Their relationship was that of friends who usually get into a competition, squabble and then make up, only to repeat the whole thing over again. For some unexplainable reason, Centola always ends up getting into a bragging war with Asad. It wouldn't be the first time that Asad gloats about how Kougyoku's the most beautiful girl he's seen, although she's pretty sure that he only says it because it annoys the _crap_ out of her.

After all, a Temptress must always be the most beautiful. It's the number one rule of her kind. She learned that _very _quickly after she met with her aunt Zeina. Half a year ago, she made it to Rayide and met her aunt, but it was no easy feat. Not to mention she was forced to complete a series of tasks to even get accepted as an apprentice by her aunt. In the end it all worked out, just like her mother said it would.

Well. Not exactly.

Bad's (makeshift) plan would take Centola's calm life and throw it to hell. Does she care? Not really. Actually, she was sort of excited. It's been too long since she's seen Alibaba and Kassim, and can't wait to reunite with her childhood friends.

However…She couldn't help but feel nervous. Seeing Kassim again meant owning up to the argument exchanged between them all those years ago. The sixteen year old wasn't sure she was willing to do that yet, and was thankful for having this time she has before having to make her big entrance onto the dance floor of danger.

Last time she checked in with the rest of her party, things were going smoothly. Catrina and Eren where on their way to meet with the Pearl ("The Pearl is Yamuraiha?!" "Yup~" "...That is awe-_wonderful._") and the Alchemist ("Yunan?!" "Yup~" "...W-Wow." "You really want to freak out, don't you?" "...Whatever do you mean, my dear?") while Bad was heading deeper into the vortex of Balbadd. She herself has already sent word through a few of her 'contacts' to be prepared for the pinkette's arrival, and Hakuei had handled the Kouga clan with ease and practice, making sure to be more careful this time when dealing with that ass who tried to kill her.

Sitting alone in her room at the fancy hotel in Balbadd, Centola hopes that her 'guests' show up soon. She's really getting bored, and the others are no doubt fulfilling their duties at this moment.

It's going to be a _long_ two weeks.

* * *

"...Huh. And here I thought it was going to be hard to find you."

"!?" A teen, probably eighteen in age spins around in alarm. His eyes narrow at the person in front of him, but he tries to calm himself as it's just a child.

"Excuse me?" He asks, giving the child the stink eye for scaring him (not that he would _ever_ admit it).

"I said it was easy to find you, Kassim." Alarms ring in his head, sirens pounding at his temples that this girl is danger. He had a sort of knack for these things, being a co-leader of the Fog Troupe, but never before had he felt so _threatened_ by a _ten year old_.

Her red eyes (a wordsmith might say like roses, but he says like blood) have a edge to them, a knowing gleam that sparkles in the setting sun.

The setting sun.

"_I really love sunsets, you know. It's sad because nobody seems to notice them here in the slums."_

"_Hm? What makes you think that?"_

"_...Do you notice the sunset?"_

"_...No, I don't."_

Her pink hair is tied up in a ponytail, her eyes narrowed to suit her devilish smile.

"Who are you?"

"Me? I'm called a lot of things. However, most people merely call me Bad."

"Fitting," She blinks, as if that reminds her of something, but then the grin is back in full force, haunting stare drilling holes into his head.

"I would hope so."

They engage in a staring contest, but Kassim breaks it off, turning his back to the girl and walking once again to his destination; Mrs. Gamela's bar, the very same place that _she _used to dance and sing in.

It's also the meeting place for the Fog Troop.

Footsteps behind him cause him to stop and look back again, only to see that Bad had gotten closer to him, and was now only a few feet away. She grins again, but it's more childish than malicious.

"Buzz off kid, I'm on my way to a meeting."

"Is it true you're the leader of the Fog Troop?" Kassim narrows his eyes. Of course the Slum people knew of his occupation, though this child doesn't look like a Slum child, and definitely doesn't come from Balbadd due to her purple dress and the bangles on her wrists.

"So what if I am?" He almost spits, intensifying his glare to let her get the message. She tilts her head in a bird-like way, reminding Kassim of a owl somehow with her pursed lips and big eyes.

"Let me join the Fog Troop." Kassim's surprise overrides his anger, and the blankness of his expression makes the girl begin to narrow her (bloody) eyes.

"...Come with me. We'll talk to my partner." Kassim mutters, jerking his head in the direction of Mrs. Gamela's bar.

Why did he let her come with him? Kassim doesn't know why, but somehow...When she looked at him, he could see something that he's never seen in any other child: awareness. And not that awareness wasn't common for children, he had it as a boy, but this wasn't that kind of awareness. It was the kind that showed on that they are fully involved in what they are doing, and understand the advantages and consequences completely.

_It was the same look that Centola got sometimes._

A little voice whispers, and he berates himself for even thinking her name. She's not coming back, so why torture himself with thoughts of her pretty eyes and voice?

There was none.

But the moment his mind made the connection between the two girls, he had to let her at least talk with Alibaba. Who knows? She might be useful, even if she is a child.

* * *

The bar is smoky, and the alcohol flows freely as long as you have the cash to pay for it.

Speaking of paying for it, several chicks stroll by him, some winking and others showing too much skin. The old navy couches are lined with men and their companions, and the curtains on some are drawn. The smell of tobacco is strong in here, and men nod to Kassim as he walks by, most ignoring the child by his side while others raise their eyebrows.

Onstage, three dancers perform.

_None of them could bring in a crowd like Centola._

Reaching his friend near the corner, he presents the girl at his side and explains the situation.

"No." Alibaba deadpans, giving him a blank stare that says, 'if I didn't accept the other ones, why would I accept this one?' Kassim swallows his anger and pride and gives him a friendly (fake) smile. He'll never get rid of the obnoxious feel of that smile, the way it sticks too tightly to his skin.

"Come now Alibaba! At least listen to the girl!"

"Kassim-"

"Yes Alibaba, at least listen to me. Or are you being prejudiced?" Bad crosses her arms and smirks at the older boy, and the only thought Kassim has is:

_She has some serious guts._

Alibaba's eyebrow twitches.

"How exactly am I being prejudiced?"

"Because I'm a girl."

"That's not why-"

"Really? Because I bet you would spend more time thinking about it if I was a boy."

"That's unfair-"

"But true!"

"Oi!" Kassim yells at them, and Bad blinks innocently up at him while Alibaba steams in his chair. Hassan and Zaynab have been quiet, but eye Kassim with confusion. The truth is that Kassim _hasn't _brought in a little girl to become part of the Fog Troop before, so why now?

_Damn this child for acting like Cen- her._

"Fine," Alibaba hisses, cheeks red "You can tell your story of why you want to be apart of the Fog Troop. If it's not good enough, you don't get in."

Bad gives him a smile that makes even Kassim shiver slightly.

"Alright~ I'll give it a shot!"

"One chance, kid"

"My name is Bad, and I was not born in Balbadd. Alibaba, where I was born is none of your darn business, so don't even ask. Aaaannnyway, I am a magician,\," Alibaba's eyes light up at this fact, and Kassim can see her begin to reel him in. Kassim didn't know Bad was a magician, but the fancy golden staff by her side now makes more sense, and the possibilities are beginning to gather like flies to trash. "I can see that's a plus on my part. I can preform magic and trust me, I'm strong. And...I guess I want to help you idiots since you're doing poorly on the battlefront."

"Excuse me?!" Alibaba exclaims, fury once again rising on his face. Why does this girl continue to anger his partner, even after he agreed to hear her out, something that he never has done before?

"Woah there tiger, let me explain. Let's face it: you guys are strong. I get it. But what good is strength when all you're doing is stealing? It may be noble, the whole give to the poor thing, but it's sort of stupid considering the consequences of your actions."

"What do you mean?" Kassim asks slowly, interest sparking like a flame in his chest. Bad obviously notices, by the way she smirks and continues on.

"I mean, you're really doing anything than forcing the Saluja clan to impose more taxes in order to reclaim the money stolen, and you don't have a plan."

"We have a-"

"No, you don't," The girl says this with such confidence, with such certainty, that Kassim begins to wonder who she is. How does she know about their plans? "Alibaba, you want to convince your brother to either stop taxes and focus on the people or step down from the throne, right?"

Alibaba nods after a moment of hesitation.

"How are you going to do that? What if he refuses to listen, or listens and then denies you?"

The blonde freezes and then goes rigid, realizing he's not sure.

"Kassim, you want to topple the monarchy, correct?"

Kassim himself goes rigid, but nods, noting not to trust Bad. She is definitely a mysterious person, and he'll have to be careful when speaking to her.

"How many will die?"

"Does it matter, if it's for a noble cause?"

"What if Alibaba dies?" Said teen goes pale at the thought, and looks at Kassim as if not understanding the conversation. "Does that matter?"

Yes, he definitely shouldn't trust her, especially if she's going to continue backing the dreadlock wearing man into a corner. How does she know- why- there is only one answer here that will help his plan go to schedule. Gritting his teeth, he once again swallows his pride and the truth and murmurs,

"Yes," The blonde teen looks relieved, and Hassan and Zaynab's disapproval hang over him like a fog. No pun intended.

"So, I'm here to help," Spreading her hands and grinning, she looks just like a child. "I'm pretty smart despite being young, and even if you don't want kids to join I promise that I can be of use."

Kassim's lips slide into a small smile. Having this little (untrustworthy, unusual) kid around might be a pain in his side, but she has a point. With her magic it would be easier to convince the middle class to join in with them, and they could gain more money for their war funds.

His partner however…

"No. I'm sorry, but I cannot let a child- boy or girl- join knowing they might get hurt. This isn't the life for you." The rejection was one that he usually used for insistent children, and Kassim could feel a spike of irritation at his partner.

Partner. Not friend, not brother, not anymore.

"I knew you were going to say that," The girl replies, her grin never leaving her young face. Those eyes (a wordsmith might say like roses, but he says like blood) are a bit more complicated than he originally thought.

_Why do I feel like she can see through us?_

Maybe because she can. The girl leans the staff on the table the three sit at and reaches up to her ponytail, slipping something out of the leather band and into her hand. When she lifts it up to Alibaba and Kassim, their breaths catch in their throats. The black haired man balks as the blonde's eyes become unnaturally large. Bad snickers at them, and she playfully swings the item in the air.

"Recognize this boys~?" Kassim is the first to react, asking in a low tone,

"How do you have that?" Her innocent act is really starting to annoy him, and he knows she knows it by the way that stupid grin slithers even farther up her cheeks.

"Did I forget to tell you? OH! I'm so silly~ The other reason I came to Balbadd was because my dear friend Centola asked me to check up on you two~!" Lazily her hand flows back and forth in front of the quartet, enjoying how their eyes follow its every move. "She said trouble seems drawn to you, and asked me to watch over you for her."

Kassim barely manages to gulp the thick black emotions back down his throat, cringing at the sour taste left behind.

"W-Where is she?" Alibaba stutters out, no longer appearing like a boss of a large and powerful group but a worried old man.

"Last I saw, in Rayide, but who knows~? She might have decided to come here herself," Bad taps her chin thoughtfully "Then again, she is swamped in her studies, which would explain why she asked me to come in her stead."

...Centola might be here? His heart stopped and ice cold hands drum on his ribs and tickling his stomach. Electricity sizzles through his feet and hands and straightens his back. Please don't let her be here.

_Please let her be here._

It's too dangerous! She'll get hurt.

_I'll protect her._

She hates violence.

_She doesn't have to see._

Zaynab opens her mouth, and even though she is a strong, independant woman who isn't bossed around by nobody, she asks nervously,

"How is Centola?" Kassim remembers that Zaynab and Centola were actually pretty good friends despite Zaynab's initial dislike for the strawberry blonde. Bad beams proudly.

"She is awesome! Sister Centola is a genius!" Kassim shakes his head, annoyed, and then gruffly addresses Alibaba, finding it hard to be nice in light of the recent words.

"What do you think, partner?" His forceful undertone makes Alibaba flinch very slightly, but then the blonde presses his lips together and sighs.

"Fine, you can join us, Bad."

Then the child whoops with joy, giving each of them a hug despite the uncomfortable positions and reactions that the action entails.

* * *

Bad stares at the item in her palm.

A green ribbon, old yet still silky as it repeatedly almost slips out of her hands. She snuggles into the bed they gave her at their hideout and she hugs Sheba close to her chest, wrapping her legs around her and hanging onto her like she's the girl's lifeline.

"Who knew your ribbon would work, Centola? Then again, I wasn't lying...You _are _a genius." Sleep pulls at her eyes, tugging them down and disregarding her reluctance to do so. "I hope things go to plan...I want to see everyone again…"

Asad is with Kougyoku, protecting the Princess from the pig King and making sure things go smoothly with the plan on his end.

Centola is at Balbadd's most luxurious hotel, charming her way into the throngs of people in order to become close to High King Sinbad, Aladdin and Morgiana once they arrive.

Catrina and Eren head to the arrival point to meet with Yamu and Yunan, preparing to work behind the scenes to help Bad.

Bad has infiltrated the infamous Fog Troop, and is currently preparing for the beginning of what she calls war.

* * *

"Why war, my dear?"

"Because that is what this is. Although none of the players know it, and the sides may be unclear, this is war. In essence, we are fighting the world. It's you, me, Eren, Catrina and Asad against the world, and people will undoubtedly get hurt. So prepare your mind for pain Cent, for Fate will not let us defy her without a fight."

"I see. But then I suppose that we are Depraved."

"I am."

"...I know. But I mean we are-"

"No."

"...What?"

"Centola, what is it that I always say?"

"I'm just a lot more witty than you-"

"No."

"I would hope so-"

"No."

"...Everything you do, you do for us."

"I will not let you all fall into Depravity. I payed the price to achieve this, so...You won't be hurt"

"What did you do, Bad?"

"..."

"Badroulbadour?"

"I've done a lot of things to a lot of people, Centola. I've hurt Judal, although he doesn't know I was the one to change the course of Fate once again. I've manipulated Asad, even though he has no idea, and I...But what I did for you all..."

"Bad...I don't care what you did but please, explain."

"I...Gave up my goodness in exchange for Depravity. Payment, I suppose. You all can change Fate, Falling-free, and I will take all the depravity you bring into myself. That is my promise."

* * *

Hello~

Did you like it? I'm sorry I'm like two days late with this, but I've been über tired from coming home so I couldn't and then I needed to edit and blah blah blah. In other words, it's up now and the next one will be next sunday. I love you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	9. Chapter 8: Broken Toys

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC: **Begin Again

CHAPTER 8: Broken Toys

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

Many times in her life has Centola De Coverna question herself.

She questioned her ability to protect others. She questioned her ability to soothe pain, and she questioned what she could do to save her friends.

But now she questions another part of herself.

_Am I trustworthy?_

Khadeja, her right-hand woman who followed her all the way from Rayide, would say absolutely.

Catrina would get a worried look and ask her why she would ever say she wasn't.

Eren would shake his head and smile, patting her hair and telling her that he trusts her completely.

Asad might roll his eyes and whisper something about women always worrying about something.

Bad would merely grin, but it would be a sad grin. Centola could almost hear the words slipping off her tongue:

_"I guess that's the downside of your power."_

And it was. Centola tries to stick to her word, but can't help but worry about losing the people around her.

Why would she lose them?

Because they might realize that she…Centola could use her magic on them. She could charm them into doing something for her, into becoming her servants, and that scares her.

Why would she want a power that instantly makes her an enemy to those around her? Once someone realizes that she could do it then…Then…

They'll leave her alone, right?

So Centola De Coverna realizes something very important. She isn't questioning herself.

No, this is far worse than something trivial like that.

She's **scared** of herself.

* * *

"Mistress, I'm not sure about this…" Khadeja fidgets anxiously, trying to adjust the clothes placed on her in the mirror. Mistress Centola merely laughs, a sound so much like bells Khadeja relaxes despite herself.

"Do not worry! You look _wonderful_." The green dress was alright. Simple, and she appeared as she is; Mistress Centola's attendant. But then her Mistress added a white sash from her right shoulder to left hip. Okay…

Then came the nice sandals and gold earings, a choker collar and her black curls being brushed so carefully that the tightly wound ringlets relaxed and eased themselves to her shoulders. A pretty black headband helped hold her bangs out of her eyes, and by the end she no longer looked like an attendant but close friend.

"B-but I'm merely your personal servant Miss! I cannot wear such clothes-"

"You can, and I want you to." Her Mistress can be so stubborn sometimes.

"I...I feel uncomfortable-"

"Please Khadeja," She asks, smiling. Khadeja sighs and finally nods. "Thank you. Besides, we are going to be meeting some important people today."

"Eh?"

* * *

Bad has come to really enjoy the company of Kassim. For some unknown reason, the man continues to lie about everything.

"Hey Kassim! How are ya?"

"The usual."

_Depressed, right?_

"Hi Kassim~ What are you doing later?"

"Hopefully I'll be around you sweetheart."

_To distract yourself?_

"Are you ready for the raid soon?"

"When am I not?"

_Hurting others lessens the pain. For a while, at least._

Bad continually enjoys listening to these little white lies, as they remind her of something she has forgotten. It's rather interesting, actually, to see it in action after the longest time around good, honest people.

Oh, the complications of _lying_ to yourself. It has been a while since she's seen someone filled with with so much pain, and her utter fascination with him has caused the man to believe she has formed a idolization out of him, which is in no way true.

_I just want to see how I can use your anger._

Now, in Mrs. Gamela (a woman she has never met but heard about from Centola)'s bar, she watches as the four people plan for their next raid, Kassim talking about the intel from the palace about the two noblemen with a low amount of security.

"I'm thinking we should hit this man's house…" Kassim tells them, and the map placed on the table shows the main roads and houses of Balbadd. Several of the larger ones were crossed off, and now Kassim points to another, giving his comrades sly grins.

Bad almost giggles at the absurdity of their conversation.

"What is the strategy?" Bad asks, tilting her head.

"Every group consists of teams of ten but we attack with no less than one hundred. And we take out the guards on every side and raid the treasury. Which reminds me, the treasure room is located here…" rolling her eyes, Bad continues despite Kassim's explanation.

"No, I mean what is the order in which you take out the guards?"

"Huh?" Comes Alibaba's stupid reply, and Bad glares at him. What? She was talking to Kassim, not him.

"Zaynab and Hassan will use their magic swords to distract and take out the guards and then the rest of us will-"

"Isn't that what you do every time?"

"Yes-"

"So what if something goes wrong?" Irritation flashes across his eyes, but it's covered up with astounding speed that surprises even Bad.

"Like what?" Arrogance. Explains one of the reasons you died in the Other.

"Like what if the weapons don't work? What if the King finally realized he has been a dumb ass and leaked false information? What if perhaps other people with magic weapons show up and beat you at your own game? This is why you people need me." Alibaba opens his mouth to refute her claim, but one more intense glare shuts him up completely. "So, because you definitely don't have a strategy whatsoever, we need to make one."

Alibaba once again becomes upset by her taking control, but Kassim holds his hand up and narrows his eyes.

"What do you have planned?"

"Three waves of twenty, hitting from each side. Zaynab leads the first, Hassan the second, Alibaba and Kassim the final. The first waves takes out the guards, the second secures the area, the third plunders or whatever. Sounds good?"

The leaders exchange looks.

"We'll try it."

* * *

Sinbad would think of himself as a clever man who isn't easily tricked, but unfortunately that is not the case today. After all, he got robbed of everything. Including his clothes, money, and his Djinn metal vessels.

Oh God. He lost his Djinns.

Ja'far is going to be _pissed_.

In a stroke of luck, however, he was found by a bright youth and cute redhead, thus ensuring that he has clothes (no matter how small) to wear back into the city. He ignores the stares that follow him into Balbadd.

The youth, Aladdin, is a nice boy and Sinbad hears himself telling him and his companion Morgiana that he will cover the bill.

Ja'far is going to be double _pissed_.

With his head full of that joyous thought, he ushers the two into the luxurious hotel. That is, until he is stopped at the door by five guards. They yell at him for being suspicious, and he hopes that his advisor comes to convince these gentlemen that he is not in anyway suspicious. However, a young woman beats them to the punch.

"Ah, excuse me?" She asks, her voice sweet like sugar yet soothing like the spring breeze. The guards instantly take notice of her, and their eyes turn glazed once they stare into her pretty eyes. Even Sinbad can feel the pull of her beauty, but he forces himself to remain strong.

"Yes, Miss?" A guard asks, completely ignoring Sinbad. "Is there something you need?"

"I appreciate your concern," Her lips form the most gentle, caring smile he's ever seen on a woman. "However this man here is a friend of mine, and I would be grateful if you let him go."

"Of course." The instant reply shocks the King as all four guards bow lowly to the beauty, heading back to their positions.

"I guess I owe you my thanks," Sinbad tells her, cringing internally at how thankful he actually sounds. The woman, a girl, he realizes with shock, gives an elegant hand wave.

"No need, good sir. I am surprised that the guards did not recognize you." She smiles again, and she's so gorgeous he almost didn't realize what she said.

Almost.

"Excuse me?"

"You are Sinbad of Sindria, correct?" Flabberghasted, he thinks through his memories. Has he seen this girl before? No, someone with looks like hers would undoubtedly be burned into his mind. So how does she know who he is while most people in Balbadd have no clue? But instead of questioning her, he merely lets his own looks take control.

"I am honored you know my name, young maiden," He takes her hand and kisses her knuckles, and when he pulls back he strokes her soft skin. Aladdin and Morgiana watch in wonder at his seduction tactics, both blinking owlishly.

"Do not touch my Mistress, you suspicious weirdo!" Someone yells, stomping over to the duo. He freezes for a moment as the black haired woman smacks his hand away from the beauty, and then takes her place in front of her, glaring with amethyst eyes. This new woman is good-looking as well, but next to the girl her looks pale in comparison.

Pale.

Pale like his advisor who materializes by his side, glaring with those sharp black eyes of his.

"H-Hi Ja'far, Masrur."

"Hello Sin."

"Hm," Ja'far takes one look at the two women, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of the young girl. He's having the same reaction as his King did, the shock and the pulling at his very being. Hell, even **Masrur** appears surprised at the level of the girl's beauty and _he_ isn't interested in anyone.

Literally not a single person.

For a while Sin was convinced he swung for the other team-

"What appears to be the problem?" Ja'far asks, his tone calming and intervening.

"The problem is that this pervert has laid his filthy hands on my Mistress!" The black haired woman exclaims, reaching out and poking Sinbad's chest. It didn't hurt, but the insulting component of the action shocks him. Didn't the pretty girl tell her friend who he was? This woman really doesn't seem to care whether or not he's a King, does she?

"Please, I'm sure my Master didn't mean to touch your Mistress, it was a misunderstanding." Ja'far says, stepping in front of Sinbad.

"You think he can just-" A very ominous look crosses the woman's face, one of dark annoyance.

"Khadeja," The girl interjects, placing one thin hand gently on Khadeja's shoulder, taking her place by her servant's side once again. "Please do not show anger toward these men, Mr. Sinbad was merely showing his thanks for my help."

Khadeja instantly relaxes and nods, taking a step back with a barely noticeable bow.

"As you wish, Lady Centola," If that is not a personality change, Sinbad doesn't know what is. The girl, Centola, curtsies to Sinbad and once again graces him with her awe-inspiring smile.

"I'm glad to be able to speak with you today, Mr. Sinbad, and I hope we meet again in the future." Before she turns to leave, he's talking.

"Wait! To apologize for my rudeness, may I treat you and your friend-"

"Attendant." Khadeja interrupts, glaring at him. Huh. So maybe she was only pretending to be submissive before.

"Sorry, may I treat you and your attendant to lunch tomorrow?" Khadeja opens her mouth, probably to refuse and sneer at him when Centola says,

"That sounds wonderful, we would be delighted!" Sinbad beams like a little kid. Ja'far and Masrur roll their eyes at their King's antics, and Sinbad remembers the two he promised to get rooms for. He motions for them to step forward, and they comply.

"I hope you don't mind my two companions joining us."

"Of course not," Centola gives Aladdin and Morgiana a once over, her smile widening. "How do you do?"

"I'm fine~" Aladdin singsongs, his eyes glassy and cheeks flushed. Sin doesn't miss how he is staring straight at the girl's not-so-small chest. Morgiana herself blushes as well, nodding embarrassedly.

"Ja'far, these two helped get me back into the city after I...lost my way. I told them I would pay for their stay in the hotel."

"...I see...So our master has caused you some trouble." Jafar glares at Sinbad and smiles at Aladdin and Morgiana, continuing, "In accordance with our master's wishes, leave the hotel charges to us."

"Thank you! Subordinate brothers!"

"Now, please don't stray from us again." As Sinbad is being pulled away by Ja'far, he looks back at the four he's leaving.

"See ya later, Aladdin, Morgiana, Khadeja and Centola! I can't wait until tomorrow!"

_"IT'S LADY CENTOLA TO YOU, YOU PERVERTED FREAK!"_

* * *

"Mistress, why agree to lunch with that buffoon-"

"Do you know who he is, Khadeja?"

"Probably a drunk that got his clothes stolen when he took a nap on the side of the-"

"That buffoon is King Sinbad of Sindria,"

"W-What?!"

"I know, I too was a bit surprised in his choice of clothing…"

"Well...He is a King."

"The Emperor's New Clothes~"

"What?"

"Oh...nothing."

* * *

Lunch is at a fancy restaurant, and just like in the manga the fish is presented in front of Khadeja, Aladdin, Morgiana and Centola. Centola listens as Sinbad gives a little spiel about the fish and it's history, which she ignores mostly.

At times like this it's hard to pretend to be interested in the words he's saying and not the two right next to her.

Aladdin (the main character *squeal*) and Morgiana (Alibaba's love interest. Wonderful. *sarcasm*). She tries really hard to keep her calm, gentle face on and not let her inner fangirl loose on the unsuspecting five. Well, technically six if you count Khadeja.

"By the way, I haven't introduced my subordinates yet," Sinbad points to the pale, freckled man and then to the tall, muscular guy "My subordinates are Ja'far and Masrur. Morgiana! Masrur is a Fanalis." Centola morphs her face into one of confirmation. Hopefully they'll catch it and her next words will make more sense.

"Did that surprise you? Actually, yesterday he also noticed. Your eyes are exactly alike."

"Hello."

"Hello." Both look uncomfortable (well, Morgiana does), and Centola uses this tiny pause to her advantage.

"Actually," she speaks up, patting her lips with a napkin. "I noticed that as well."

"You did?" Sinbad grins, and Masrur flickers his red eyes toward her.

"Yes. I happen to have a friend who is a Fanalis," Both redheads have their attention on her now, and she daintily flickers a piece of hair over her shoulder. "I believe she is in the city somewhere, but knowing her, she will not show up for a while." Laughing at the sentiment, Khadeja nods.

"Miss Catrina is a bit of a free spirit."

"I bet she's getting into trouble as we speak." They laugh once more and Aladdin pulls Morgiana up. They begin to talk to Masrur, Aladdin introducing himself with his cute boyish voice. Sinbad gives her a look that while it appears handsome and soothing, a calculation is undoubtably going on. He's piecing it together, Centola can tell, and she knows that once the truth comes out it will be hard to convince-

GIANT BLUE ARMS OH MY GOD.

_Well, at least the shock must look real._

Khadeja squeals and bumps into Jafar's chair. They both go tumbling down and the drink Jafar had in his hand spills all over them. Centola luckily managed to avoid getting droplets on her dress and she hops in the opposite direction of Khadeja.

_Hopefully Catrina must be having more fun than I am._

* * *

"I'm borrrrrrreeeeeeed." Catrina mumbles, snuggling deeper into the armchair and wrapping the blanket tighter around her form. The house was the same as the one she stayed in when she was ten, and the homey nature has only intensified over the many years spent away. But as she already said, she's _really_ bored. As a Fanalis and soon-to-be-introduced-character, she has to stay out of sight and out of mind for those who are fulfilling their part (cough Centola and Bad cough). Which is sort of annoying. Of course, she supposes that it makes sense.

Centola and Bad were the ones who came up with this whole plan for the Balbadd Arc, so in a way this means more to them. Balbadd honestly doesn't mean anything to her. She understands that saying that is cruel and rude, but her mother taught her to be honest, and so she will tell the truth:

Saving Balbadd isn't something she would do herself. In fact, if it wasn't for Centola and Bad she wouldn't even try to stop the events that will come to pass. Actually, Bad probably wouldn't try to change the Balbadd arc either if it wasn't for Centola. Bad's all about changing this world's Fate, but she doesn't believe in changing too much of the original path. She says it's because there is just one thing she truly needs to change from the past life that matters to her. Centola is her reason.

Maybe it was the bitterness within herself that would stop her. Catrina would never admit it, but somehow, in a twisted and pitch-black way, this seemed like Balbadd's just desserts. Because of a cruel King, a slightly bonkers slum rat reeked havic on the place he thought to save. How disgusting that people can be so naive.

Centola cares about Balbadd. For the life of Catrina she doesn't know why, but Centola loves it. Perhaps it's a twisted form of Stockholm syndrome. In Balbadd Centola starved, lost, and was put through an emotional rollercoaster. But then again, it's also the place she loved, learned and lived, right?

…

For Centola, Catrina will save Balbadd. For her big sister, she will become a saving grace and take down all in her path.

The floors are cool to the touch but she doesn't care, and instead flings the blanket off her and walks with purpose into the kitchen where Yamu is working on some formulas with Yunan and Eren sharpens his arrow tips. They look up when she enters, and then the smiles slip off their faces and their eyes blaze.

"It's time."

* * *

"Aladdin…You're also a magi?!"

"Also?" Aladdin asks, tilting his head to the side "Do you know other magi?"

"Yes...I know another Magi…" Sinbad pats Ugo, looking over him with wonder and excitement. Centola and Khadeja stand next to Aladdin and Morgiana (who told them they can just call her Mor if they want, Aladdin already does). "Although our relationship isn't the best..."

"Do you mean Al Thamen's or the Reim Empire's 'High Priestess'?" Centola asks, and Sinbad whips his head around to look into her eyes. The initial gentleness in his gaze is gone, replaced by a steady, sharp look that could be interpreted in a thousand different ways.

_He is beginning to understand who I am, but the pieces of the puzzle don't fit right._

"Al Thamen's…" He says slowly, and Centola wonders if she said the right thing. However, going through the manga pages in her memories, these words will make her relationship with the magi of the Kou Empire more understandable. For right now, she just seems secretive. Khadeja, still scowling at the stain on 'Mistress's pretty sash she gave me!' quickly shoots Centola a 'should-he-know-this-much?' look.

"Ah, I see…"

"Just who are you people?" Aladdin questions, and Centola is actually a bit surprised he was pointing the question toward both Sin and her. Sinbad goes first, giving a speech he undoubtedly has done before, and Centola goes after him. With a twinkle in her eye, she says soothingly,

"My name is Centola De Coverna, I am the sixteen year old niece of Zeina De Coverna," Sinbad's shocked face is really amusing. "I believe you know her, King Sinbad?"

"I do." He says gruffly, but the playfulness of his face tells her of the plans spinning into action within his mind.

"De...Coverna?" Mor asks slowly, concentrating hard on the name. "I think I've heard that name before."

"Ah well, my family isn't that big, and we're not very showy about our...dealings." She notes Ja'far's sudden tenseness and Masrur's unsure expression, as if debating hurling her out of Balbadd. Aunt Zeina's past with Sindria must be very long, huh?

"Oh."

"Hey, Mr. Sinbad, there's one thing I want you to teach me," Aladdin begins to talk about his want for more knowledge about who he is and Centola really can't get over that mysterious look in his eyes. Aladdin himself is just too cute. Looking at the young boy, she can't believe all he's done in such a short period of time. He even helped Alibaba capture a Dungeon! His long blue hair is neat and silky, and his big azure eyes are calming yet innocent and naive. He looks...He looks…

A bit like Bad when she thinks nobody is looking, docile and naturally sweet. A real child.

"Can I ask a favor of the amazing Aladdin and beautiful Centola?" Arch an eyebrow elegantly, Centola. Look welcoming yet unsure whether or not to accept.

"What is it?"

"To tell you the truth, there is a certain battle going on right now but...Because of certain circumstances...Right now I do not have any metal vessels!" He says it with the very same grin he uses in the manga, and Centola almost bust out laughing.

She doesn't though, because that would be unlady like.

"All seven were stolen from him." Jafar deadpans, and Khadeja chuckles a bit.

"Would you be willing to lend us your powers?"

_What did Aunt Zeina say when I left?_

"_Don't trust Sinbad my dear, he will make you serious. And…"_

"I would be glad to help, Sinbad." She smiles widely.

"_Seriousness leaves a scar."_

* * *

Alibaba is tired. He can't help it, after the past days with that brat Bad, he's feeling pretty down in the dumps. There hasn't been a single day since she came that he hasn't wanted to strangle her because of the constant teasing and sneering. Why does she hate him so much?

She's such a little twerp.

Sighing, he continues his stroll through Junkyard Street, finding the place he called home just as dirty as before, despite being an empty lot. Maybe his father meant to do something with the plot of land, but never got to it because of his untimely death...That Alibaba caused.

His older brothers probably never got around to finishing his father's project. Or never cared, since it was the birthplace of their bastard brother.

There! Right there, that was the place where his house (tent) was! Oh he remembers so much! From his kind mother holding after he fell, to Kassim and Mariam and him working the jobs of the Slum Rats. Shining shoes, guiding tourists around, helping with little construction projects here and there. Once he was a messenger!

He leans down and takes the dirt between his fingers, watching as the silt slides back to the earth from the gaps between the digits.

Lilliana's house was over there. Smart, nice Lilliana, who was a singer in Mrs. Gamela's bar.

He misses them all so much.

"Mom...Auntie...Mariam..." He can hear the emotion in his voice. The defeat, the anxiety. "What do I do?"

All that's left is him and Kassim, and it doesn't even feel like Kassim is even _there_ anymore. What is he suppose to do, when he is alone and uncared for? Stuck in a situation he couldn't have ever dreamed of, in a world that no longer cares? Is there any hope left for a boy in a man's world?

Rayide.

The name of a far off city echoes in his brain, and the memories pour back through his head like a waterfall.

_"Kassim...If this is Centola's house, then where is she?" It wasn't a very nice house. One bedroom, a sturdy yet dusty kitchen that the rats had found their way into through hard work clawing at the boards of the floor. The Centola he knew, clean and motherly, would never let such a thing occur and get the problem fixed as soon as she got the money to do so. _

_So why didn't she?_

_There was a lack of...Life from the home. Here and there a few nicknacks lay, but the hollow echoes made him ache for something to prove that his friend was here._

_He'd missed the sweet dancer from the Slums._

_"She's gone, Alibaba." It was an echo, he was sure of it. There was no way...yet, it made sense. _

_"What? Where did Cent go?" Kassim gave him dead, cold eyes that to this day burn in his memory._

_"When she heard about the Treasury..." Alibaba winced. The incident, while two years old, was still fresh in the Prince's mind. "She blew up at me, and then announced that she had a Aunt in Rayide. Then off she went, leaving the Slums."  
_

_There was no hate in his voice. There couldn't be, because Alibaba knew that Kassim could never hate Centola, no matter what may occur between the two. No, there was just anger and betrayal and a hint of jealousy. _

Jealousy?

_Well, it makes sense. The Slums had always been a horrible place, yet no resident had up and left so easily before. Centola had done it, and thats what made Kassim so jealous. Kassim believed he could never leave the junkyard of a place._

_"Isn't she coming back?" It was a foolish question, but hope flooded him at the prospect of seeing her again. He flash backed to the time when he first saw her in the bar after so long. He didn't know who was singing that night, but vaguely remembers thinking that the song was cheerful, uplifting and bright. He was too wrapped up in Kassim to notice, but the moment the dreadlocked boy's eyes widened, and a flicker of admiration crossed the brown orbs, he felt the arms encircle him and a cheek mold into his own. _

_The thought that had crossed his mind, while far off and lost within the deep recesses of his subconscious, was something like this:_

It feels like home.

_"Alibaba!" Falling to the floor was probably the most idiotic thing he had ever done, but it had happened and even now a flicker of mortification rose up in his chest._

_Her hair, strawberry blond had been put up in a skilled bun and her green mirrors for eyes showed him that yes, he was blushing. Her fourteen year old appearance looked nothing like when she was nine, and while he was able to recognize the full lips and rosy cheeks, Centola had become incredibly...not cute, not adorable, but beautiful. _

_And Kassim got to see her every day like that._

_"No, Alibaba. I don't think she is." Well...who would want to return to a place like this? And if she did have a aunt in Rayide, wouldn't her aunt's life provide a much more stable place for her? It was unfair to hope she would return to Balbadd, and in a flash of realization, he didn't want her to return to a place so filled with strife and despair._

_"...Why didn't you tell two tell me about Mariam?"  
_

_"The year after you left the slums...There was a sickness. They quarantined the Slums so it wouldn't spread to the Palace. We didn't have any doctors or medicine. Many died in horrible agony, including my sister Mariam...As she suffered and grew cold, there was nothing...There was nothing I could do! You want to know what happened Alibaba?!" Kassim was shouting by the end, teeth clenched and jaw tense, he was pulling on his hair as he paced in the small kitchen._

_"I-I-"  
_

_"I left Centola at the house, and went to beg for food. I had to fight people who were once _friends _for the scraps I got. And when I returned home, for the first time in days feeling like I had sort of accomplishment, Centola was there, wailing over Mariam's cold dead body!" Spit flew from his mouth and hot angry tears gathered within his icy eyes. "It felt like time stopped, I couldn't even force myself to look at her body...and Centola, Centola just sobbed and sobbed and it broke my heart to hear her piercing cries. I held her in my arms and tried to think of a way to stop the pain, _but my sister was dead. _And in the end I just cried with her."_

_Something wet fell onto his tunic, and Alibaba quickly swiped at his face, staring at his friend's back. _

_"I tried so hard Alibaba. Centola was the __only person left who I even gave a damn about and I couldn't fix her. The reason I lied to that night was because I already decided to change the Slums and enlighten the people about the cruel monarchy, but the reason Centola lied to you, even if you couldn't see it, was because she was- she was _broken._"_

_Alibaba shakes his head._

_"No, Centola isn't-"  
_

_"She is!" Kassim roared, turning on him "Centola tried to hide it, and she did it well, but I could always see the bags under her eyes and hear __hoarseness of her throat. I tried to protect her but she wouldn't let me...And now I can't even make it right..."_

_"Kassim..."  
_

_"**That's** why I formed the Fog Troop! Hearing about the tunnel helped. After that raid, the Fog Troop was powerful! I gathered troops and weapons...and we fought the soldiers of King Ahbmad Saluja! But something's missing! We're just a motley crew of Slum rats! If nothing changes, they'll hunt us down like mere thieves!"_

Kassim had gone on to convince him to become the leader of the Fog Troop, though Alibaba feels more like a figurehead set up to convince people that they aren't all bad. Kassim isn't bad! Some of the people in the Fog Troop however...

Kassim is family, no matter what happens. Even if he is the reason Centola left, even if he is the cause behind Alibaba's anxieties. Friends are friends, and Alibaba knows Kassim is doing his very best. So Alibaba needs to as well. With that thought in mind, he leaves the broken junkyard behind him, and returns to his base. They have a raid tonight, after all.

* * *

"Bad."

"Ali-dork." Alibaba huffs and turns red while glaring at the child, who smugly smiles and stokes her staff lovingly. Why does she have such a devotion to that thing anyway? It's like the staff is human or something.

_She probably named it and insists people call her by that name._

The thought almost makes him smile, and he tries to move past the...is she ten?

...A ten year old magician, traveling on her own. That reminds him of- No. No more thinking about him.

"What's wrong Prince-y?"

"Prince-y?" He deadpans, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. How come this one little brat gets under his skin so much?

"Yup. Decided on it myself, you little munchkin."

"Mu-munch- You're shorter than me!"

"Yeah but girls are ALLOWED to be short. Your DNA must be wacky."

"My what?"

"And here I thought you had an education!"

_I hate her so much._

* * *

DONE! Thank God I finished today, writers block sucks. Alright, as y'all know, school starts tomorrow (for me anyway) so I won't be able to post as much or often as I have been in the summer :(. But when I do, they will be long! Promise! So um, yeah. Stuff happened :P Lol, Eren barely got any screen time! But then again neither did Judal, Asad and Kougyoku and they will be very important soon. Heh, I'll just have to make the next chappie about them! LOL!

The next chapter will cover a lot of shieße~

Also I posted another story called Beneath the Stars, which holds a bunch of short stories based on the events in this story! Read it if you have a chance, most of them are going to be funny but there will be a few sad ones.

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	10. Chapter 9: Stories We All Tell

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC: **Begin Again

CHAPTER 9: Stories We All Tell

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

"Ja'far...why did she agree so easily?"

"I don't know, Sin"

"...How many De Covernas are there?"

"Three that we know of. Zeina, Centola, and her mother"

"Lilliana"

"?"

"Zeina told me once, when she was partially drunk. Told me about her sweet younger sister…"

"Oh"

* * *

With a huff, Bad trudges through the streets of Balbadd with a certain annoyance in each stomp. Kassim looks back at her and grins, a sort of smugness in his face. She replies by sticking her tongue out.

How dare Alibaba tell her to stay in the back of the group! She is waaaaaay stronger than him, and she has every right to walk in the front- maybe even more right than he himself, and he is the leader!

_Calm down girl, you can prove yourself soon._

With a twist of the lips, she can't wait for the next part.

The next part…

Her heart stops and she can't help but feel a bit...not nervous...anxious. Yes, that's it. Anxiousness. With the anxiousness in mind, she decides to tell herself the story that Centola told her in Rayide. The memory comes to life around her in the streets of Balbadd and all the other members of the Fog Troop disappear.

Centola lay beside her on the bed, and Catrina, using her superhuman strength, pushes her bed right beside Centola's. Their house isn't very big, but it was two stories molded into a corner beside a bar and a brothel, and somehow had enough space for each of the residents, Eren getting a room by himself which caused him to begin to evil laugh and wiggle his eyebrows at the girls who in turn would roll their eyes.

The girls room was perpetually messy, despite Bad's angry twitch and glares. Centola's bookshelf was filled to the very brim and the desk was laid out with scrolls, clothes of three different sizes lay strewn across the floor, and the beds were still as neat as they could be with the three girls now laying on it.

Centola strokes the youngest's hair, smiling a bit as she stares up at the ceiling.

"You all ready?" She asks, motioning the to Fanalis. Catrina nods and scooches closer to her, snuggling into the warm arms that beckon. "Good"

"What's the story, Big Sis?" Bad rubs her eyes, tugging on the older girl's nightgown.

"It's a story about someone whose name no longer exists"

"Eh? A story from Jane and Alice's time?"

"No, a story from this time. A girl who lost her name…a name taken from her at birth"

* * *

_Once Upon A Time, There Lived A Girl Whose Name Was Lost In The Stream of Time…_

"_You worthless BITCH!" The screech was echoed off the walls of the enclosed space, stones catching the enraged sound and hurling it at the other wall like a game of catch. A thick, ear piercing smack was followed shortly after, and the torch on the wall outside of the prison cell flickers ominously. _

_The Girl looks up, her pale eyes flickering with the slightest bit of denial. As if she wanted to pretend that The Man did not just do that. However, he did, and The Girl bites back the sting of tears with a newly lowered head._

"_I'm sorry" she whispers softly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "I didn't know-"  
_"_You didn't know" he imitates her, in a high and mocking voice. The salt stabs her eyelids, and threatens to climb her lashes. "Well guess what? You. Were. WRONG."_

_The Girl wants to open her mouth again, to plead with her mentor that she really didn't know that would happen, but her throbbing of her cheek reminds her to keep silent._

_He goes off on a tangent, and The Girl can only shrink back against the gray walls and pretend she's merely a part of it. The words echo until they are imprinted into her mind, and her long stringy hair falls in front of her eyes, blocking out the bulky form of The Man- no, The Monster, as he shouts and blames her for the death of a comrade._

I didn't know.

* * *

"This is so boring" Eren complains, squatting beside his three companions. Catrina, too focused on the task to listen to his whines, is on his left, scanning the streets with her sharp gaze. Yunan smiles but doesn't reply, and only Yamu, on his right, looks up and rolls her eyes.

"Bad asked us to do this, and you know how she can get" But Yamu says Bad's name with tenderness and affection, and Yunan's smile grows.

"She's such a cutie" Yunan coos, ripping his eyes away from the streets to fantasize about his adoptive daughter. Eren gives them the saddest face he can muster and sniffs.

"Aren't I adorable, papa?" Yunan busts out laughing and Yamu giggles, trying to be stern.

"Now Eren" She says, her voice cracking a little bit "You know that you are very adora-able!" She is thrown into fits of giggles too, mainly because Eren had closed in on her and jutted out his upper lip. Catrina smacks his arm without looking and Eren chuckles.

"Can we please get back to work?"

"What are we even suppose to be doing?" Catrina smacks him again, and Eren tries not to wince. One hit doesn't hurt that bad, a second in the same place isn't really comfortable.

"Weren't you listening?"

"Oh come now Catrina!" Yamu exclaims, stroking Eren's arm in a motherly way. "You know our little Eren needs a refresher every now and then"

"Yeah-! Wait what?"

"Fine. There are three reasons why we are here right now" Catrina holds up a finger "One: to make sure Centola stays on script because God knows she likes to improvise, two: make sure Bad stays on script because God knows she LOVES to improvise, and three:" She actually turns to face them on this one, an unreadable expression across her usually cheerful face.

The expression suits her so well that it sort of frightens Eren. However, Catrina is a Fanalis, and most Fanalis have an expressionless face. But the way she slips into it so well...It's like she'd been hiding that part of herself away all this time, and in a moment of seriousness it crawled back into her features like a spider returning to it's web.

The third finger goes up.

"We have make sure Fate stays on script, because God knows that it'll try to thwart us and bend around our actions. In order to keep that from happening, we have to create a...a…"

"Gap"

"Yes. A gap, or a whole in the fabric of fate. Like a rock in a river, the water will move around it, so…"

"So our job is to make sure that the rock stays steady, and that no water gets over it" Eren's eyes narrow, and he quickly runs a hand through his neat green hair. He wishes this isn't going where he thinks it's going...

"Preciously. As long as Fate ignores this event, we can get away with anything"

Out of the corner of his eye, Eren sees the two adults take hands, as if holding on to one another for reassurance and comfort.

"Even…" Yamu gulps "Even murder"

* * *

_And This Girl, Who Life Seemed To Have Forgotten, Lived In Isolation For Many, Many Years…_

_Too bright! The light hit her face and she moans, turning around so that it hit her back. How long since she's seen such pure sunbeams? She wants to go back into her pit, her prison, and sink back into the blackness, but the tugging on her arm spins her around once again and pulls, nearly drags, her away from the entryway._

"_Come on!" Comes The Monster's demand, and she forces her feet to mend themselves to the earth. She's not weak, though she is hungry and confused. With the end of The Monster's rant so many years ago came a command that finally broke the tears past the boundary of her eyes. _

"Rot in here forever"

_So why had he taken her out? The Girl wishes she could contemplate this change in his actions. Her stomach grumbles loudly and he shoots her a scathing look and she knows he hasn't forgiven her._

That's fine. I haven't forgiven myself.

* * *

Yamu's not scared. She's not. The mage knows what needs to be done, but it's…it's…

It's complicated.

She's just a bit freaked out is all. With everything that is happening, it feels like it's going too fast. Yamu and Yunan decided to go to where Sinbad will be tonight while Catrina and Eren went to the main battle where Alibaba will show.

Yamu flies silently on her long staff, and Yunan sits beside her silently, holding a hand on her shoulder to steady himself.

"Hey Yunan…?"

"Yes?"

"Is what we are doing right?" The magi squeezes her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"...You know, I've asked myself that many times over the past few years. Do we have the right to change Fate? What makes us so important that we can play God, deciding who lives and who dies?" Yunan goes quiet for a moment, and Yamu listens carefully to his breathing. The steady in and out that calms her is replaced by deep, almost shaky breaths. "Do we have the right to love people we weren't originally meant to love?"

Yamu tries really hard not to read into that comment, and, since she is riding side-saddle, she turns and looks him straight in his pale blue eyes.

The moon is silver in the black sky, casting an incredibly strange shadow on the Earth. It's cold, and the fog spreads out below them, snaking through the twists of the streets like an incoming warning of danger. The citizens of Balbadd all hurry into their homes, knowing what will occur but doing nothing to stop it.

Above all that, above the cruel reality and the dysfunctional government ocean blue and sky blue clash as they find their answer.

"I think...I think it's the outcome that matters…" Yamu whispers breathlessly, barely heard over the wind.

"But do we have the right-"

"We are…" She interrupts, blinking hard. "We are here. And we know what'll happen. So no, we don't have the right, but we have the knowledge to save people. And while we aren't God and shouldn't have control over what we do...shouldn't we at least- at least try to save the ones we can save?" Yunan doesn't answer, and Yamu lowers her head, her blue locks falling over her eyes.

A arm wraps around her waist, and Yamu leans against him, swallowing the lump in her throat. The Magi, with a hint of remorse in his words, says,

"I think it's this way" Yamu shakes her head.

"You really have no sense of direction, do you?" He chuckles, but the silence is awkward. Yamu wishes she could take the question back, and maybe make the complications of a few simple sentences away from their relationship.

They were so happy and now…

Maybe Yamu is afraid, but not about things moving too fast or hurting others. She's afraid about…

"I'm sorry" He whispers to her, and she places a hand over his, wondering how her daughter expects her to hit the ground running, when she's been floating all this time.

* * *

Khadeja put up a hell of a fight, but in the end Centola convinced her to stay with Ja'far, Aladdin, and Morgiana, though only after her Mistress promised to be the crap out of the two men if they tried anything. The infamous and familiar fog of Balbadd swirls a few feet in front of her, and Centola is alone with the De Coverna family's number one enemy: Sinbad, King of Sindria. And Masrur, of course. The Fanalis male stands off to the right with Sinbad, looking expressionless except for a bit of weariness around his eyes.

Centola can't blame him; her aunt has told stories about her exploits in Sindria and all the trouble she has stirred up while there. One of those stories was about Masrur, and the time she tricked him into thinking she was drowning. He ended up jumping off a waterfall and into a river to 'save' her, when really she was doing just fine with freestyle.

Most Temptation magic is made up of illusions.

Sinbad has his perpetual childish grin on his face, shivering due to the cold and making slight jokes to his General. He tries not to look at her, and all the tales of Zeina's childish pranks on the playboy King makes Centola shutter.

"_Once" _Zeina had said, sipping her wine with a hint of drunken glaze in her maroon orbs "_I convinced him I lost all my memories!"_ Centola had shaken her head, disapproving but still listening.

_"And?"_

"_And another time- and another time! I told him that I was in love with him"_ She had snorted, sticking her tongue out playfully. "_You should have seen his face~!"_

Well she's seeing it now, and honestly something about how he hold himself frightens her ever so slightly.

She doesn't let it show.

Rule number one: a temptress must always be most beautiful.

Rule number two: a Temptress must never let anything show.

"_That's our curse" _

…

"_Never let anything out"_

…

ACHOO!

Startled, Centola turns toward Sinbad, who shivers and complains about the weather. Centola giggles and jokes,

"Well, if we're going to be here for a while, then you'll get used to it" Masrur's eyes are cold, aren't they?

"Hm? How do you know that?"

"_Don't trust Sinbad my dear"_

"I grew up here" blinking owlishly, Sinbad scrutinizes her, and then the surroundings.

"This is the home of the De Covernas?" The thought of her aunt's lavish lifestyle makes her once again laugh at the assumption, shaking her head.

"Oh heavens no! I was born here but my aunt wasn't. Honestly, it surprised Zeina when she heard I lived in Balbadd most of my life" Centola winks at the two men, who get red at the action. Huh, she got Masrur to blush. "But knowing Zeina, she hasn't told you two anything about her"

"...You're right~! She hasn't at all!"

"HEY, YOU DOWN THERE! GUARD THE AREA PROPERLY!" Spit flies from the noble's mouth, and Centola comes _this _close to gagging. "For goodness sake...Just because the army doesn't have enough manpower, they only sent two guards over, making me so worried I lost my appetite!" He turns away from the window, munching on his chicken leg, and Centola is glad the fog covers her.

God only knows what would happen if he noticed her. The Temptress pulls the ends of the cloak wrapped around her frame closer and tries to ignore the warning signals in the back of her head.

"He's still eating nonstop, though"

What a deep voice you have, Masrur.

_Making jokes to distract from the next scene. Real appropriate, Cent._

Off to the side, a figure sways back and forth in the fog, and a tiny part of her gasps, even though she knows what is happening.

The woman's black hair is stringy and hangs in front of her eyes, and though her clothes fit, they cling to her sharp bones. She has a certain waxy glow to her dark skin, like a layer of sweat is over her despite the cold night.

Something struggles against her memory.

"Hey, are you alright?" The poor woman falls into Sinbad's arms, and she holds her baby close to her chest, protecting the kid.

When the dagger is pulled out, Centola flinches, sidestepping toward the two other makeshift guards as the woman clumsily regains her balance, shifting the baby in her arms.

_Who…?_

The thump of feet surround them, and standing back to back to back the trio glare at the fog.

"So, the Fog Troop finally revealed itself?" Centola hums and Masrur crouches, tense like a predator. "The fog blocking our vision is making it hard to understand the situation!"

"Understood" The Fanalis wraps his arms around a tree trunk, and with a groan the tree submits to his will, being hefted into the air and then swung around. Some people cry out in surprise and that fog dissipates between the group.

They look just like in the manga, but the reality of these people makes her wince sadly. There's only six. A girl, whose hair is ratty and eyes are wild, two beaten down men who can't look them in the eye, a teen with swollen eyes and a old man with ribs showing. And the woman…

"Y-You are...are you with this mansion?" Centola freezes at the voice, and shift the cloak closer to her shoulders.

_That voice…?_

"If you try to stop us...We'll kill you…! We are just here to steal food! My daughter will die of hunger if she doesn't eat today" The child's arm...in the manga it looks merely drawn, but...Centola almost gags at the dried husk of a child's arm. It's undoubtedly dead, but she just...God it's too much…

_Especially since this person is…_

"This child is the third. I don't want to lose any other children because of the high taxes of this country!" In her anger, she begins to scream by the end, and the Slum people surround her like a barrier, drawn to the mutual hatred and sadness. In the window the nobleman appears, the two women on his arms sneering down at the near-tears woman who interrupted their meal.

"Hmph...Aren't these residents of the Slums!? Shoo! You all stink! I'll give you this," He aims the chicken leg and throws, "So just go somewhere else!"

_Slums..._

The woman drops to her knees her hand quivering as she tries struggles with herself. Pick up the now dirty, spit ridden food? Or leave the only good piece of meat you've seen in who knows how long? Her eyes show a wild need, but her shaking arm shows her willpower.

The second before she grabs the bone, some one stops her.

Centola doesn't care that her dress is now dirty, or that she's not following the plan, or that she is disregarding the third rule of being a Temptress. Sinbad stills behind her, and the young Temptress grips the woman's wrist, touching the frail and thin bone beneath her fingertips without inflicting pain for the woman. Her hood falls onto her shoulders, revealing her face and hair.

"A-ah, C-Centola?!" she asks, surprise raising in her voice. The other slum people jolt with surprise, and one by one memories of all of them come trickling back to her, their faces being placed in the most obscure of memories. The two men came to watch her in the bar sometimes, cheering with the other men and flirting with the girls, and once gave her flowers. She helped that old man carry his food one day when he had too much for his old bones. The girl told her she was beautiful, and the teen had been friends with Kassim.

"It's me, Shana"

Shana, smiles crookedly, her almond eyes filling with emotion.

"I thought you were gone…?" She sounds so broken…

"Centola...Lilliana's Centola?" One man asks, nudging his friends "You came home to Balbadd?"

"Yes...I'm said I would come back" Centola soothes. She releases Shana and in once graceful swoop her cloak is now covering her dear old friend, wrapping around her and filling her with Centola's past warmth. She realizes just how cold it really is. She'd forgotten the cool air of the Balbadd night, and the pale light of the almost-full moon.

"Little Centola…" Shana coos, the pads of her fingers barely brushing the girl's cheek.

"You don't have to take leftovers from this man. Go inside and take what you need, but please, don't hurt any of the people there. Please."

The surprise lines their faces, and it melts into determination and slight awe. Centola gets Shana to her feet, and her ex-coworker doesn't let go of the Temptress.

"Are you coming home? To Kassim and Ali?"

"I…Not right now, Shana. I will, but you can't tell them you saw me. Please, Shana, they can't know I'm here right now"

"O-okay...Will you meet my daughter?" She doesn't look at the dead baby in Shana's arms, and instead straight into her eyes. "She's one now…"

"...Yes"

In the cold black night, the nobleman cries out in surprise, telling his traitorous guards to guard properly. It's not right, but the small, meaningless victory of being three-fourths of the way through this night brings a smile to her features, and the tiny promise to a poor woman adds to it, brightens it, and at the same time a green mirror fogs and fills with a truth too much to bear.

_It wasn't Shana in the manga._

* * *

"Is that alright?" Masrur has hard eyes, not like Catrina's friendly, enthusiastic ones. It's funny how two people could look so much alike yet act and be so different. Centola looks back at him, rubs her cold shoulders and shrugs, returning to that not-quite moon.

It's fat in the sky, but the edges are blurred, and the result is a sort of hazy, dream like image plastered into the dark, starless sky.

If the night sky were a person, she supposes that person would be clever. Smart, maybe, mostly clever, with all knowing eyes and a brave, if not courageous heart. Dark, too. Different shades of dark, sometimes a light blue when touching her people, othertimes black like a place that has never seen light. Her stars are her eyes, and her moon is her heart, bright within a pool of sin. Yet she loves, so much, too much, and because of that she is driven to do things that hurt innocents and horrible people as well. She doesn't mean to, it just happens.

The night sky is so much like…

Exactly like…

Scarily like Badroubadour.

Too lost in her thoughts, Masrur takes her silence for her answer, and Sinbad stares in the same direction as she, into the false moon that looks like a dream.

"We've only promised to capture the Fog Troop...This country...May be beyond hope already"

"No" It's a soft voice, her voice, that slips through the air. So miniscule a sound, though enough to get the attention of the men beside her. "I grew up...In a place where family means everything. Balbadd is a city, but it's also a giant, messed up, dysfunctional family. We hate one another like siblings, love each other like married couples, and torment one another like cousins who have way too much time on their hands and are stuck together for a long while. If there is one thing I know for sure...where there is family, there is love. And where there is love, there is hope"

Somewhere out there, under protection of the night, her hopes are. Their pulses keep her going, the possibilities for their futures motivating her, even when she's certain they may hate her. Her hopes are her loves, and her loves are her family.

A prayer is loosened from the clutches of her heart, and Centola wishes with everything she has to meet them again.

_Kassim, Alibaba…I miss you…_

* * *

_But The Girl Was Special, You See, And So The Monster Who Hated Her Decided To Make Her A New Cage; One That The Girl Would Construct Herself..._

_The Girl can see what no one else can._

_The Girl can hear what no one else can._

_The Girl can taste what no one else can._

_So to the man known purely as The Monster, she is a precious gem that mustn't be wasted. At the same time, however, she is a curse. Her skills weren't enough back then, and so The Monster's brother, his sole remaining family, was killed. _

_It's not fair._

_So he locked her away with the intention of throwing away the key._

_Still…_

_A gem, no matter how incredibly dangerous, is still worth something to the buyer. The Girl was only eleven when the event that killed his brother occurred, so blaming her for something like that wasn't proper justice._

_It felt so good._

_Years after his brother's death, The Monster let The Girl out, deciding on a new way of punishment._

"Get back to work"

* * *

As a child, Judal couldn't sleep unless Asad was near. He must have slept without his brother for a long while before meeting him, but once he did he found what he had been missing out on.

It was a selfish act. He wanted his silver-haired brother all to himself without those stupid Al Thamen guys, and that could only happen when he was wrapped up in warm, older arms that sloppily pulls the covers up on winter nights. Asad always kept Judal close, and the magi, joyous at this show of affection, practically was glued to the onyx eyed boy, never gone from from the side of his sibling.

The Holy Keeper was the Oracle's only friend. Judal isn't afraid to admit that he loves his brother, probably more than he should, and that's the reason he still can't believe what has recently come to light.

One of his most vivid memories was of Asad. He was holding his hand, and Judal was small. Really, really small. Asad was at least ten, and probably over a foot and a half taller than the eight year old. Those not quite black eyes were so warm, even though they weren't a light color. Asad had taken him on a trip to the outside, not to the city but the plains, where hills rolled and the fruit trees bore ripe fruit.

Before leaving the Imperial palace on their carpet, Asad had convinced him to wear thin, shorter kimonos than the ones they usually wear, which Judal received with skepticism. It was a surprise to feel the intense heat of the countryside, and the itch of a sunburn on his pale skin. Asad didn't have to worry about sunburns- he never got any, an anomaly that intrigued the younger.

They had picked peaches, feasting on berries, cheese, bread and little sticky sweet-buns. The sun was pale white, causing the shadows to be deep and cool, especially with the light breeze. Flowers decorated the grass, and he liked the way they swayed, even if he wouldn't say it to his older sibling. He had so much fun that day, and when the leaves on the branches shake and quiver in the wind, the red eyed boy fell asleep on his only family member's lap.

Judal never thought twice about his brother being in pain. The Holy Keeper would always be by his side, keeping him calm, keeping him steady, and with purpose. The old farts with the organization would have him go out to raise dungeons and 'guide' the soon-to-be King Vessels. Judal thought is was the only interesting thing they made him do.

But what did they make Asad do, as the Holy Keeper? When he asked his teacher Marrkio about it once, the old man had cackled and replied,

"Asad is merely paying the price for his actions"

"...What had he done wrong in the first place?" As far as the black haired eight year old was concerned, Asad did nothing else but spoil and joke with him, teaching him about ditching the occasional lesson and chuckling about the latest palace rumors which always seem to find their way into his keen ears.

Why, just last week Asad had stolen an entire basket full of sweets and fruit and spirited him away for a fun afternoon on a neighboring hillside! And before that, when they snuck out undetected due to his brother's awesome power and strolled through the market, Asad buying him all sorts of fun toys and introducing him to his favorite fruit: peaches.

Asad was a bit overbearing at times, but he was the best brother anyone could ask for. Why would he need to be punished for showing his love for his sibling? It didn't make any sense to the young boy.

So, being straight-forward like Asad taught him to be, he asked the older child.

"Brother, why do you go away so much?" Asad got that look he sometimes wears, made up of sadness and resignation.

"Because I have a duty to fulfill"

"But why? If it causes you pain then you shouldn't do it!" The child exclaims, pointing at his brother "You taught me that!" Asad nods, patting the boy's hair with his surprisingly gentle hands.

"Actually Judal, I told you that causing pain to anyone is bad, and that you shouldn't do it, but good job for remembering! And I guess you're right, but..." The sadness is replaced by an affectionate smile "Some people are worth feeling pain for...and some people are worth causing pain for"

The magi didn't realize it then, but his brother had splayed out the information before him on a silver platter. Judal didn't get it at the time. It came slowly, piece by piece, until he figured it out with silent horror many years later. He never told his sibling that he knew, and his elder brother never told him about what he did.

Until a few months ago, when something terrifying happened, and Asad flew into a mad rage at the one who instigated it, nearly killing Marrkio in the process. Judal never dreamed of being afraid of his brother, but the red face and snarl Asad wore would sow fear into any man's heart.

Judal knew that keeping the emotions bottled up wouldn't be good for his big brother, but never did he try to stop it either. He couldn't. Because once the words that scared the both of them were said out loud, it would be real, and Judal didn't want that.

It was real now.

He wanted to be selfish one more time, and even though he is a eighteen year old, Asad opens his arms and he crawls into them like a child, curling up in the fetal position and fitting into the warmth of Asad's side.

The twenty year old chuckles and pulls the covers up, whispering,

"Stay a child, Judar"

How much longer can Judal stay a child, when Asad has been an adult for so long?

* * *

_The Girl, With A Heavy Heart, Was Told By The One She Once Adored To Recall Who She Was..._

_Bright, bright, bright. Why is it so bright? The Sun mocks The Girl, and she contemplates scowling at it, screaming at it to leave her alone. She misses the darkness. The black skies of the night, and beautiful twinkling of the stars. The Moon is so much prettier than The Sun, and gentler, more sympathetic. _

_But once again returning her focus to the bazaar around her, The Girl picks up the dizzying perfumes of the Ladies of the Night and the Hunger of the Hurt. The pain in the air chokes her, and the fabrics, rich and heavy wrap around her like swirling tides of a under-toe. Swords from a long ago time are drawn, and a crack forms on the wall across the street. _

_The taste of spice and sugar clash on her tongue, and leaning heavily against a pillar The Girl tries to regain her balance and sight. It has been so long since she's seen the outside, and now all The World is embracing her, trying all at once to tell her the stories she has missed while she was away._

_The pulse of The Earth presses on her, trying to sync back into rhythm with her heartbeat, invading her mind and instantly trying to stitch up the scars in her mind, tightening her (or is it a he?) invisible barrier against the thin frame of The Girl. Chuckling weakly, the pale eyed girl drifts down to her knees, ignoring the stares of the passer-byers, and strokes the ground, gathering the teeny tiny sand that were once mighty rocks in her fingers and then releasing them slowly._

"Don't worry, I'm back for you"

* * *

_The Girl Was Lonely, And The Girl Was Scared…_

_She doesn't want to. The Monster demands she work, but it's not right, not anymore. All those years in the cell, looking upward with a hope she tried to throw away, but couldn't because in her mind she needed to get out._

_To see The World again, and hear it's stories._

_Right now, it lulls her into a calm, gathering a shawl made of pine and snow around her and whispering in a haunting voice the story of a righteous hero who saved his family from disaster. Tears gather in her eyes as the tale hits it's climax, and then they streak down her cheeks as hiccups tear their way through her throat._

_She can't stay anymore._

_The Girl had been set free from The Monster to go one way, but now she walks the other way, her long, wild hair twisting like serpents as she departs. The twists of buildings disappear as The Path glows, and she follows it, knowing that The World is protecting her, guiding her toward a destiny forgotten with her name._

Begin with a smile, and end with a tear, these are the words I shall hold dear.

* * *

_Walking Miles On End, With No One But The World For Company, The Girl Finally Reached Her Destination…_

_It was dark when she arrived. Her throat burned, and her feet were calloused, but The Path brought her to a well, and she drank from it, feeling the relief flow through her body with each gulp._

_When she finished, The Girl studied her new home. The Path could only take her so far, and she knows that The World was just giving her a head start. _

_The Monster will be coming. _

_After years keeping her in a cage, she would have thought that he'd have more brains than to just let her out, but apparently he thought that she lost her will in the prison, and would be more than happy to continue the business._

_No happiness can come from murder._

_So here she was, running from her sins, looking for somewhere to hide and forget, and perhaps live a little more. _

_**Years and years ago**_

_The begining of a tale makes her relax, and while her body moves her mind is taken to a much higher, more blissful place._

_**A little daughter was born of great beauty and everlasting magic made by the stars themselves, and she went on to see the world with a knowing, reflective pair of eyes. Within these eyes you could see yourself as you are truly, or yourself at your greatest point in life...**_

_Finding a peaceful rhythm, The Girl floats through the city, eyes closed and feet barely touching the ground._

It's time to die.

* * *

_It's Scary How She Almost Lost Herself Within The Vortex Of Self Pity, But Then…_

_The Monster entered the city. She could sense the alcohol and drugs dripping of his scent, oozing around the city and filling her with agony. The Girl wants it to end! This is the fourth city he has tracked her to, and now his anger reached an unimaginable high point, making her quiver under the looming shadow of danger. _

_The Girl's feet bleed after traveling for so long, and she collapses, laying still in an alley. He finds her there, half-dead and waiting for the final blow, which he complies with, lifting one large hammer like hand and preparing to finish The Girl, who believes she might as well be already dead._

"_You there!" Someone shouts, and The Monster freezes, slowly dropping his hand down and turning with the speed of a snail. "What do you think you're doing?!"_

"_I-I...I'm, um...It's…" He just keeps looking at the source of the voice, which moves closer. It is a feminine, kind voice with the tone of authority The Monster somehow complies to. "You are...Who?"_

"_Go" It's said with such loathing and finality that The Monster nods, and rushes out of the alley, practically sprinting away. At his back, the woman- definitely a woman- screams, "And never, ever return to this woman!"_

_A woman?_

_How old is she?_

_When The Girl thinks about this, she realizes that she is no longer a girl. She's a Woman, with a wild hair and amethyst eyes, a life she hates and memories of other people's exploits that The World told her in her dreams. All the agnst of the things she never got to have bubble up inside of her, and she shouts at Her Savior who drove The Monster away,_

"_I don't want your help! I don't want your pity!"_

"_Then why do you beg for it?" Her hands placed themselves over her clasped ones, gently stroking them like a mother would a child, trying to coax them open to show the hidden treasure they had stolen out from the air._

_How to answer this? It's not like The Woman had wanted to be here, but she was at the end of her rope, and desperation had clawed its way into her actions. With the last of her strength, she looks upwards into the face of the one comforting her. Then the tears came. They slide effortlessly down her cheeks, and the very being of the one before her is enough to make all her worries disappear, for even a moment._

_The Woman can see what no one else can._

_The Woman can hear what no one else can._

_The Woman can taste what no one else can._

_And what is before her right now, is the very beacon of hope and beauty. Bright, so bright, yet so comforting, so sincere. Warm, so warm. Imagine a being made of pure white snow, yet with the warmth of a fire and a teaspoon of sugar. A voice of bells, sliding like silk against the skin, just as sunlight could only beg to touch her own. Raindrops aren't as graceful, and no stained glass window could compare to her mirror like eyes._

_A butterfly, frail and delicate, is released from the palm of the child, and reclaims its place in the skies with just a few flaps of her delicate yet strong orange, black and yellow wings._

"_Come with me, my dear"_

"_...Yes…"_

A little daughter was born of great beauty and everlasting magic.

* * *

Khadeja watches as the eerie scarlet fog sneaks up on the guards, pulling them into a lovely lullaby made up from their most deepest of desires. She had felt the pull long before it had came, so she snuck up onto the roof, telling Ja'far that she thought a better view would help matters. Had it been any other time, she would have told everyone to get up onto the roof, but Lady Centola hadn't told her to do that.

"_Please Khadeja? Won't you watch them?"_

Her Mistress was always, ALWAYS careful with her wording. If she wanted Khadeja to protect them, she would have said so. If she wanted Khadeja to help them, she would have said so. But Lady Centola said **watch**.

And 'watch' in her experience means study them, calculate their uses, and report back. Usually only Lady Zeina asks her to do this, so it was a weird thing for Centola to ask, but she did so anyway, since Mistress Centola is her most important person.

So she crouches and stares.

And then she feels the slight change in the wind. Not that it became harder or softer or even stopped, but a smell drifts through the air and she catches it despite the miniscule change.

He's here.

"So you noticed it too?" She turns her head and observes him, noting how his eyes are doing the exact same thing to her.

_Intelligent...skilled in detection._

He holds shields his hands in his robes, and looks solemnly toward the hallucinations guards. Khadeja nods.

"Yes" her answer is short and clipped, and she stands, feeling the breeze tussle her short curls. The breeze carries the sea and the imprint of sunkissed skin, the sweat of hard work. She noticed him because in the wind those scents dimmed.

_He smells like nothing._

"Have you seen Catrina and Aladdin?" He has a slightly worried tone, and she once again studies the facial expression he wears.

_Overbearing...like a mother._

"Lets look for them then" She turns in the other direction, detecting a something that resembles wildflowers. Off she goes, jumping roof to roof silently, hearing him follow. Up ahead, a blur of red shoots out of the smoke and lands on the roof, kneeling by the edge. They arrive behind her, and Ja'far speaks.

"They seem to be hallucinating. Are you alright Morgiana? Fanalis are sensitive to smell so you were able to notice it earlier. This mist is slightly scarlet in color...it's smell is also similar to that of poisonous plants which can cause paralysis"

_Interest in poison. Or maybe knowledge?_

"This is not humanly possible"

_Then you don't know Zeina like I do._

"It was likely done by using one of the mysterious powers they possess"

_Mental note: adding 'no sense of perception' to the list…_

"As you can see, our target, the Fog Troop, is at the source of this fog"

_Really? I just thought it was a welcome party! Okay, time to stop with the sarcasm._

But she snorts, and he glares at her. Khadeja returns the favor.

"Well, are we going to sit around chatting or get us some petty thieves?" His face turns red with anger, but he manages to keep his cool. Khadeja can't believe she can actually get under his skin, considering his usual amount of calm.

"What about Aladdin?" Morgiana asks worriedly, and Khadeja pursues her lips. On the ground, a little boy with a long blue braid lay asleep, a childish smile gracing his equally as innocent features. Despite her rough demeanor, Khadeja has a fondness for children, especially the sweet ones like Aladdin.

"I doubt they would hurt anyone- nonetheless a child. This fog is to disarm the guards, not to slaughter the helpless. Remember Miss Mor, they are 'chivalrous ' thieves" The first part is held with the gentleness of a mother, and then she adds sarcastically to the man beside her, "Wouldn't want to ruin their reputation, after all"

"Tch"

_RUDE._

Ja'far tells them to take positions, and reluctantly the Fanalis moves away from her friend, hiding in the shadows across from Khadeja.

The right hand woman of Centola De Coverna has two choices; 1. help the idiotic Ja'far and loyal Morgiana, or 2. watch, like her Mistress asked her to.

Weighing the options isn't an easy choice, and she wonders briefly what her Mistress is up to. Does she really mean to capture the Fog Troop? Or is there something more to this trip than what meets the eye? Khadeja isn't sure, but she obeys like a good servant would.

If she watches like Mistress Centola asked her to, than Ja'far, Morgiana and Aladdin could be placed in a dangerous situation (despite the boy being asleep). On the other hand, more information could be gathered and recorded. Back on the other hand, Ja'far wouldn't trust her, and Morgiana and Aladdin might be suspicious.

Information.

Action.

Data.

Fighting!

OBSERVATION!

ATTACK! Wait-

In her fog (pun not intended) of unsureness, the Fog Troop had attacked and somehow opened up a hole in the wall. Ja'far whipped out his weapons, strange blades attached to red wires, snatched up two men, who shout in surprise.

_Likes to give speeches…_

In the next few seconds, six men are rounded up and crying out protests.

_Well...he's efficient…_

Then the black fog comes and surrounds the Sindrian Advisor, bringing him down to the ground as beads of sweat develop on his forehead. The chick with the red sword cries out,

"It's Kassim!" Her excitement palpable to the disappointed black haired woman.

She was hoping to see a good fight between Ja'far and the Fog Troop. Kassim says something about letting his friends go, and Khadeja feels a strange aura around him. Like a hate filled blackness attached to his body. Khadeja really thinks that maybe they should have attacked all at once. She turns to tell Morgiana this, but the girl is already off and running, attacking the unsuspecting thieves with a-

**Smack**

**Crunch**

_That's gonna hurt in the morning._

The dreadlocked man attacks her with the fog, but struggles against her Fanalis strength. Pride shoots through her, and she wonders briefly about whether or not getting attached is what Mistress Centola wanted her to do. Well she's attached alright, and the fact becomes clear once the black fog smashes Morgiana to the ground, who gives a strangled cry.

Next thing she knows, she dashing out of the shadows, and headed straight for the man- Kassim's back. Someone gives a strangled cry, but her knives are already out from the holsters on her thighs and she lunges for his throat. He dodges clumsily, and she jabs once again.

**Ting!**

_A swordsman?!_

Someone, wearing a white rag over his face, blocks her next attempt, and Khadeja backpeddles a few feet, sizing up the opponent. Her other dagger slipped out of her hand during the surprise block, and now she only has one foot long silver knife to wield. The hilt was a blood red, and two green serpents twist over one another to the end of the five inch hilt, with both snakes gazing at a blue gem.

"Partner! Can you handle the woman?"

"Hm" Kassim shouts for the men to go and start the pillaging, and a cloud of misunderstanding takes over Khadeja's mind. What is she suppose to do? What did Mistress tell her to do? Mistress said watch them, but did she want her to capture the thieves? Why was she so darn secretive about the entire plan, and if she doesn't want Khadeja to stop all this, where is the sign?

The boy rushes forward and she sidesteps his attack, instantly recognizing royal swordplay. Unfortunatly, Khadeja knows Balbaddian royal swordplay, as well as some of Reim's gladiator's skills.

She parries his next move, and as his own dagger is flipped upwards, she prepares for her riposte. Surprisingly, he is able to swing the forte in a swift arc downwards, and once again she is forced back. For a while they run circles around each other, testing the skill and the knowledge of one another. The thieves who are suppose to be looting become enraptured with the battle, and even Kassim can't get them to loot.

Khadeja is quite proud of her skills as a swordswoman, but she soon sees that she is neck and neck with the boy- a teen really, in front of her. Scanning her brain, she thinks of something, anything, that could save her butt. If she didn't make out of this alive, then her Mistress would be very upset-

Wait.

Her Mistress.

"How could a slum rat know such complex techniques?" she sneers at him, and he stiffens slightly, backing up as she quickly throws two feints and a high slash.

"Where did a woman learn to fight?" he asks in a surprisingly low tone.

"This woman is ten-times smarter than you boy, but nice try" The sugary sweet tone is laced with sarcasm, and she once again lunges. He's forced to start his defensive techniques. "What I would like to know, though, is why you think you can beat me"

He gulps as she finally nicks his arm, pulling away quickly and trying not to stagger over the stones. It's working, and Khadeja has finished preparing her finishing move. Mistress Centola always says,

_"If you can't beat them, distract them enough to win"_

"After all, you're just a child. Perhaps seventeen at least, and incredibly well educated. You hide your face and try to hide your voice because you're trying to become invisible and don't want to be found" Her fast, calculated steps force him toward the wall. Just a few more feet… "People treat you like a leader, but inside you question this because you've done something risky in the past...caused someone to be killed, perhaps? Well, whatever it was, you now face a situation you can't get out of, and thus have resorted in hiding behind the one thing you're good at: swordplay. However."

He finally hits the wall, and Khadeja thanks God for natural reflexes. He turns to look at what he hit, and in the moment the right-hand woman of Centola De Coverna disarms him by hitting the hilt of his dagger, which send the weapon skittering across the rough ground. The boy looks to reach out for it, but she placed the tip of her blade right under his chin, pressing into the soft flesh of his neck, and says loudly so that those around can hear:

"You have forgotten the number one rule of swordplay. As good as you are, there will always be someone better"

Something tickles her back. She whips around in time to feel the pressure of the black fog as it wraps around her figure, lifts her into the air, and slams her down by Morgiana at least fifteen feet away. All the air leaves her, and her chest caves in on herself. As she struggles for breath, Ja'far and Morgiana try to reach for her, calling her name. Black spots prance around her vision, and she can see the faded stars up in the sky above, winking at her like she said some sort of cosmic joke they found hilarious.

When the breath enters her throat, it cuts along her esophagus and punches her lungs, making her grasp the dirt. Other than the movement of her breathing and the grabbing at the ground, the pressure digs into her skin and holds her down, enough so that she can't even remember what happened mere seconds ago.

"Khadeja!" Morgiana gapes, pressing forward as if to gather her into her arms.

"A-Aladdin" She manages to say before moaning in the pain of speaking.

"You're right!"

They scream Aladdins name (Ja'far and Morgiana at least, Khadeja still lays in the dirt) and finally get the frightened boy to awaken. Khadeja musters her strength, which she had exhausted, and presses herself up just an inch, managing to turn onto her stomach, surveying the scene. Aladdin races to the front, and she scans the people. The boy she fought gathered up the dagger he dropped and her own weapons lay just a few feet ahead of her.

Maybe if she could get them…

Then what? The fog is still pressing on her like a ton of bricks, and it's not like she can cut it, even though it feels solid. She could try to throw the knife at the man, Kassim, but he's too far away.

"Damn it!" Khadeja wheezes, "Ja'far, please tell me you have a plan!" She knows now. Mistress Centola must have sent her here to save them, right? Yes, she said 'watch', but this battle, this scuffle between two very different types of people must be the thing she wanted her to do. After all, her Mistress said she would help get the Fog Troop, so-

_No. Fucking. __**Way.**_

Behind all the thieves, what caught her attention, would be the short, thin figure of a young kid, with long silky hair and piercing eyes. Despite being far away, the smell of frozen roses drifts like perfume to her, and a chill settles over her bones. Piercing eyes meet hers, and a cocky grin greets her, as well as a finger pressing to that grin and a very soft but heard,

"Shush~"

The long gold staff, the purple dress and sash, bangles and a hoop earring…

_**Bad!?**_

She tenses as behind her Aladdin summons Ugo and spreads his arms, yelling a second after her seeing Bad,

"I won't let you pass!" He's a child.

A ten year old, innocent child whose kindness reminds her so much like her Mistress that it _hurts_ to even imagine him getting hurt. Khadeja nearly screams out her frustration and uncontrollable anger, pounding the ground.

There it was. The sign.

Bad was with the Fog Troop, and therefore, she had to let them win. Slumping down on the rough stones, she stops struggling and allows the battle to rage on.

_If I didn't love you Mistress, I wouldn't let this go on._

* * *

"Bad?" Kassim hisses, trying to focus on the battle taking place. Darn, Centola's right-hand woman sure knows how to fight, doesn't she?

_So you sent the servant, eh Centola?_

Alibaba is forced back, reluctant to use Amon to defeat the ferocious attacker. Sneaking past the enraptured thieves was easy, but Kassim had caught her. He glares with those sharp eyes of his, and Bad sheepishly takes a step back.

"Hehe, looks like I got caught~!"

"Alibaba said to stay in the back" Which really means, 'I said to stay in the back'. Bad fixes her purple sash and pouts.

"I helped with this plan! I'm strong, so let me show you what I can do!" Kassim shakes his head, angry but understanding- understanding, which was something that he only showed to the younger girl.

"I can't let you get hurt. Alibaba would kill me"

"Alibaba hates my guts"

"No he doesn't, he just doesn't understand why you're so difficult" Bad meets his eyes with a glare of her own, and says with bitterness,

"I've gotten where I am by being difficult. If I wasn't, then I doubt I'd even be alive" Kassim has a gentle side. She's never seen it, but has heard about it from Centola numerous times. The angry lines of his face would relax, and the tightness of his sharp eyes would become sad, showing that he does care, in a weird, gruff way.

It's exactly like Centola said it would be like.

"After all, you're just a child. Perhaps seventeen at least, and incredibly well educated. You hide your face and try to hide your voice because you're trying to become invisible and don't want to be found. People treat you like a leader, but inside you question this because you've done something risky in the past...caused someone to be killed, perhaps? Well, whatever it was, you now face a situation you can't get out of, and thus have resorted in hiding behind the one thing you're good at: swordplay. However."

"Bad…" Her eyes flicker away, and she sees that Khadeja disarmed Alibaba in one arc like swoop.

"You have forgotten the number one rule of swordplay. As good as you are, there will always be someone better"

Bad's intake of breath is what gets the Fog Troops 'co'-leader to get back to the fight, and he swings his arm foward, the black fog shooting out and gripping Khadeja around the waist, bringing her up and then down by the other two.

The little magician must admit, she cringed a bit inside as Khadeja hit the ground, the Fanalis (Morgiana...she remembers…) and pale man (...Ja'far) shouting out for her.

As they begin to yell something about someone, Kassim turns back, telling his men to get underway with whole 'looting' thing. Alibaba picks up his dagger and wipes it down with a gentle hand, his whole figure showing that of a upset, brooding teen.

He did just get his butt kicked by a twenty five year old woman wearing a dress. It's a bit humiliating, not to mention pathetic and ego bruising. This is definitely getting added to her list of future insults.

Turning her head, she catches sight of a face surrounded by black curls turned straight at her. Bad loves the way Khadeja glares at her with astonishment. How did she not notice her sneaking up from the very back of the mob, and now residing in front of Zaynab? Bad effortlessly gives her a trademark grin, pressing her index finger to her lips and whispering,

"Shush~"

Then it happens. She freezes as a voice calls into the night,

"I won't let you pass!" He's a child.

And he- he **wasn't** suppose to be here. Looking over at him, his long blue braid dancing in the wind and the blue giant that he rests on, the grin melts away into pure surprise, and she steps back, Zaynab clutching her shoulder and pressing her against said woman's body. Bad molds into the thief-woman's side, gripping Sheba to her chest.

"It's a monster created by the military to wipe us out!" No. No- he...he's not a monster, not the boy, or his Djinn. With shaking legs, she forces herself to stand up straight and step away from Zaynab, hiding behind Kassim. The man, despite his cold nature, reaches behind once he felt her heat and grabs her one free hand, pulling Bad into his back like he's a shield.

She shivers, her face pressed deep into his rags.

Alibaba steps forward, wanting to redeem himself.

_Khadeja really did a number on his ego~_

The though cheers her a bit, but not enough to stop the fear running through her veins. Oh God Oh God Oh God.

"What's wrong, partner?" Kassim asks, his grip tightening on her, and she buries herself deeper in, if anything. If Alibaba notices this, he doesn't say anything, and instead gruffly mutters,

"Leave this to me" Taking a shaky breath, she steps back and glares at the hooded boy, saying in her usual arrogant tone when speaking to the 'leader',

"Is that a good idea after what the woman did to you?" Kassim loosens his hold, probably thinking her mini-panic attack is sizzling out and her personality is resurfacing. Bad doesn't really like to touch people she just met, he knows.

"Shut up" he retorts hotly, and Bad grins weakly, although no one is looking at her. She feels as though she just ran a marathon, her limbs all shaking and warm saliva in her mouth, making her want to vomit. It's a staring match between the two opponents, and Bad feels a twinge of anger boiling to the surface at Alibaba. If he attacks that boy, there will be hell to pay, and she doesn't know if will be able to stop herself from going and slamming Alibaba with water magic.

But Alibaba doesn't attack the kid. He pulls the rag covering his face off, and reveals his blonde hair and golden eyes.

_Why does Alibaba look so much like Kassim?_

The blue haired boy gasps, and his resolve visibly shrinks. This isn't what she had pictured. The magician really regrets not asking Centola about this night in more detail- then at least she could have been prepared for seeing this person.

"Alibaba…?" The boy innocently asks, and a dark feeling overtakes her body. She remembers the story alright, but only now does the parts she thought were muddled become clear. Alibaba is really going to…

"Alibaba, do you know him?!" Kassim asks dangerously, and Alibaba returns the favor by saying,

"Yeah" very shortly, a knife strapped to the end of the words as if to scream, 'don't you dare say anything'. Even Bad keeps her mouth shut, Kassim inching next to her out of shock at his friend's behavior.

"Sorry I asked" he mutters under his breath.

"Aladdin, it's been a long time. Can you keep Ugo back? You're scaring my comrades." Alibaba pulls her forward by the wrist at this, making a point in that they have children among them. Kassim sucks in a breath at this action and the heat of his anger warms her back. Faintly she hears Ja'far whisper,

"A little girl…? Why is she here?" and then he shouts once Aladdin hesitates, "No! Don't listen to what the thief says!"

Apparently her being there was the nail in the coffin for Aladdin, because once his gaze lingers on her, Ugo is sucked back up into the flute and the boy's feet touch the ground.

_Don't meet his eyes, don't meet his eyes, don't meet his eyes._

He isn't looking at her but Alibaba though, and she breaths a sigh of relief, even though she is still center stage. Bad rips her hand away from Alibaba and proclaims,

"I wasn't scared, darn you!" and huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Erm, actually, I came here looking for you, Alibaba! I have so many things I want to tell you! Do you remember that time?" His smile is achingly happy "We made a promise!"

_Do I have the same look as Alibaba and Kassim?_

"Aladdin...sorry" Nothing good is coming out of that. The blonde teen reaches out a hand, and so does Aladdin, as if to grasp the other, to shake and remember a long ago promise. "I...can't keep that promise"

The teen moves him out of the way, and vaguely she feels Kassim once again take her hand, leading her past the still form of the boy, who has betrayal written all over him. Before she passes him, he somehow looks up at her. Time stands still as Aladdin gazes at her, and she barely restrains herself from hugging him and telling him that Alibaba didn't mean it, that he's not trying to hurt him but to keep him out of the fighting in Balbadd.

She instead settles for pity, and he, by the understanding slump in his shoulders, gets what she's saying, even if it wasn't said out loud.

Badroulbadour stumbles after Kassim, Sheba gripped tightly in her palm, and she rips herself away from his eyes.

His beautiful, beautiful eyes.

* * *

"_I love you so much" His fingers stroke her cheek, and she gazes up at him, clutching his robes in her fist and smiling at his proclamation. He's said it so many times, but it always makes her heart stutter, and her breath quicken._

"_I love you too, Aladdin"_

* * *

_A Name Lost In The Whirlwind of Time, But Recalled In The Finest Winds And Darkest Abysses, Growing On The Petals of Roses And Dancing Along The Tip Of Her Tongue…_

"_What will you call yourself?"_

_They are in a home, with green, thriving plants along on wall and a bookshelf in the other wall, and she sits on a sofa, feeling…_

_She doesn't know what._

_Her Savior had washed her (including cutting her hair), clothed her, feed her and tended to her wounds after running from her past for so long. Her Savior had asked her many questions, never prying but allowing The Woman to answer on her own time. Then, once she was feeling...better, the Savior browsed the bookshelf and picked a book out, handing it to her. The Woman lays it out on the table in front of her._

_The book contains rows and rows of names for both boys and girls. A finger trails down the page, past names with faceless people engraved into them, and to a single, shining name that glows with an eerily stainless light in her eyes. It has faces sure, but it needs _her _face, and _her _memory. It's a necessity, a need stronger than anything she has ever dreamed of, and with a tilt of her lips, The Woman speaks her new name, the name that means loyal and trustworthy, the two things she has longed for since always._

"_Lady Centola...I want this one. I'm Khadeja"_

"No. You are Khadeja, the right hand woman of Centola De Coverna, and a second-class singularity"

* * *

"_The question that sometimes drives me hazy;_

_Am I or the others crazy?_"

-Albert Einstein

Isn't that a nice quote? I think so. God, it's been three weeks already? Feels like five. School is okay, if not boring and totally overbearing. I've had no time to write, and when I do, it's late at night when I should really be sleeping. But I'm too awesome for sleep! Roar!

So here I am today, a saturday afternoon on my computer, typing this and getting it to my lovely readers. THANK YOU JESUS FOR LETTING ME FINISH THIS LONG ASS CHAPTER OMG. AHEM. Did you like it? Khadeja being The Girl/Woman, and her story of somehow having crazy magic, and being a second class singularity? Don't worry, I'll get into that later~. And did anyone notice what Bad said about Aladdin? Can you guess just who Aladdin is to Bad (Revision Note: just realizing she already told you guys in the chapter)?

Ah, I love foreshadowing~! (RN: It's not foreshadowing if you tell the people, dumbo)

ON THE NEXT INSTALLMENT: Probably gonna be out within the next few weeks if I don't get writers block or too many homework assignments, and will focus on the day after, Alibaba meeting Aladdin, the attack on the hotel and the attack on Ugo (RN: SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT) and/or more, but most likely just those events. Ooh, and the next addition will have 35% more Asad! Hooray for random numbers!

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	11. Chapter 10: Secrets, Again and Again

**Starry Skies **

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC:** Begin Again

CHAPTER 10: Secrets, Again and Again.

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

_"It's not like death matters to your brother, Judal"_

Asad remembers, very well, the moment his secrets came to light.

As the Shadow, he knows darkness very well, and can't help but understand the blackness more than the light, although he sees the appeal candles and torches and fires and the sun have.

He knows it all too well.

_"Hm? You didn't know?"_

But he also knows that in this reality, this world he has been sent to live in, shadows are necessary. This was, in fact, a truth that no person can deny, not even the writer/artist that created the _magi _series. Asad loved that truthfulness. No more people telling him that everything was good, that every problem had a solution, because that was a bold faced lie and it angered him to have it thrown in his face like that's it, here's your solution, now deal with it yourself. What kind of person, man or woman, could say that so boldly and without a care?

Asad had lived too long, seen too much, to take that answer seriously or even under consideration.

_"That Asad, your brother, is an assassin?"_

But at that moment when Marrkio spilled everyone of his own personal secrets, to his little brother no less, Asad felt his anger spike, his rage become unhinged, his fists connect with Marrkio's nose, and the hot blood gushing over his fingers as he attacked his own teacher, a roar of pure and unadulterated fury leaving his throat raw and scratchy.

_"Why yes, Judal, he's killed many, many people. The blood of men, women, and even children stain his hands and swords. But he's too good to let any drop actually touch him"_

Judal looked- no, he was terrified. And that's what made Asad stop. The words could have been written in front of him, or maybe they were written on the lines of Judal's eyes, and that's what made him still, step back, and walk away.

Stop!

_"Ah, he's been doing this since he was nine! Almost ten, eleven years! I believe he reasoned that by doing this he could somehow grant you 'protection', although I don't believe we've ever hurt you, have we Judal?"_

Four words and an exclamation mark, all presented in a upfront, horrified manner. So Asad stopped. Though he was still angry, and he still hoped that the wounds on Marrkio would stay for a long, long time. Though, with the memory of Judal's terror stuck in his mind, Asad realized something. It wasn't horror at his actions, although they were fearful, but rather horror at the fact him, Asad, was a murderer. Not an assassin.

A _murderer._

For the first time, Asad had no where to hide, and nowhere to store his tiny little lies.

_"I wonder though, after all these years, does he still do it for that reason? No...I think he _enjoys_ it"_

* * *

"Time to escape!" The shout rings within Bad's ears, and something breaks within herself. She is sick of being treated as a little girl incapable of protecting herself. Realizing she needs to prove her strength, Bad yells back at Kassim,

"I got it!" Alibaba's eye twitches.

"What!? Are you crazy!?" Kassim goes to stop her, but she hefts Sheba into the air, the golden stave glowing with excitement at finally being used. The magic, like emotion, bubbles up into her heart, rising above her and into the air, lighting up the darkness and igniting the shadows. Bad's hair floats around her, and she feels calmer than before.

Let loose the angst and the anger and the sadness and use it as a catalyst to begin an unstoppable wave of magic. For an instant, she sees black and white Rukh floating above her, fluttering close.

"**Hadika Janāza!" **the wind picks up, tunneling a giant ball of water over her head, as well as a small magic circle twisting under her feet. She swings Sheba down in the direction of the reinforcements, and the men begin to scream, running in the opposite direction. She cracks a smile as water ball is loosened from it's place on the tip of her stave, and then is released, flying as fast as sound to the guards and hitting them with gurgled cries for help.

Most of the guards are thrown forward a few feet, hitting the ground with startled yelps and lying there, unconscious. The few who managed to stay awake groan and try to crawl away from the attacker.

But she ain't finished yet. Despite taking out the main division, several smaller forces stay hesitant on the border of the thieves. The other thieves could easily escape from such a small amount of frightened men.

_It's not like they have bothered me-_

"I-It's a she-devil!"

"A sorceress!"

"A Water Demon!"

_Never mind._

Twisting Sheba around in a circle around her head, she once again gathers several water balls, although these are smaller than the one giant one before hand. Then she concentrates very hard on the cold. It's not very easy for her to use ice magic for some reason, but with the right concentration she finds she can shape the ice around the outside of her water magic orbs, freezing them and then once they hit the target, explode into a high pressure stream of water. And that's exactly what happens.

By the time her eight-pointed star's light dies away, all the guards are either unconscious or moaning in pain, the Fog Troop looking at her with awe and fear. Even Kassim is shocked by the full extent of what she can do, and he's been the one who helped her into the Fog Troop and trusted her abilities.

Aladdin snapped out of his daze long enough to look away from the place he was glued to and study her. Bad tries very, very hard to ignore him but those azure eyes hold a confused, innocent quality to them that reminds her too much of him in the other. Badroulbadour had really hoped that it was time that made Aladdin who he was, yet in reality he was always the sweet man she loved.

_I wish he was a pervert or something, then it would be easy to stay away from him. _

A slight buzz under her fingertips makes her loosen her grip on Sheba, realizing that she had been holding the poor girl(?) too hard.

"Sorry" She breathes quietly to her stave, and then glares at the Fog Troop. "Well? Come on let's go!" As they run, Bad takes a quick peek over to Khadeja. She seemed to be recovered from her earlier battle with Alibaba, and Bad notes the way her eyes narrow. A wink is in order, and so she does.

Khadeja rolls her pale purple orbs and Bad returns to the task of running madly at the side of her companions. She can assume that Centola didn't tell Khadeja about the plan to save Balbadd, since telling someone with no knowledge of this world's future is a fruitless effort. Most likely the Temptress conned her with the notion that they had a request to fulfill, or a special job from Zeina to complete.

Speaking of the blonde aunt of her friend, how did Centola get away from her overprotective family member, and where did they agree to meet up? Shaking away thoughts like that, she concentrates on the tiring _smack-smack _that is her footsteps, and tries to forget that anything else exists other than herself and a pair of mesmerizing azul eyes.

* * *

Before the sunrise, two figures- one slim and lithe and the other tall and buff- slowly creep away from the roofs, nodding at one another. The plan for the night had gone as planned on Bad's end, with only a few things different, such as her taking out the guards rather than Alibaba and Khadeja and Alibaba getting into a rumble.

Now all they need to do is meet back with the other two and a share the details of what they've seen- preparing for the next phase- The Second Full Moon.

* * *

The too-early sun shines over the still wet battle ground where several men sit up groggily and stand around in soaking clothes, fixing their guard uniforms and hat feathers. Two men and three women stand on the very outskirts of the battle place, discussing the previous night.

"How unexpected" One man says, his handsome face marred by a serious and unsure expression. "That there would be that skilled a magician in the Fog Troop along with a Dungeon Capturer"

A woman with tangled black curls by a boy a few feet away stiffens, but then relaxes, leaning down beside the child. The other woman, a fourteen year old with flaming red hair and matching eyes, shifts uneasily on the side, looking down at her bare feet, a trickle of water barely grazing her big toe. The other man, a pale fellow with snow white hair and shockingly black eyes begins to speak, processing the 'crime' scene as he does so.

"Yes. I've also confirmed that their side has several magical items, and among them is a Metal Vessel. Fortunately, there were no deaths. It's said that 'Wonderman Alibaba' usually uses a fire technique to get away, so this girl's arrival and counter-attack was a surprise. The military is at it's wits end...How did a child get caught up in this? She couldn't be more than ten or eleven" The boy looks over his shoulder at the group, and adds,

"I...I've never seen someone do something like that before. And she looked so…" Everyone's stares hush him, and he returns to looking out at the distance. The first man hums, and then says,

"What's more unexpected though, is that he is the friend Aladdin was looking for"

"It's not that surprising to me" the last woman interjects, her incredibly beautiful face solemn and eyes dull. "If he was born here, he may have returned to help end the conflict" the pale man nods, but a flash in the depths of his eyes processes her words and files them into a orderly part of his brain.

As the pale man continues to speak, the redhead gazes at the boy and woman, and then begins to sniff the air. The beauty notices this and inches closer to the younger girl, until they stand side by side.

"Hmph...calling a thief a hero...how absurd"

"But understandable" The pretty woman says. "If you're tired and hungry and nobody helps, then the one who tries to give you assistance is instantly someone that you trust, right?"

"...This reflects how chaotic this country is…"

* * *

Hana screams as loud as she could, struggling against her captors. The two men, each with vile smiles and lusting eyes laugh at her, one holding down her wrists and the other her legs. The thin cloth covering her is pulled on, but she squeezes it to her with her elbows and her thighs, tears escaping her.

"NO! Someone save me-!" she sobs and shrieks. The guards- the military! Please, please come she's getting- Oh God hurry, don't let this happen to her. T-This doesn't happen to people she knows, a-a-and it's not something that happens to her. Her family- What'll happen to her family?

The two vultures lean over her, uncaring about her tears and desperate pleas for them to _stop_.

"Hihihi! No one will come 'cause all of the military has been ordered to guard the nobles" The cold truth hangs over her, and she can't believe this is happening **in broad daylight**.

Hana pays her taxes, and works her due, and cares for her younger siblings and parents to the best of her ability, so why does she deserve this? Has she ever commited a sin against these people?

No. But she does know them. Saw them in the alleys, watching her like snakes and grinning. They never bothered her though, so she thought it best not to tell her family. They would probably just laugh at her anyway, or worse, try to pick a fight.

Regret hangs heavily over the woman, yet she disregards it and continues to struggle.

"Oi" It's a new voice, deep and loud. With a jolt, the two men twist around to see the man who interrupted them. Out of shock, Hana lifts her head and stares up, up, up to a pair of green eyes. Those eyes blink, shift toward the two rapists, and in barely a second the first man is lifted into the air like he's a ragdoll, and then thrown to a neighboring wall. He hits it with a _UMPH! _and his partner bolts up to attack when he too is smacked to the side, but not by her savior. A blur was all she saw, but a woman- no, a girl, is in front of her, and had kicked the second away like a ball. She sits up, still crying profusely, and tries in vain to wrap the cloth around her. Luckily, the rapists are knocked out cold, and in front of her are the two who protected her.

"T-thank you *hiccup* so much" Now that he's kneeled to her height, she gets a good look at the man. He isn't as scary as she originally thought, and has understanding eyes. Across his completely muscled chest was a sash, and he slips it off, handing it to her. She takes the green material between her fingers, unsure what he wants her to do.

"Here, let me help" Comes a quivering voice like the bottom of clay plates. The girl, probably fourteen, takes her place beside the man. She leans forward to look into her exotic, kind features until the man coughs. Turning to him, he looks away, a furiously red blush creeping up his neck.

"Er, uh…"

"Um, Miss, your clothes…" turning her attention downwards, Hana realized that her surprise had caused the only thing covering her to slip down and was now pooled around her waist. Which meant…

Giving a startled scream, Hana covers herself with her arms, tears once again pooling in her eyes. The girl's touch startles her, but since she moves quickly, Hana didn't have time to react.

The girl first positions the sash around her shoulders, wrapping it around her back and under her breasts, then spirals downwards. She lifts the cloth around her waist, the ends meeting at her left hip, and the sash-like shirt is tied over the makeshift cloth with a small bow.

_It's really big, isn't it._

"Who are you?" She whispers, taking the girl's hands once they finish creating her new outfit.

"I'm Catrina, and this is Eren" Eren smiles, embarrassment still plaguing his face.

"Hello"

"Thank you" she mutters this very softly, but her saviors are both hear it, and they nod.

"No need" Eren says, standing back up. he is more than six feet tall, and he offers her his hand. Hana feels a single tear slide down her cheek and she takes his hand, allowing him to help her back onto her feet.

* * *

Bad can't help but feel like she's being showed off. Instead of being placed in the crowd with the lower members of the Fog Troop, she got placed on the rock pile with the Cadres, or co-leaders, which instantly got people talking.

Some had even asked Kassim if she was now an official leader after the successful attack the past night.

Yes, she was on the same level as Zaynab and Hassan, but still below Kassim and Alibaba. Bad grins and relaxes back onto the smooth rock, crossing her legs and resting Sheba casually in the crook of her elbow.

"So you guys are wanted criminals too, huh? If you have nowhere to go, we're always open, so how about it?"

"That's right, there are no enemies in the Fog Troop. This is the safest place" Hassan has a crooked smile that shows his large teeth.

"Plus we're also looking for more comrades at the moment" Zaynab has long eyelashes and a lip stud, which makes her look tough and feminine at the same time.

"It's not like we dislike strong people joining, right partner?" A chill settles over the crowd at the mention of the 'leader', who looks up at the thieves daring to join them. His gaze looks just like a snake, serious and full of a vivid, intense emotion one cannot describe easily.

"Hey, the three of you...We're chivalrous thieves and we're currently fighting against the military for the Slums. You are not allowed to steal from or rape anyone and neither are you allowed to hurt anyone from the Slums. If I find out you have done either...You'll receive death as punishment, do you understand?" Bad almost laughs at the fake grin that crosses the ex-criminal's face. He basically shouts,

"Of course leader! With your consent, we'll serve you to our fullest!" Kassim narrows his eyes, but the grin is still plastered on his face.

"I am the co-leader Kassim. These two people are our partners Zaynab and Hassan, and our leader is 'Wonderman Alibaba'. The girl below me," he places a gentle hand on her shoulder, "is our number one strategist, Badroulbadour, but everyone calls her Bad" Bad amplifies her grin, adding a little tilt to her head, trying to make her look nonthreatening.

"Hello!"

* * *

"Hello!" The girl, Bad, tweets, her face the picture of innocence. It was weird to see a child up there with the bosses, but S Nando didn't really care that much at first. She was originally a passing thought in his mind, one of the bosses's sibling or cousin or maybe a daughter, although the latter seemed unlikely. Really, she didn't matter until it was announced that the little, thin, sweet girl was a _strategist_. How does that even work?

"Will all due respect Mr. Kassim, but how is a nine year old a strategist? She's probably more interested in toys than books" he chuckles, expecting Kassim to join in, yet no sound joins his. The entire stadium of thieves glare at him, dead silent and as stoic as the bosses.

The air turns icier than when the leader Alibaba was speaking, and the sudden subzero temperature makes all three Nandos to clump together. S Nando's eye twitches and it is hard to keep the grin in place. Bad is the only one still smiling.

"Hey" Kassim starts, his eyes no longer filled with excitement at having new members. They are hard and devoid of any warmth. "Don't you dare say anything about-"

"It's alright~!" Bad giggles, giving Kassim's hand a squeeze. "I'm sure he just wasn't aware of my capabilities. Perhaps I can show him!"

All the thieves in the vicinity shrink back at her words, including Zaynab and Hassan, who stand and scurry up to the top of the rocks beside a cringing Alibaba. Kassim bites his lip, but then nods, letting go of Bad and heading up to his partners.

"Watch out you three, Bad isn't as weak as you think. Oh, and she's ten-almost-eleven" The child stands and gracefully hopes down, her golden staff glittering in the light.

"I got five on Bad!" Someone shouts suddenly, and suddenly the crowd is in a uproar, taking bets and jumping up and down in their seats.

"B-Boss!" S Nando exclaims, him and his brothers scurrying back, "We can't fight a child, nonetheless a girl!"

"Oooo" The crowd goes still, gaping that the 'audacity' of the three newbies. S Nando can almost feel the sweet, kind waves radiating off the child.

"Don't worry, it won't take too long"

_Aw, she's like a baby bir- Wait what did she say?_

Bad lays her staff down on the ground, and takes off her bangles and hoop earring. Anxious muttering rings through the stadium, but it becomes louder as Bad steps away from the gold staff and her things.

"Bad!" Kassim growls, almost leaving his place beside the blonde leader had Alibaba not gripped his shoulder.

"I'll be alright~" She eyes her opponents, and the SLM Nando siblings gather around one another.

"Now we really can't fight her" The oldest appeals, not really knowing the significance of the staff but knowing that it could be important.

"I agree-" Kassim starts, but Bad cuts him off once again.

"Then let's up the stakes" The sweetness is wearing off, like coffee. It starts like a nice treat, and ends with a bitter, strong flavor. "You win, you get to be the new strategist. I win, you three will be at my beck and call for an entire week. Like...servants 3!"

_Jumping from a newbie to a strategist so quickly? This is my treat!_

"Hmm...we accept!" This'll be too easy. Literally taking candy from a baby. The crowd thrums but the bosses all glare, especially Alibaba and Kassim.

"Alrighty! We start in three, two, one! GO!" She moves too fast to comprehend, and in a flash his face is connected with a foot, and S Nando, ex-leader of the Rock Quarry Thieves, is kicked to the side, rolling in the dirt.

* * *

Hassan is no fool. He had known for a long time that Bad was very smart, and very strong, but never truly knew the extent of those qualities until she was a blur of pink and red smacking the Nandos around and displaying amazing reflexes.

With each hit the girl lands, Kassim's worry fades, and he even begins to chuckle.

It doesn't last long however. The big, fat Nando, named L Nando or something, finally lands a lucky strike when Bad was dodging S Nando's, "S Nando Body Blow". She's thrown to the ground, her arm connecting with a rock and thin but long cut develops across her arm. The moment she tries to stand back up, they round on her.

M Nando aims a punch, but she dodges, and it smacks his brother. With a steady hand, Bad hits M Nando's neck and he falls forward, L Nando catching him as he falls. S, in his anger, tries to kick her but she catches him and twists his leg, making him yelp and land on his face in the dirt, stilling. Only L Nando is left, and the man shakes. Bad takes on step back, and then rushes forward, kicking the back of his knee and using the same technique on M Nando on him, stepping back as he falls to the ground. Sweat lines her forehead and she pants heavily, but she grins, throwing her fist in the air. For a moment, it is dead silent.

When the cheering comes, it's all at once, people rocketing to their feet and chanting,

"Ba-ad, Ba-ad, Ba-ad!" And all the bosses are standing, Kassim hooting and scrambling down the rocks, scooping the child up and onto his shoulders, running wildly in circles as the thieves forget their seriousness and clamber toward the victorious girl, surrounding her and laughing a joke that wasn't even told.

* * *

Smirking at the three unconscious fools on the ground, Bad mutters under her breath,

"I show you what this little girl can do"

_Your ass is grass._

* * *

Hana smiles timidly at her parents, who blink slowly at this new piece of information. Her father raises, and crosses over to Eren and Catrina, who stand behind his daughter.

"You saved my daughter's chastity" His sunburned face is placed in a respecting, serious manner, and Hana sees Eren visibly straighten, even though he is already 6'5''. "We owe you our thanks, son"

Her father pats his arm (since the height difference is astounding), and then turns to Catrina.

"We owe you as well, young lady" Catrina smiles, shaking her head.

"Eren and I couldn't just let them do something like that" Eren nods along with this, but her father is already raising his hands. His stormy gray eyes are set in stone, and he motions to Hana's mother, who had gathered close to her oldest child.

"If you ever need any help, please come to us" Eren pauses, thinking about this offer, and Catrina begins,

"Um, there is no need-"

"No, no, no, you helped us, so it is our family's duty to help you. Any time, just call on us" Eren then stands before her father, places a hand on his shoulder and seriously gazes into the man face with his deep, pine colored eyes

"Thank you, sir"

* * *

Walking down the road with Kassim and Alibaba, Bad glows with pride at her victory, and Kassim holds the young girl's hand. The blonde has conflicting emotions inside his golden eyes, and Bad can't help but be...shy.

She had revealed her strengths to these two men, and now feels very vulnerable with them around, now knowing everything she is capable of.

Well, almost everything. They don't know about the Divine Staves that she houses inside her body, nor that she has multiple informants and 'connections' through out the world. And they certainly don't know about her past.

A magician never reveals her secrets (Centola told her that, and at the time Bad had found it hilarious. Why she thought it was funny, she'll never know).

_...Is that enought to make me strong, though? A past, a few measly dealings with shady people? That doesn't necessarily make me stronger than how my body is, does it? After all, I whipped this child-like form into that of a magician, but really this is as far as I can go. Judal and Aladdin and Alibaba will all grow stronger, but I won't. This is my limit. _

_Once they grow strong, I will be unable to beat them like I can now._

Kassim lazily tags a drag from his cigarette, deep in thought, unaware that his companions are doing the same thing.

"Hey, Kassim, what exactly are you planning?"

"...What?" Bad counts the seconds it takes for his eyes to shift to Alibaba. Four slow seconds, and the embers fall to his feet in that time.

"You keep recruiting unknown people like those just now! The number of people in our group has doubled just this month! What if they prove too wild?"  
"Bad was able to beat those boys to a pulp. We have too much support and power to be toppled by a few lowly outsiders" Kassim lets go of her hand and instead ruffles her hair, musing the two braids and her ponytail, but not enough to make her mad.

_It felt nice._

"...could it be that you're planning to start a war?!"

The dreadlocked man puffs out a long blow, the gray smoke lingering in the air and dancing above their heads.

"War, huh...Good idea there" He smirks, and Bad…

…

War, huh.

It doesn't make her feel how she thought it would, being depraved and all that jazz.

"HEY!"

"Just joking, Just joking!" His elbow is wrapped around her neck, and she's pulled to his side. There is something cold snaking up from her toes, something ugly.

"But we must continue to fight, because this country is already done for…Economic breakdowns, foreign interventions, and only those officials and nobles at the very top still enjoy three meals a day. We need someone who can punish those guys. You are our leader. As leader, you should be aware of these things more quickly!"

"That's because you-!" The squeals of children break into his sentence, and they soon surround them. Kassim lets her go, and weird feeling she got recedes into her toes.

"It's thanks to Alibaba that everyone in the Slums can now have two meals a day! Brother Alibaba is the hero of the Slums!" They nod their agreement with that sentence, and Alibaba, Bad realizes, looks terrified.

_It's...overwhelming him…_

"Sister Bad!" One little girl grabs her hand, looking at her with bright eyes. "Is it true you knocked out all of the guards yourself?!"

"Tell us about it!"

"Come play with us!"

"I-I" Bad stutters, getting pulled away by the mob of younger kids, "I don't know, I, um, have stuff to do!"

"Pleeeeeeeeaaaaassssssseeeeee?" They all pout, making the most adorable puppy dog faces. She can't say no to that! So, Bad is swept up in the crowd of kids, but not before shooting one last look in the Balbaddian Prince's direction.

* * *

"Hey partner. When we were as young as them, we had also already survived the hell of these Slums for as many years...The Slums can't continue being like this! Especially since only you and C-Centola where the ones were the only ones to escape this hell! The only person left capable of changing the Slums is you! Please, save those children...Don't let them follow in Mariam's and Cent's footsteps! I beg you, please don't go anywhere else, Alibaba! Stay by my side like Cent didn't...And fight together with me like in the past!"

* * *

**Knock.**

**Knock. **

**Knock.**

Bad doesn't know why in God's name she is doing this, but that feeling wouldn't leave her, and she needs to speak with the idiot whom she thinks can fix it.

He opens the door, dreary faced and with bags under his eyes, and Bad straightens. He looks down at her, and then groans.

"Bad, please leave me alone!" She grins.

"Come now Prince-y, don't I deserve a 'congrats' for beating those challengers?" She sidesteps into his room, and instantly begins to snoop, the boy- not a man, not when alone- gives a startled,

"H-hey! Stop that!" She finds something under his bed, and pulls it out, to the horror of Alibaba. She lays Sheba on the bed, and holds it up, squinting at the cover.

"What's this?"

"Uh, erm, nothing!" He tries to take it out of her hands, but she runs around him and reads aloud,

"_The Adventures of the Great and Handsome Treasure Hunter Alibaba Saluja_" She busts out laughing, and once again Alibaba cries for her let go of his book. Then the room quiets.

"You can read?" Alibaba stares at her, the fact seeming too strange and far off to him.

"Yeah...my...step-mother taught me" It was true. In the Other, a timeline that could've been (but **won't**) a certain woman taught her to read, claiming that she was a fast learner. Bad takes the empty space on the bed, sitting crosslegged with the surprisingly large book on her lap. She leafs through the pages, smiling at the table of contents.

One of them was titled, _The Green Glass Girl_.

"Your...step-mother?"

"Everyone has parents, Prince-y. She taught me, saying I was gonna be a genius just like her. She's a magician, you see, so she taught me almost everything I know...Although I'm not with her now" She says, remembering the good times she had with that woman, despite the horror that followed.

_**Did you love her?**_

_No._

_**But…?**_

_I...I thought that she loved me..._

"..."

"And I..." Chapter one.

"Why are you here, Bad?" He gruffly asks, sitting next to her and reluctantly allowing her to read his tale. "I know Centola asked you to come but...Why did she pick you to go over an adult?"

"..." No matter how hard she tries, the first line of the story won't stick in her mind, and finally she replies, "Sister Centola chose me because I had nowhere else to go. She knows I'm strong, so she asked me to help you. She loves you and Kassim, you know that? Very, very much"

A sharp intake in breath, and finally Alibaba pries the book away from her.

"I was reading that-"

"CHAPTER 1! ENTER, THE GREAT ALIBABA!" Bad reels back, nearly falling down before giggling and sitting back up beside the blonde. Is this what Centola meant when she said Alibaba sometimes uses his 'loud and great voice' to speak?

"ONCE UPON A TIME, IN A BOOMING CITY OF TRADE, A BABY BOY WAS BORN WITH GOLDEN HAIR AND A MARVELOUS FACIAL STRUCTURE!" Hand to God he does a Justin Bieber hair flip on 'marvelous'.

* * *

"FINALLY, AFTER A YEAR OF PLANNING, ALIBABA ENTERED THE DUNGEON WITH-" Turning to see Bad's reaction at his amazing story, Alibaba grins and then feels it slip off his face. The tiny girl had fallen asleep, her head lightly resting on his shoulder.

Blinking, he slowly closes the book and contemplates what to do.

**Whoosh.**

His eyes find the open door, and he calls out,

"Who's there?" Bad doesn't stir, so he gently lays her down on his bed, pulling a blanket over her. He goes to his door, looking out but seeing no one. It was empty. So he turns back, headed to the bed with the tiny child resting on it.

She looks so peaceful asleep, her eyes moving around captured in a gentle dream, her fingers finding her staff and curling around it, long hair fanned out around her like a pink halo. When she's this way, it's hard to connect her with Bad, the annoying brat who conned her way into the Fog Troop with a few dirty tricks.

The girl who has a mother and father.

Bad, the magician who is positively war-like in battle.

The girl who lovingly snuggles with her staff.

Bad who teases him, sneers at him, snoops too much and enjoys his autobiography, making lovey-dovey noises when speaking of Centola and who somehow has Kassim wrapped around her pinky finger. Sighing, he prepares to pick the magician up. After all, she has her own room, and he needs to sleep after the day he's had. Fighting with Kassim and seeing Aladdin is too much, especially in the span of twenty-four hours.

_Aladdin…_

"No, no, no!" He shakes his head, dispelling thoughts of the other magician. He isn't important anymore! He bends down and scoops her up from under her knees and neck, when something falls across his face. It feels like...not a bug but...Looking up at the ceiling, he sees the source of the hair.

"Morgiana?!" He shouts, and she drops down, covering his mouth. It's too late though, Bad's eyes snap open and she squirms in surprise, making her fall out of his arms and onto the ground, though she lands with cat-like grace.

Morgiana's arm wraps around Bad's neck, and she too is stuck in the same situation as Alibaba.

"Don't make a noise, or else I'll make you both lose consciousness" That is a ridiculous request of course he is gonna-

**WHACK**

Right *gasp* on the *wheeze* stomach…!

* * *

Morgiana stands right on front of her savior and a little girl, looking at them with she hopes is calmness but feels like anger. Not at the girl, no she's not that cruel, but at the blonde. How dare he do all this to Aladdin! The boy was nothing but kind to him, and look at how Alibaba repaid him.

"What's the meaning of this? How did you find me?"

"I remembered your scent and followed it here. I wanted to ask you exactly what happened. Why did you become a thief? Please tell your reasons to Aladdin" When Alibaba doesn't speak, the girl asks quietly,

"You know her? Isn't Aladdin that boy from before?" Looking closely, Morgiana remembers the girl. She almost steps back in shock, but refrains, gulping just a little. She had been so focused on Alibaba that she didn't even recognize the child with him.

But now…

_Pink hair dancing in the wind, red eyes glittering with the reflection of the water pooling above her, the golden staff she holds glowing in a celestial light. The girl arches her back, and then snaps downward, the water ball shooting off toward the terrified guards._

"Yeah…" Alibaba glares at the ground, refusing to look at her. "No...I've nothing to say to him. This is the thieves' lair...You should go now before you're killed"

"No. I won't leave, not before you tell me your reasons. In order to meet you again, Aladdin had to make quite a long journey these past few months. Six months ago, when you were still in Qishan, didn't you try to search for Aladdin too? I think you still have thing to tell him" The girl stands up, staring down at Alibaba. Morgiana tries very hard to ignore an itching feeling in the bottom of her spine, and instead focuses on the child's unusual smell.

_Ice cold, like a blooming rose covered in frost and a thin layer of ice…_

"No...means no"

"Why not?"

"No matter what, I just can't"

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" This is too annoying "Is there something stopping you from doing so?!"

"It has NOTHING to do with you! Ahh...Shut Up!" He squeezes his eyes shut "This is my problem! Once a man decides on something, women should keep their mouths shut!"

The shattering of the ground under her feet wasn't very surprising, but the water splashing down on Alibaba was, and the boy lurches to the side in surprise, glaring at Bad and shouting,

"What was-" Then he sees Morgiana's face.

The anger is definitely out now.

Grabbing Bad, she hoists the girl onto her back and then grabs Alibaba bridal-style, saying,

"There is no way it doesn't concern us...You guys need to talk a little" She jumps out the window and up the tower to the top, looking over Balbadd with a child on her back and Alibaba in her arms.

Maybe she should have left the girl behind.

_Oh well._

"I'll bring you guys...To meet Aladdin!" and she launches forward into the air, Alibaba shrieking and Bad hooting with child-like excitement.

* * *

"So the ones who attacked us last night…"

"Were residents of the Slums" Centola answers Sinbad's questions slowly, crossing her legs in her chair. This feels a lot like an interrogation instead of a simple discussion, and Khadeja feels it too, by the way she positions herself in front of her mistress like a shield.

A loyal, ferocious shield.

"But to make the citizens, normal, nonthreatening citizens attack a rich person's home...There's a large economic gap…"

"It's because of chaotic economy" Sinbad looks to her to explain further, so she flicks a strand of hair out of her face and smiles slightly, leaning her chin very lightly in her palm.

"My home has always had...problems in-between the rich and the poor, but it wasn't until the current King's father, King Rashid, died did things start to get rough. Not only that, but the Kou empire has been intervening with our affairs and has even issued their paper money into our markets and stores" Ja'far holds up a piece of the Kou's money, a 'Juan', to demonstrate. "And more than that, King Ahbmad is engaged to a Kou Princess"

"No way! He didn't tell us anything about that…"

"More importantly, the biggest problem we have here is the Fog Troop…" As Ja'far does off on an explanation of what they need to do in order to win, Centola falls quiet, mulling over her own more important matter.

Are her friends alright?

Catrina, Eren, Yamu and Yunan she isn't worried about, but what about Bad, who is currently residing in the snake's nest, and Asad, who is hovering over his Princess like an overprotective father?

It's not like Kougyoku is actually going to get married, but maybe this situation is going to let those two realize the full extent of their relationship. Asad really is too dense.

Still, she worries, and there is nothing they can do to stop it.

…

She's gonna see Kassim and Alibaba later.

Her stomach flips over, does a cartwheel, and she purses her lips. Centola, remember the rules, remember the rules! No looking sick is allowed as a Temptress. So she channels it into a smile, and pretends to listen to Ja'far's boring political babble.

* * *

"H-hey, sorry for disturbing you, Aladdin"

_OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD-_

Bad's internally screaming, and it's because this wasn't _suppose to be happening. _She wasn't suppose to be kidnapped by Morgiana along with Alibaba, and she definitely wasn't suppose to be _in the same room as Aladdin someone __**kill **__her ugghhghghsgdihweomgsvb._

But there she is, behind Alibaba as the awkward tension in the air threatens to suffocate her (at least it would solve the 'someone kill her' problem). What does she do? Does she smile- no, grin, because Alibaba knows her as a fiendish, no, no, no she has to keep calm, don't say a word-

_HE IS LOOK AT ME NO FRIGGIN' WAY!_

"So...Who is your friend, Alibaba?" His voice is adorable~!

"I'm Badroulbadour!" She smiles, she can't help it, and adds "But since it's a bit too long, everyone calls me Bad"

"That's a nice name!" He chirps back, and swear to God her heart skips a beat, getting all fluttery. Stop beaming! It must look weird!

"Thank you! Alibaba doesn't think so" She pouts, and Alibaba lightly hits her leg.

"Did not!" Getting tired of standing, she sits beside Alibaba.

_Awk~ward turtle, panda-moose, panda-moose~! Darn it Centola you got me singing that stupid song now!_

"H-hey, it looks like you're doing well, Aladdin"

"Mm! Alibaba too"

"It's...Been half a year, hasn't it? Looks like you've changed a lot since then!"

"Mm! Alibaba too…" It gets silent quickly, and Bad bites her lip. Morgiana gets very mad, very fast, she realizes, as the Fanalis yells at Alibaba about how she doesn't believe he's a bad person, and wants to know the truth.

Morgiana presses her lips together, holding in some probably foul words, when Aladdin says,

"Calm down for now, Mor" Bad barely listens to the words, merely soothed by how he carries out the conversation in a subduing tone, able to still any anger. "Let's talk about happy things instead, right Alibaba and Bad?"

"Y-yeah!"

Aladdin's stories had always been a captivating subject for Bad, and only now does she remember why. He describes them quickly but in depth, describing the scenery and the people in few but accurate words that pull them deeper into the tale. His tales had been one of the things she loved most about him. When he finishes, her eyes are glassy and mind mystified as always when he speaks.

_Wow...It's been how long since I've enjoyed his company…?_

The magi's stories are so pacifying that when Aladdin asks Alibaba about why he was in the Fog Troop, the blond slowly reveals his tale with caution.

"Could you listen to me about some friends of mine?"

"Of course!" So agreeable~! 3

"Their names are...Kassim and Centola"

* * *

"Kassim and...Centola?"

Don't get clever.

"Yeah, Kassim's the real leader of the Fog Troop, but it seems like he has always wanted me to be the leader, though. And Cent...well, she's always been a very important person to me"

"What sort of relationship do they have with you?"

"It's very similar to the relationship you have with Ugo"

What a sad smile…

"Yes, we've been friends since long ago. I met Cent…well, I knew her since before I can remember. She was my first friend, and together we learned the life of Slum-rats, from how to claim your turf to making meager meal last. In fact, Centola was with me when we met Kassim. Centola had always been a scaredy-cat, so when me and Kassim started fighting when we were...seven and eight, she hid behind a wall and watched."

Fondness in the eyes, and uncomfortable twitch in a girl's shoulders.

"But I guess her motherly instincts kicked in, because she ended up breaking up the fight pretty quickly after that. Despite how Kassim and I fought, in reality all of us were the best of friends. We'd all run around junkyard street every single day. But not everything was the same for all of us. I had a kind and gentle mother"

"Woah, Alibaba's mother?"

"Yeah, my mother. She was a really kind person. My mother was a prostitute of the Slums, and in the evening I would return to her lap. She was a cheerful person, so I was always happy"

Such joyful looks.

"My mother was friends with Centola's mother, so that's how I always knew her. Centola's mom, Auntie Lilliana, was just like my own mom, very nice, and she was really pretty. She was a dancer, and so took care of me during the day when my mom worked. Centola was a lot like Lilliana that way"

"So Centola had a nice life?"

"Yeah...But for Kassim, it was different. His father was a worthless man who beat his own children when Kassim refused to buy him wine and instead got food for his younger sister, Mariam. I never knew what happened to Kassim's mother. Anyway, my mother always saved Kassim whenever his father beat him, and pulled them away. After those times, my mom held Kassim and Mariam like they were her own children. Whenever she did that..."

An amusing discomfort.

"...I was a little jealous. I thought my mother had been stolen from me. Then their father disappeared from the Slums. It happened a lot, actually...My mother adopted them, and we became a family of four. It was lively and fun"

"A family…That must have been nice"

"Yes, it was. And it was Kassim who changed that lifestyle. Kassim always stole. One day, he was caught by the man at the store and...Centola took the blame. She held her head to the ground and begged for forgiveness, and even though the store-owner should have beat her, Centola had a way with people. She could always persuade bad people to good things, and convince others that perhaps they want to do something other than what they originally planned to. She returned him home hand and hand, and Kassim behaved himself afterwards"

A pause deep and full of meaning.

"My mother died because of an illness. That day was a really sad one. I was still a kid then. I was...lonely, anguished, and I didn't even understand why...But Kassim never cried. Because he was a year older, he took the role of an older brother...and Cent, she cried, though she tried to hide it, but despite being a year younger cheered us up. She held me, stroked my hair and said, 'Don't cry Ali...we'll get through this together...We're a team, you, Kassim, Mariam, my mother and I'...And even though I was so upset, she made me feel just a little bit better knowing that we all shared the same pain"

A another pause, this one very tense.

"Centola's mother died shortly after that. Lilliana, the pretty singer who was always kind to me, had been pushed in front of a passing cart on accident and...well, her neck got snapped. Cent was...inconsolable, for a while. What's that saying? 'Time heals all wounds'. She moved into our house after that, and become a motherly figure. While Kassim, Mariam and I worked odd jobs, like polishing shoes and showing foreigners around, Centola took her mother's place in a tavern everyone calls 'Mrs. Gamela's bar'. She worked days, but then started doing nights because of the higher paygrade she would earn. Cent cleaned our meager house, cooked us meals, bought the groceries, did everything a mother, sister, and friend would. We all loved her, because in a way, she gave us the most hope about our futures"

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Centola liked to tell of the futures we would have. She an amazing singer, Mariam a weaver, Kassim and I construction workers"

A short laugh.

"We always made that same face, Aladdin! Anyway, we all loved her a lot, so much, in fact, that when Kassim began to steal again, he kept it a secret from her. At one point, I asked him, 'Should I give you a hand?' And he said, 'You don't have to do such things. You're different from me'. 'What?' I asked. 'I only realized it recently. I'm a bad person, and can do things like this, but you and Cent? You guys got the blood of your good mothers. You get to live in a respectable way'. After a pause he added, 'Hey Alibaba...we're friends, right?' And I told him of course. He acted weird that day, but then he look so happy after I said that. A few days later, something odd happened. Cent came in, wringing her hands, and told me someone wanted to see me. It was the King of Balbadd"

"King?!"

"It was shocking. The King visiting the Slums! But what he said was weirder. 'Alibaba, you are my son. From this day onwards you will live in the Royal Palace as a Prince'. I told him it wasn't possible, but apparently my mother worked in the Royal Palace as a maid. That's where she became the King's mistress, and I was sired. I couldn't find a reason to get away...and the look on Cent's face when I told her,"

Seriousness.

"It was crushing. She was absolutely devastated. But..."

Eyes shifting away.

"She couldn't stop my leaving"

The tale is continued to be spun, from the depths of anger in a Slum-rat's eyes to the shining stones of the Royal Palace. Waters of trade, the sun shining too brightly. Swordplay and all of the hard-work and dedication he poured into each day. Sneaking out and seeing an empty landscape of the home he once had, and finally meeting an ex-Slum-rat.

"As our conversation was about to end, something happened"

A red neck.

"Someone came up behind me and scared me! I was knocked down, and I'm still so embarrassed. And to my surprise, it was Centola! She had changed so much, but was still a dancer in Mrs. Gamela's bar, which was where we was. I didn't even recognize it, I was so nervous. Centola joined in on the conversation, and they chattered on and on deep into the night. I remember-"

The red slides up to his ears.

"I remember thinking that Centola had grown just as lovely as her mother was. At the end of the night, I promised her that I would come back and visit. I thought it was a good idea...But then that event happened"

He tells of flames snaking up to the sky, of betrayal from the one you consider your brother, of being the cause of your own father's death, a father that, while not around, you still considered an important person to you. A man who deserves to have a face in your memories.

And of no longer having a friend or a girl whom you thought was beautiful.

* * *

"So that's how it is…" Tawny eyes flicker up to her, pinning her in a pitying gaze. "Centola...a lovely girl, who could always persuade bad people to good things, and convince others that perhaps they want to do something other than what they originally planned to...Who had a nice mother named Lilliana…Who lived in the Slums of Balbadd...Sound familiar?"

Centola can't help it, she gives him a very sad, wispy smile that isn't controlled or calculated.

"Very much so. But of course, that was probably before this next part"

Ja'far is too stunned to say anything, and even Khadeja becomes quiet. Centola leans against the wall where Sinbad is listening in, her head filling with Alibaba's story. With her story. Masrur seems sorry for his unsure treatment of her earlier.

"I suppose that despite my best intentions...My family truly has become lost"

* * *

"...So, Kassim pressured me into becoming leader of the Fog Troop. He did it by telling me about how hard Centola worked for us in depth, and how much they suffered after I went to the palace. He spun a tale, a true tale, of how they lived in the segregation camp without food, suffering and in great pain. Mentioning the dancer had been a low blow, but it worked because...because she was important, to the both of us. He told me, in shame, that he was the reason she left Balbadd to go meet with her only living relative: her aunt. That she was so heartbroken by being betrayed by Kassim and lying to me about Mariam and the rest of the Slums that she couldn't bear to live in Balbadd anymore...and...I really thought that it was true...maybe it is...I only know that I'm so regretful for not being better to Centola when she was around…"

* * *

A lone tear travels down her cheek, and those around her are kind enough not to mention it, although Khadeja hands her a handkerchief.

"I'm going to my room, please leave me be"

Although, she isn't going to her room but the roof, and when she gets there, she hides in the black shadows, taking deep breaths and trying, harder than one would expect, to stop crying. As the explosions rock the hotel and the Fog Troop enters it, she merely continues to sit there, in a daze of memories- good and bad.

* * *

"I've come to save you, partners!"

* * *

"SHUT UP! I'M NO DIFFERENT FROM THEM!" Sinbad blinks at Alibaba's outburst. Centola, still hiding in the shadowy corners, flinches. She knew that Alibaba would explode if Sinbad had said what he said about him being different from the Slum residents, but it was still piercing to the ear. "We are all from the same place and they are my brothers! I won't let you...Allow you...To insult the bonds between us!" She begins to gently hum a quick melody under her breath her mother use to sing to her.

_Deep breath,_

_Quick heartbeat,_

_Kind words touch your heart, _

_Remember love…_

She steps up just as Alibaba begins to scream,

"STERN AND DIGNIFIED SPIRITS OF ETI-!"

"Alibaba, stop this, please!" She yells, and all attention goes to her. The blond looks up, stares at her, and when the voice and face match the fourteen year old in his mind, he goes still and takes several steps back.

"C-Centola?!"

* * *

Bad can't say this hasn't been way too enjoyable for her liking. From Sinbad's speech, to Kassim's lovely entrance, everything has been entirely too entertaining. So when something she didn't know was going to happen, like Centola entering the scene, her heart quickens, and she giggles. Aladdin stares at her.

"What? You didn't know Centola was Alibaba's childhood friend?" She winks at him, and her day is made when his ears turn pink.

"Cent…?" Kassim asks, his eyes unbelieving. Centola meets his gaze, but her face is sad.

"Really, I go away for a little while and you both get into trouble…" She smiles slightly, and moves her eyes away. The Temptress strides forward, nearing Masrur.

"Masrur, do you think you could let them go? There has to be another way to resolve problems other than violence" On 'violence' she looks over her shoulder to stare at Sinbad, who shrugs.

"Don't blame me! I was protecting myself" Centola sighs, and out of habit tosses her hair over her shoulder. Bad is once again struck by her immense beauty, the waves of strawberry blonde to her waist and brightness of lightly tanned skin.

"Yes, yes, now will your General let my friends go?" Sinbad pauses, and then a smile stretches over his features.

"He's faking that smile" Bad whispers to Aladdin, and he gives a questioning look.

"How do you know?"

"I, uh, am perceptive"

"Not yet. After all, he did try to hurt us first. But are they really your friends? Didn't you leave Balbadd for Rayide?" Centola nods.

"I did. But friends are friends, and there is no better place than the Slums to bond people" Kassim watches Centola like if he blinks she'll disappear. The other thieves follow his example, most of them knowing Centola through one way or another. Perhaps they saw her perform, or perhaps heard stories from the others.

Kassim leans forward to speak to Centola, but Alibaba beats him there, launching over to Centola despite the impressive distance and trapping her in his arms, crushing her to him and saying,

"I thought you weren't coming back!" Centola, very carefully, wraps her own arms over his back, returning the display of affection.

_That's adorable~ I can't wait to tease him about this later~!_

"I never said that…" Sinbad clears his throat, incredibly loudly, and the two separate from their embrace. Alibaba holds onto Centola's arm, preparing to pull her behind him if push comes to shove.

"I believe you said, 'other ways to solve problems', Miss Centola? Care to take the floor?" He's not being antagonistic, but rather testing her skills. How would she handle speaking to people she hasn't seen since she was much younger? And in front of a man whom she got into a quarrel with before leaving?

Bad grins as Centola shakes Alibaba loose, and basically glides to center stage, twirling around to face each person individually. Her serious face softens, and the deepness of her green eyes calm the frightened.

"I have found a solution to the problems of Balbadd. Badroulbadour, come!" That sly fox! Bad isn't entirely sure what she is playing at, but nonetheless rushes up to her sister, taking her hand beaming up at her.

"Did I do well, Sister?"

"Very" Where did she learn to have a fake smile like sugar?

"W-wait! That's the child from the other night!" Sinbad's eyes narrow, and something dark clicks in the back of his mind, though a few essential pieces of information are missing.

"You're correct Ja'far. This is my dear friend Badroulbadour, or Bad for short. When I heard about a magician stirring up trouble, I knew it was her" Bad lets go of Centola's hand and instead wraps her arms around the older girl's waist.

"Yessir-y! But Cent, you're the one who let me go! You need to watch me better, Sis~!" Giggling, Bad feels Centola's stomach stiffens under her touch though the rest of her stays calm and relaxed. Bad couldn't help it! It would've been too easy~

"Mhm, I suppose it is my fault. I must ask something of you, King Sinbad" He tilts his head and regards her calmly, contemplating these words.

_Oh. I understand. _

"King Sinbad...Help Balbadd!"

"C-Cent!" Kassim shouts, at the same time Alibaba reaches out to stop her. "Please stop!"

"King Sinbad, you have the power to make King Ahbmad listen to the Fog Troop, and if he listens to them then he'll reopen trade. That's what you want, right? For your people to prosper. That's what I want as well"

"Is that so?" Sinbad answers her coolly, but Bad sees a tiny portion of his jaw tense at the mention of his citizens. He must love them a lot, although the Sinbad she remembers...He wasn't exactly...

_"So this is it then?"  
_

_"Afraid so. This is it"  
_

_"And nothing I can say will stop you from leaving Sindria? Nothing I can offer you will make you stay?"  
_

_"I have my love, my Aladdin, Uncle Sinbad, and that's all I want. All I'll ever want."_

"Yes" Bad lets go of Centola, taking a protective stance as Khadeja, who has been beside Ja'far this whole time, hurries over to her mistress and curtseys. The amethyst eyed singularity takes her place on the right of Centola, mirroring Bad and saying,

"I take it we are switching sides, my Lady?"

"If all goes according to plan"

"How entertaining" Khadeja smirks, narrowing her eyes at Alibaba who flinches slightly at her piercing gaze.

"King Sinbad, I will let you know this however: Though I am asking for your help, it is only because it would be convenient to me. Honestly, I don't need you to free my friends, because I can do that myself, and you know I can. This is your last chance: join the Fog Troop with me, or try to keep me away from what I want, and hope to God that I let you off easy. You'll find I'm much more serious then my aunt" The calmness in her voice is no longer soothing but a bit chilling, that coupled with a blank look on her lovely face causes hairs on the back of her neck to raise, and Bad grins.

"Yep, yep! Sorry Sinbad! Looks like Big Sister is joinin' the Fog Troop, so join or face off against her!" Bad's simper melts away, becoming knowing. "And you know she'll beat you if that's what you're asking for...Or maybe you'd prefer to face me?"

In the corner of her eyes, Alibaba and Kassim watch with wide eyes.

"Centola…?" Alibaba whispers, gripping Amon tightly in his hand.

"So, nothing will change your mind? You will stay on the side of thieves?"

"Yes. But it is your decision whether or not to join me"

"Why would he join us?" Kassim bitterly says, glaring down at the ground. "He's a king, and we are just low-life thieves"

"You're wrong!" Kassim blinks as Sinbad sends a grin his way. "You've got a De Coverna like Centola on your side, and that is a sign of trustworthiness. I think. Centola!" Bad's Temptress smiles toward the King, and he returns the favor. "You are one scary girl, I'll tell you that! But I accept your offer. To tell the truth, I've started sympathizing with these guys"

Sinbad gets a dreamy look on his face, and Bad adds,

"Uncle Sinbad, I think we'll get along just fine!"

"EHHHHHHH?! SIN?!"

* * *

Unfortunately, fate follows it's course for the rest of the night with Sinbad talking about the abnormalities of the world, but Khadeja still remains at the ready by Centola's side, prepared for anything and everything. Centola looks at her friend who likens herself to a servant and smiles, patting her on the shoulder.

"Huh? Mistress?"

"That's enough Khadeja, you'll run yourself into the ground with all your worrying. Bad can take over for defense if you like, though I have a feeling nothing is going to happen"

At that moment, Kassim begins to yell at Sinbad. Centola watches, feeling a dull pain in her chest, as Kassim accuses Sinbad of uncaring about anyone other than himself. When Ja'far cuts him off with a throw of his knives, Centola walks forward, unnoticed by even the assassin himself.

"You ignorant thief…" As he brings down the blade, Centola grabs his wrist, pulling it upwards toward herself and glaring down at Ja'far with ice cold anger.

"Ja'far, I consider you a comrade...but if you touch Kassim, I won't hold back" Ja'far goes pale, paler than he usually is, and resheathing the knife, backes away.  
"I-I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this" He apologizes quickly, making a little bow. Centola merely nods, still a bit angry.

"Kassim" she whispers, turning to him, offering his hand. It remindes her of long ago, when they first meet, and how he refused her, instead shaking her hand after he got up. They were children then, and Centola wishes she could point this out to Kassim.

The boy looks away from her, choosing to get himself up. Slowly she drops her hand, and backs away, deciding that maybe distance is what's best.

_So you haven't forgiven me? I can't say I blame you for this…_

Sinbad tells Alibaba their next course of action, and Centola looks to Bad, who gives her a wink.

"Do what ya got to do" she mouths. Rolling her eyes, Centola asks the King, who finished telling Alibaba that they need to go to Ahbmad,

"Is there anyway little old me could be of service?" She smiles, and Sinbad gives a short laugh.

"Not five minutes ago you were threatening me" He shakes his head. "So much like your aunt, scarily so. But yes, I believe you'll have a big part in the coming days. I will take Alibaba with me to the palace with some of my companions, but will you go to the Fog Troops base and set things up for our return? I believe that we'll be needing a few choice things"

"Sounds good. Khadeja" The woman perks up, curtsying to Centola.

"Yes my Lady? Anything you need?" Her gaze is waiting commands, searching for the hidden words amongst her speech..

"Would you accompany them? I already know the way back to the base, and it's not that I don't trust King Sinbad, but I believe your skills could come in handy if there will be trouble"

_Accompany them._

_Don't trust King Sinbad._

_There will be trouble._

Bad snickers, a devilish grin crossing her face. Somehow the trickster magician had seen past her rouse of sincerness. Ah well, no bother. Centola looks to a nervous Alibaba and smiles at him. "And Alibaba?"

His head snaps up, she gives him a soft, dedicated look.

"I know you can do it. Just go and give it your all, okay? Kassim and I'll be back at the base, right Kassim?" The man eyes her from under his eyebrows, but nods. A chill stretches up her back, but she ignores it.

"Yeah"

* * *

"The old place sure has gone to hell, hasn't it?" She asks the man beside her, running a finger over the door. "My home"

Kassim snorts.

"Well, that girl of yours, Bad, has cleaned it up a bit. The outside's ratty as hell, but the insides fine" The sentence does nothing to counter the awkward silence. Opening the door with the key she's had since she's got the place, Centola enters her house and sees it to be disorganized, but relatively clean.

"She fixed the floorboards?"

"Alibaba helped her"

"Oh. I see" Centola looks around, from the fire pit in the kitchen next to the low counters, to the empty cabinet that used to hold her candles, and the bed that she hasn't used in almost two years. "They did a good job"

"I guess so" Tension so thick she could cut it with a simple wave of her hand. She turns to him. Kassim has changed. His shoulders are broader, his eyes sharper, dreads longer. Black hair like shadows, brown eyes like chocolate, still wearing simple tunics and jewelry. He looks harder though, somehow, and he doesn't return her gaze.

"Say, do you hate me?" Those eyes snap to hers in an instant. "I did leave Balbadd. I left you all alone...I would understand, you know, if you did hate me"

"I...I don't _hate_ you, Centola"

"'Centola'...you only use my full name when your upset" He throws his arms in the air.

"Upset is different from hate!" He exclaims, pinning her with a red hot snarl. "Remember what I said? 'Nothing you could do is bad'. I meant it. Leaving Balbadd was for the best. I wish you had just stayed with your aunt"

"And let you and Alibaba die?" she counters, stepping forward. "No way! Balbadd is my home too, Kassim. I'm sorry, alright? I shouldn't have said those things that day. But I felt betrayed that you kept something like that from me, and didn't trust me enough to tell me about the things you've done. We're family, aren't we? We were suppose to tell each other these things" He shakes his head, pressing against his temples.

"...I just want you to be safe, Cent"

"And I want you to know that you're not alone"

* * *

He does what Alibaba did, but gentler, stroking her hair and pressing his face into the crook of her neck as she does the same. Kassim can't help it- even after all these years he still does, and always will, love Centola. And even though he knows that she doesn't love him the same way he does, he still holds her, and pretends that life'll get better from here on out. That once his dream is accomplished, she'll understand why he's done all that he's done.

For her.

* * *

The Balbaddian Palace is very large, very bright, and very cluttered. Guards line up on each side of the carpet they stand on, and in the corner attendants clutter around, working but still listening in on the conversation at hand, preparing to spew the new gossip throughout the Royal court. Outside, a giant crowd roars for Alibaba, and said boy stands shyly beside the intimidating Sinbad.

Khadeja scoffs at him, turning up her nose. He glares at her, and silently asks,

"What?" In a bratty, very upset voice. She rolls her eyes.

"When we fought, you looked confident. I know I won, but at the beginning you looked like you knew exactly what you were doing. I admired that quality" She pauses, eyeing him. "But now all I see is a scared little boy"

"Thanks" He sarcastically replies.

"No problem" She pauses, watching as Sinbad talks to Ahbmad. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"...What kind?"

"...You're stronger than me. In fact, you would have won if I didn't do what I did and intimidated you. That's your weakness, Alibaba. You get afraid of scared of people looking down at you. But they can't look down at you until you allow them to. Don't be scared of them, Alibaba. You share **blood**"

* * *

"Ah, so many people here! If I had known I would have stayed with Centola instead of leaving" Aladdin hears someone speak loudly, and the voice is very familiar. He doesn't turn, but the cold aches through him, and he has an urge to know why she's _so strange_.

The voice comes closer and his eyes widen as he sees the image beside him.

The Rukh spin and churn where she is, fluttering in the exact image of petals, black like shadows. But there is something else, a twinge of white Rukh lining the black, sharpening them and herding them into a permanent shapes clustered around the girl.

He mistakes Badroulbadour for a black rose.

* * *

Kassim sits beside Centola at Mrs. Gamela's bar, drinking (water, he remembers her anger with a wince) a bit as Centola tells him of her aunt.

"She's uh, interesting" Centola's makes a face and Kassim snickers.

"How so?"

"...Um…" Then Zaynab charges in, surveys the entire bar, sees the strawberry blonde and launches herself at the unsuspecting girl.

"CENTOLA!" Zaynab gathers her into a hug, smiling ear to ear. "Where have you been?! I've missed you!" Centola laughs, patting her back and struggling to get into a comfortable position. Zaynab lets go and pulls up a chair, sitting down and excitedly.

"Sorry, sorry! I was in Rayide with my aunt"

"Huh? Centola has an aunt?"

"Mhm, she was just telling me about her" Kassim leans forward staring at her with intentness. "Right, Cent?"

Centola coughs nervously and scratches her neck.

"Well, um...Aunt Zeina is very, er, protective, and she does care for me, in a lot of ways. But um, she isn't exactly...normal"

"How so?" Zaynab asks, smirking as Hassan comes in, pulls up a chair and greets Centola in a cheery voice. Hassan recovered well from the fight with Sinbad quickly, though he sits down with a wince, rubbing circles on his stomach. Sinbad did hit him pretty hard, and with magoi manipulation to boot. Ouch.

"Zeina...is...oh, how do I put this into words? She's can be incredibly inappropriate if she wants to be, and she enjoys liquor a bit too much, which has lead to some very late nights and searching around town for her spontaneous ass and dragging her back home" Centola shakes her head, puffing up her cheeks. "The woman is mad. Brilliant, I'll tell you, but mad"

Kassim can't help it, he laughs, and Centola's glare only makes that intensify.

Centola's glad, because she's done one of the most important things that Bad asked of her in order to stop the destruction of Balbadd.

Dely Kassim's departure from the Fog Troop.

* * *

Asad stares at the scene before him. King Sinbad, with Prince Alibaba, along with a woman who matches the description Centola gave him of her servant, Khadeja. It was a smart move, sending the servant out to collect information where key characters won't recognize her. For instance, his idiotic brother who is now laughing at the 'idiot' King with such careless swagger. SWAGGER.

He thought swagger wasn't invented yet.

Asad sighs and comes out from the shadows where he had been lurking invisible.

"Judar, I don't believe angering a King is a good idea" Judal sends a spiteful look over his shoulder at his brother for ruining his fun, but gives a good natured shrug.

"It's Judal. And don't knock it till you've tried it" Asad tuts lightly, passing by the surprised guest and pulling his brother toward Marrkio.

"Whatever" Marrkio gives that annoying fake grin that Asad hates so very much, and greets him with a bow, sweeping his arm under his chest. It appears he has either forgiven Asad for attacking him or has forgotten all together, although the likelyhood of that is little to none. The silver haired man didn't want to attack the banker, but he needed to protect his brother from Marrkio's full explanation of all of his secret actions, and nothing and no one will get in the way of him when his focus is on Judal.

"Ah! Glad you two could make it!" Marrkio turns his attention to the King and Asad rolls his eyes. Still though, acting all high and mighty in front of two major characters is fun. Who knew playing the villain was so exciting? "Allow me to introduce them, Sinbad"

Marrkio's mismatches eyes creep onto Judal and Asad's figures, his lips parting even more to reveal his pink gums.

"This is Judal, Oracle of the Kou Empire! And the man beside him," Asad keeps his face blank, features emotionless and trained solely on Sinbad, who appears lightheaded, "Is Asad, the Holy Keeper of the Kou Empire!"

"Holy Keeper?" Marrkio gives of the 'official' description,

"He is in charge of all religious practices, maintaining peace, appointing and anointing new priests, creating a schedule for church and the oracle and much more" Asad intervenes then, nudging Judal with a smirk.

"Uh, yeah, half of that. Mainly 'Holy Keeper' is a nickname for 'keeping' this one," He juts his thumb out at Judal, "Out of trouble. Of course, I probably don't have to explain that part to you, now do I?" Judal beams like what he said was praise.

"That's right!" Asad sighs.

_What an annoyance he is, my cute little brother~_

* * *

Alibaba holds his head in his hands.

How could things have gotten this way? It's not fair! All the suffering, all the hardships, all the cruel things imposed on the people, his brother couldn't possibly see anything good from these things!

_You are __**blood.**_

Alibaba snorts. A fat good of help those did. But...maybe he's being too harsh. Khadeja hasn't really relied on him like everyone else had, and she was just trying to be helpful, in a weird, cold way. Besides, those words…

"Alibaba?" He freezes up once he hears his name. Why would she come here? "Can I come in?"

"I-I uh, yeah…" Centola enters, green mirrors instantly locking onto him. She closes the door after her very quietly, and watches Alibaba for a while, looking as he sits quietly and stoically on his bed. Then she giggles.

"H-hey!"

"I-I'm sorry!" She laughs some more. "I was just thinking you look too cute when you're serious~!" Alibaba sputters out an answer and Centola takes that time to cross to his bed, leaning down and engulfing him in a hug.

_It feels like home._

"I've missed you" She whispers, joining him on the bed. Alibaba goes silent and nods, feeling her soft hair under his fingertips. Centola leans back, observes him, and squeezes his hand. "So. Care to tell me about what happened?"

Alibaba didn't, but once he said a single word, the entire truth came spilling out, gushing into the air with fierce emotion as he grips her hand, trying to stay connected to the world when every problem is swirling around them with beady gazes.

"...I see" Centola closes her eyes, her wavy hair rippling in the candle light. It's funny, He's never seen Centola with her hair down like it is now. When they were children, it was almost always in a braid, her green ribbon tied neatly. But fuzzily he can recall a time when they were very, very young and her hair grazed her shoulders, surprisingly ratty after a day of rushing around.

Now it surrounds them, touching her hips and slipping over her shoulders. She doesn't wear her Balbaddian clothes, but instead a long green dress with slits up the sides and a white scarf hanging loosely on her elbows.

"Hey, Cent, did you want to come back here?" She doesn't open her eyes, but one of her eyebrows twitches.

"What is it with boys and thinking I don't want to come back?"

"You could have gotten married in Rayide" Those mirrors show him his face, eager and confused. He holds her hands too tight. "You could have had a family, and lived peacefully, sang as much as you like. Class systems wouldn't have gotten to you, and nobody would have treated you like garbage like they did here!"

"Did you think I was garbage?"

"What?! Of course not-"

"But I am, aren't I?" She frowns, a scar on a unblemished skin. "After all, I...I lied to you, and betrayed you…"

"No you didn't!" He roars, looking intently into her face. "Don't say something like that, okay? I don't want talk of betrayal and pain anymore...I just want you and Kassim and I to be together again... A team, remember?"

"...Ah. That...Is that really alright?"

"Please?"

"..."

* * *

Asad watches Judal like a hawk as the younger gazes out onto Balbadd. He watches the smile that doesn't touch his eyes creep along the boy's face, and he watches as his brother prepares to leave. Asad tries to imagine taking away all his brother's doubts in him, all his memories regarding the Shadow, but he can't because he was gifted in bending light, not bending love.

So instead he turns his back on the boy as Kougyoku watches him worriedly, and he gives her a (weak) smile that turns out as a grimace.

"Sorry, repeat that?"

"Do you want to go out tonight?"

"Look at you, a regular pariah!" Kougyoku turns red, throwing a hairbrush at him that goes sailing out the window, momentarily blocking out the red sunset that's too bright to look right at.

"Oh shut up, will you! I just figure I better have some fun while I can!" Asad shakes his head, and hold out his hand to her. She looks uncertain, still a mixture of annoyance and worry, but takes it anyway.

"Come on, Princess. Let's have some fun then!"

Asad told Bad he would take Judal's place, but it turns out that Judal is stepping up to claim his role.

As much as he hates the idea, the Holy Keeper has to let him, because if he stops it then...

Caring about your friends can be a hassle, can't it?

* * *

"Yes...We're a team. You, Kassim and I."

* * *

Bad watches as, together, Centola, Alibaba and Kassim address the Slums. Kassim stands on the left of Alibaba, Centola on the right, and they look like a perfect unit.

_Once upon a time, _

_Long, long ago,_

_A liar loved a lover and_

_A lover loved a show,_

_The show had a boy __with golden hair,_

_but the boy didn't know,_

_that the two were even there!_

"Ehehe~!"

* * *

Catrina, feels it. The pulling.

She doesn't tell anyone about it, but sometimes the longing for home is so tremendous it's like something is literally chained around her, tugging her toward her birthplace, into her mother's arms. But Catrina bites her lip and ignores it, pretending that it's her Fanalis strength that keeps her ground, when in truth it's something much more important.

Her family away from family.

Eren laughs with Yunan, talking about, and she quotes, "manly interests" and Yamu cooks up something delicious. The redhead sits at the table, watching everyone with a detached interest. The chains dig into her wrist and ankles, pinpricks of pain reminding her of a bloody memory lined by burns.

_Truth was, she saw the rock coming. But the lie would be that she didn't move because she was brave. She didn't move because, in the very deepest part of her heart, the one place that accepts that Alice really did exist, told her that things like this didn't happen, not to her. People don't throw rocks at sick children on the verge of death, and they certainly don't hate girls who have nothing like her._

_But Catrina was different._

_So when that fateful rock slams into her forehead, and the warm blood begins to flow over her face, Catrina feels Alice jolt._

_Catrina wasn't a sick child on the verge of death, no, she was a straight-backed girl who was an 'unholy' mixture of Fanalis and Amala, and she was damn proud of that. She had her mother, and her home, and her family. _

_Though that family tried to take those things away from her._

_Catrina decides then, let them try, but it won't work. Not against her, who can knock over trees and run the length of the barrier thirty seven times in one day. However, what Catrina the Fanalis-Amala wasn't expecting, was that they would try, and in a twisted sense, it did work. They took away her everything._

Catrina didn't know when she started to cry, but Yamu shields the sight from the boys who haven't yet noticed, and the magician wipes her wet cheek with a long finger. Catrina presses her face into the woman's stomach, but her painful grip on the scar on her arm doesn't lift, and Catrina hates that part of her that can't let go.

Catrina hates Alice.

* * *

"Here" Yamu folds the pink fabric over her arm, and then uses white ribbon to tie off the end so that the slip would stay on her arm. Catrina had long stopped crying, but her eyes are scarlet red and line the lashes. Yamu takes Catrina's chin. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Catrina had hidden the scar for a long while after she got it. At first, when it was Eren, Bad and her traveling with Yunan and Yamu, Catrina didn't bother, because it was a known fact that she had one, and nobody seemed to mind or even notice. But then the three started to travel, and the looks became heavy, filled with pity and disgust.

She hated those looks, wondered what was so wrong that she deserved to be turned away by shopkeepers once they saw her ugly arm.

When Bad came to her with a sheath of pink silk, purchased with gold found in a dungeon and while costly still beautiful, Catrina held out her arm in a mezmoried way, eyes misty as the fabric slid like water over her skin, inch by inch covering a reminder she hated, unit it reached the top, was tied off by a white ribbon, and sealed with a white ring that kept it on her finger.

"My family tried to kill me" It's funny, she didn't ever want to say those words, and yet they leave her mouth so easily. "Not my mother, but the others"

"...Ah. So that's what it was…"

"I think they hated me. But I loved them, more than I can say." Catrina pauses, stroking the fabric covering her scar. Whenever Catrina got too upset, or remembered the Amala tribe, the scar always throbbed and became sore. "Hey, Auntie…?"

"Mhm?"

"Is it normal to hurt the people you love?" If the magician is surprised, she doesn't change her kind smile, and Yamu brushes a stray red hair behind her ear.

"Yes, sweetie, it is. I've done it many times." That hand stills. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course"

"Only a few people knew this but, in the Other, I was dying"

"Dying?"

"Yeah. I assume you know that the barrier I was maintaining on Sindria was at the price of my life, correct?" When she nods, Yamu continues, "Well, that's what it was about. I was in immense pain, so much so that I...well, I miscarried. Ah, I guess you don't know that much, right? Yeah. I was so sad, especially since I didn't even know I was pregnant. The only one that knew about it was Bad, did you know that? She was the one I called upon to help me clean up, and while her eyes, her gentle, pink eyes were filled with sadness, she did what I asked and didn't tell anyone. Only me and her could mourn that lose of life, but it really was only me since Bad never stayed a place with her lover for more than a few weeks. So there I was, alone, now childless, and dying. Each day I got weaker and weaker, and people didn't know why I was so sad.

Except maybe Sinbad.

He seemed to know everything, you know? He'd watch me with these depressed looks, as if sharing my pain. Hm, I wonder if that's the way it was. When the end of the Other came, it was almost like it was relieving me of my pain. Still…" Catrina reaches out as Yamu titters toward her, steadying the woman caught up in her own memories. "I'm glad I got a second chance. I hope I can have children this time around, even if it isn't the one I would've had with that guy"

* * *

"So you heard?"

"Of course, my hearing is amazing"

"...I guess so" Yamu can't stop it, she looses her balance and falls into Yunan's waiting arms, who rests his chin on her head as she clutches his green clothes. Catrina and Eren had to go do their part in Bad's plan, and Yamu wants, for the first time, to just stay here, in her little house, with her kind Yunan, studying scrolls and sipping tea at her leisure. No more schemes, no more fighting.

No more dead children never born or homes given up but somehow always considered home, no more barriers or hurt or war.

Because

Nothing

Good

Comes

From

War.

* * *

Bad giggles, her heart quivering the moment

Judal shows up. Excitement runs through her

Like horses, stepping on her body like it's dirt.

This is it.

When she assesses

Everything

That's she's worked for all this time.

All the good things she's done,

And also all of the

Bad

Things. In her eyes, Centola defends her family,

And Kassim and Alibaba defends her,

Judal goes straight to Sinbad,

Saying something disturbing and vey Judal like.

Here it is, here it

Comes

The true test. What will her friends do to

Stop a threat?

How funny, how hilarious that Sinbad

Is ordered around from a mere brat

From

The Kou Empire of all places.

Wasn't he suppose to be a King?

Eh, it's not really orders, actually. More like harassment.

Grinning, Bad watches it, content despite

Everything she's done for one simple

act in her ugly, horrible, not what

She thought it was going to be

War

* * *

'ello! What'd ya think? Good, Bad (pun alert!), achingly weird? Tell me about it son! So uh, I did the chapter. Took me longer than I thought it would, but that's because I sort of got caught up in Katanagatari which is, as of the moment, the BEST ANIME I'VE EVER WATCHED HOLY SHIZ. Seriously, watch it. I've never seen an art style like it.

Ahem. Thanks for reading! Oh, and I know I said I'd get to the Ugo-Judal fight, but I really wanted to post something for y'all and my fingers started to ache :( So here it is my loves! I know it's late, but get prepared for the next chapter which has...

EPIC BATTLES OF AWESOME!

Or something. I can't really do fight scenes, ya know? Plus I think I'm making things very complicated, especially with poor Yamu miscarrying. Then again, I planned on having her be dying in the Other since the start, so it's not much of a take away as it is a detail. Not like Hakuei's son, whom I really feel horrible about. Miscarrying is sad (incredibly so, my cousin did a few years ago), but loosing a child that you grew to know and understand is almost worse (children dying is still a very sad but real concept however).

Away from the sadness! Asad was in this chappie (along with my homegirl Kougyoku! WOOHOO!) and you learn that Judal, while still very much so dedicated to his elder sibling, has taken the dark path! That's right, Asad has scared the bejesus out of his little brother, and now Judal, who I am totally doing a psychological breakdown on next chappie, will take out his anger on our heroes! (Can you call Bad a hero, though? Seriously, she's sort of a depressing and diabolical character, although you can't help but want to understand her. At least, that's the way I've been trying to make her. Is it working? Also, Centola's annoying me because while I want her to be aloof and untouchable, I also need her to connect with Alibaba and Kassim. UGH.)

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	12. Chapter 11: A Win-Win

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC:** Begin Again

CHAPTER 11: A Win-Win

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

Let's imagine history as something that can't be changed. For instance, let's picture it as a pond. A still, ice covered pond in the middle of winter, soft snow falling ever so slowly from the ash colored sky, draping across thin trees and sticking to grassless land.

This pond cannot be changed, as it is so perfectly still and the life all around it has disappeared that no one has any reason whatsoever to break, step, or cause a disturbance to a natural part of the season of winter.

Yes, this pond will always be history, set in an ice so thick and deep that everything remains perfectly clear and absolute. The snow falls, draps and sticks, but it isn't really doing that at all. The ice freezes and melts and freezes, but it isn't really doing that at all. The pond is chilling, stilling, and shivering, but it isn't really doing that at all.

Everything that happens to and around this pond will always happen, has always happened, and will continue to happen like a video on repeat, however even that isn't accurate because you cannot see, feel, taste, smell or hear the repeat.

Everything is perfect, everything is calm.

It is a mere memory, rewinding and continuing on forever.

* * *

Zeina relaxes with a bottle of gin, the brown liquid spinning endless circles in her glass. She surveys the city she's in, a nameless place she doesn't care much about. It's not particularly pretty, but it's not quite ugly, more like an in-between place teetering on the edge of good and bad.

Heh, looks like she's managed once again to find somewhere struggling to emerge from a pit of blackness. It's places like this where the most work comes to pass, because lapsing back into an addiction can be disheartening, and Zeina knows that's bad for business. Turning good people bad and bad people worse is easy, but those who know about horrible things and don't want that kind of life style anymore truly are tough to deal with.

She drinks.

When the glass is empty, she holds it to her eye, twisting it so that the colors and sunset are captured in the pattern, reflecting off of rooftops and streets. The few people in her vision are taken too, positioned in places that she believes would be perfect for her.

Then, the Temptress stops, placing the glass on the window sill with a loud **clank**. Zeina De Coverna stands, graceful as always, and smiles, a coy thing that holds nothing, as she has realized that she feels nothing.

Zeina looks down at her hand, a smooth, wrinkleless hand, and for the first time in since she traveled around with Sinbad before he was called the High King, the Temptress dreams of freeing herself from her chains that hold her ankles and wrists to stone.

_Centola, wait for me!_

* * *

"S Nando~!" Bad says sweetly, and the three brothers still at her call. She stands behind them, and they all turn at the pace of snails toward her.

"Oh, boss, hi" L Nando greets her slowly, backing away behind his older brother S Nando.

"Hi"

"...Is there something, uh, you need…?"

"Yes"

"...Care to tell us it?" S Nando shrinks back, stroking his cheek where an angry purple bruise adorns his round features. M Nando, with fear, grips his precious braid.

"Yes!" Silence once again reigns. "Oh dearie me, I forgot!" Laughing, the pinkette skips away, leaving the three Nandos sweat dropping in her wake.

* * *

"S Nando! I remembered!" She comes back right before Sinbad begins to speak, and asks, very loftily, "You didn't happen to, I don't know, come across a certain man's treasures lately, have you?"

In unison, all three brothers pale.

* * *

Balbadd's citizens of the Slums stand before Centola, watching her with their rough, dark eyes that are alight with hope. Or maybe it's desperation. With Kassim on Alibaba's left, Centola on his right, and Sinbad beside her, she believes this was the way to go about things. It's funny how well Badroulbadour's plan actually worked out.

_She did say 'trust me, I know these idiots'._

But here it is, Alibaba telling the Slums that the negotations didn't work. Of course, Sinbad speaks alongside Alibaba, but her dear friend still has the courage to stand up straight and look his people in the eye.

A swell of pride raises in her chest, devotion true and clear ringing like church bells in her ears. She never really thought about it before, but this man is her friend. This man is her _Prince_. Kassim winks at her, and she rolls her eyes at him, listening to Alibaba and Sinbad.

When Sinbad begins to speak, Centola contemplates his words, brought up from the depths of his heart and presented in front of the desperate citizens. Or maybe they're hopeful.

But there is a dark part in Centola, a part black as night and suspicious, a part, she realizes, that looks a lot like Jane.

_**Temptress, remember your aunt's words.**_

_I don't wish to speak with you._

_**I don't care if you hate me or not, but a least know that I'm here to help you.**_

_Help me? You're the reason I'm different from my friends!_

_**I'm the reason? Child, you were born this way. And you promised to continue being this way. So please, repeat those words for me now.**_

_Don't trust Sinbad._

"...The world is filled with unreasonable things. Admitting those who suffer from such…"

_But he appears so kind…_

'_**Words brought up from the depths of his heart', huh? Well remember, Child, that the depths of Sinbad's heart are as dark as yours.**_

* * *

Badroulbadour listens to Sinbad, and then smirks, hiding herself along the faraway back wall. Oh dear, what will Asad do? Allow his brother to come, or come himself? Of course, that is a trick question.

She made sure of it.

"_Hey Gyo~Ku~En!" _

"...That's the reason my country was built" The cheers enter her ears, and Bad grimaces. What are these people thinking, putting their faith in a man like Sinbad? Badroulbadour _knew _Sinbad in the Other, saw the way his mind worked firsthand, experienced his wrath and kindness, understood that only one thing mattered to him: Sindria. While that is admirable, he lost himself in that admiration, going on to create a bigger, better country, striving for heights others couldn't comprehend, gliding ahead on golden wings while his own people struggled to understand.

All the while, he offered his hand, expecting it to be taken, and not understand himself why nobody could reach it.

Still, a great King is a great King, and Sinbad, for all his faults, tried.

Although, he still failed, and that's not much of a life, is it? Failure, the number one thing we fear and fight. Failure is not an option for Bad, because she knows all this is a one time deal. (It's not that she couldn't bear reliving it again, more like she just really _can't, _but more on that later)

Oh look, time already.

She looks up and sees Judal before anyone else, noting his relaxed posture on the carpet and the smirk adorning his face. Of course Judal came, she made sure of it. Through means she's not proud of.

Necessary means, all the same.

"_Hey Gyo~Ku~En!" _

"_I would like to cash in that favor you owe me"_

"Hey Sinbad!" Judal, so loud! The magi hops down from his carpet, landing perfectly in the center of the room. All around, Fog Troop members crush themselves to the back while she slips by them to the front, hiding behind the rather large M Nando.

"Hey!" S Nando hisses "What do you think you're _doing_?"

"Hiding" She replays simply. "Now stand still."

M Nando quivers some more.

"Seriously, do you want another whooping boy?" He instantly stills. The fruits of threats!

"Hey, stupid King! What're you doing here?"

"Who's he?" S Nando asks, and Bad whispers back to him,

"S, let me tell you something" The brothers look toward her, and she bites her lip. "That guy, is someone you don't want to mess with. Honestly, I'd say he's on par with my strength, if not stronger"

Sinbad asks Judal who sent him, and, beaming, Judal answers that he came on his own volition.

"I don't have a single bit of interest about all those things about the economy that the old man talks about…" Judal looks up at Sinbad, his red eyes gleaming much like Bad's do when she's plotting. "Sinbad, you should know, right? What'd I truly like to do...Is get my revenge!"

"What?" Sinbad rears back, surprised, and Judal laughs.

"I guess I've never told you, did I? Well, let me make it clear. I. Want. Revenge." Bad feels her eyelids flutter halfway down, an old story of what Judal was suppose to say bouncing around in her head. But then again...She had to make him say these words.

"_Hey Gyo~Ku~En!" _

"_I would like to cash in that favor you owe me"_

"_Leave Asad alone, please...and don't hurt my dear friends"_

Judal asks Sinbad, probably not for the first time, to join up with him, though Sinbad refuses, telling the magi that he won't be a puppet. The black haired teen isn't discouraged.

"Then again, who are these people? Gathering in droves…" Here it comes. Judal'll see Aladdin, get mad, and then punch her beloved right in his beautiful azure eyes! She turns away, unable to watch.

"_Hey Gyo~Ku~En!" _

"_I would like to cash in that favor you owe me"_

"_Leave Asad alone, please...and don't hurt my dear friends"_

"_Hm? My friends? Catrina, Centola, Eren, Kougyoku and Asad, of course!"_

"...Centola?"

Rose colored eyes snapping open, Bad's mind goes blank.

Oh.

That's…

She forgot to tell Centola to hide, didn't she…

Heh, heh…Well, this isn't good…

"_Hey Gyo~Ku~En!" _

"_I would like to cash in that favor you owe me"_

"_Leave Asad alone, please...and don't hurt my dear friends"_

"_Hm? My friends? Catrina, Centola, Eren, Kougyoku and Asad, of course!"_

(Yes, she knows who she left out)

* * *

"Oh My Lord Cent!" Centola's eye twitches, and Judal, catching her two friends at her sides unaware and unprepared, swoops down and picks her up, swinging her around in a circle while she, startled, gasps.

"Ju-Judal! Put me down!" She shouts at him, and he heeds her words, setting her feet down on the ground while snickering devilishly. Dizzily, Centola puts a hand to her head, noticing now that the magi had taken her with him back to his previous spot at center-stage.

_This isn't good._

"Hey, Cent, what're you doing in Balbadd? I thought you were with your aunt" When the world stops spinning, she answers breathlessly,

"I was, but now I'm here. Hooray." Kassim looks murderous, and Alibaba prepared to march over and demand that Judal let go of Centola's wrist. Oh joy, holding hands with a revenge driven magi.

"Ehhh? You should have told me! You, me, Asad and 'Gyoku could've caught up!"

"Cent, you know this guy?" Kassim snarls, agitation crossing his features.

"Hm, it's alright, he won't do anything. Right, Judal?" She says these words with extra emphasis, and Judal rolls his eyes, nodding.

"Yeah, yeah, I won't do anything"

_Bad, I need some help please!_

"Has it been a year since you visited Kou?"

"Just about, yes" Centola gently pries his fingers from her body part, excusing it as a necessity to dust off her dress. "How are they?"

"Good!" But then his face sours. "Well, actually, some stuff has happened and-" Judal freezes, and twirls around, scanning the room.

"Oi, Cent, if you're here, then where is the shorty?" It's Centola's turn to still, and with Judal's back turned she shoots a look at Sinbad that says, 'distract him, NOW'.

"Uh, Judal, now isn't the time for pleasantries-"

"Shut it, Idiot King, I'm looking for someone" Centola twitches. He sees this before she can revert her face back to normal. "...You know where the shorty is, don't you?"

Centola gives a casual shrug, cooly smiling at the teen. "Who? 'Shorty' isn't a lot to go off of" Judal narrows his red orbs.

"I won't take that as an answer, Centola. Seventy percent of the time, where ever you are she is, and I wanna speak with that little brat" Centola doesn't respond, or breath for that matter. "Or would you prefer I break apart the fort to look for her?"

To her credit, she keeps the words in during the ten second staring match with her old friend, but because of several reasons, she lets them out. One, Bad can handle herself. Two, the Slum people don't deserve to feel the wrath of Judal. Three, Alibaba. Four, Kassim.

"She's hiding behind M Nando"

"Who?"

"That guy" She points behind her, where the rather large M Nando quickly launches to the side. Bad is revealed, clad in her purple wardrobe and Sheba gleaming at her side. She glares at Centola.

"Traitor!" She cries, and then asks, "How did you know I was there?!"

"...I could see your staff over the Nando's shoulder…"

"...Shut up Judal" The laughing magi then ushers to Bad, who walks slowly over. He wraps his arm around Bad's neck, giving the girl a nuggie. Bad squirms, yelling, "Stop it, freak!" The magi finally lets her go, and pats her now ruined ponytail.

"Hey there, Badroulbadour! Been in any fights where if you won the loser had to be your personal servant for a week?"  
"Yep"

"Asad owes me five juan" Judal smirks at the two. "Hey, why are you both in place like this then? Oh, let me guess, this one" He points at Bad, "Got involved with the Fog Troop, am I right?"

"...Well..."

"Asad owes me ten juan!" The man cackles. "Hey Sinbad, this isn't fair you know!" The King, who had been watching with a dark facial expression cocks his head.

"What do you mean?"

"The sides aren't fair! You've got all these people, your two generals, magic weapons AND Bad and Cent? That's just cruel! Then again…" He smirks cruelly "My side has wealth, power and an army...still though, having both Bad and Cent isn't cool"

Sinbad stares for a long time at Centola and Bad.

"You think so?"

"Uh, duh? They are pretty strong!" Snorting, the magi pats Bad on the shoulder. "Oh, that reminds me, I want a rematch, shorty!" Bad scooches away.

"Maybe when you're older" she tutts, and Centola cringes.

"I'm eighteen" Bad shakes her head.

"No, it'll take a few more years before you can be at my level" He leans down to her height and glares.

"Rematch"

"No"

"Rematc-"

"No"

"Rema-"

"No"

"Re-"

"No-"

"Will you both quiet down please? Judal, why are you here?" He gives her a 'I already said it' look, and Centola bristles.

"Mhm, well, I wanted to talk to Sinbad, but then I saw you two and got off track" He gives the room a look around "Which reminds me, the Fog Troop is big! I thought it would be tinier-"

Red and blue clash, and Judal, to his credit, doesn't instantly freak out.

* * *

"_Hey Centola~!" Centola sits in her home, waiting for her friends to return from the palace after the negotiations. She had gone here after the bar, promising her old friends to catch up more later. Now, as her door opens and Bad's face appears, grinning. "I'm back!" _

_Centola is up instantly, hugging Bad and then looking out for Alibaba._

"_How'd it go? Are you alone? Are you alright? Was Kassim nice to you?" Bad chuckles._

"_Good! I'm alone, I'm alright, and Kassim was nice. Sort of." Centola sighs, pulls Bad in and closes the door, leading her to the door._

"_God, what a rough day" Centola complains, relaxing on an old, rickety chair. The pinkette runs her fingers through her ponytail. "I'm beat, you know?"_

"_You're acting a bit un-Temptress-y, Cent~" The Temptress straightens, and smiles at her friend._

"_Don't worry, my dear, I won't be slacking anytime soon"_

"_You think I care about that?"_

"_I know you do. We are friends, Bad, but at the same time…" Centola stands and paces back and forth, until she stops, and finds the courage to look at the child. __"I'm...a tool, right?" Bad frowns, but doesn't deny this._

"_...Not just a tool, Centola. You are a chain" The Temptress doesn't change her expression from the serene, calm one she wears. But inside, a rock of sadness weighs down her heart._

"_A chain?"_

"_A chain I can use to bind people together with stronger ties than any physical rope, or imprison them in steel shackles. You are an amazing weapon Centola" She bows her head._

"_...I suppose my very existence in this world was for you, then?"_

"_No." Within green mirrors, the child looks truthful. "Your existence is absolute and always. I may have brought you into this world, but your life is your own. I will never, ever take that away from you, though I may use your strength as my own" Centola can't help it, she smiles at her not-quite sister. _

"_So I can live my life as I please?"_

"_Do as you wish. But remember Centola, I need you. More than anything else, I. Need. You." The strawberry blonde pauses, then nods. The sight in front of her was more than a child. It is a tired, exhausted woman who is at the end of her rope, her red eyes ringed with purple and her lips naturally curling downward, pain etched with remarkable craftsmanship into her smooth skin._

"_Alright" The pinkette stands, burrows her face into Centola's stomach, and gripping her green dress. Centola runs her own fingers through the girl's silky locks, and the girl mumbles something. Centola nods her agreement, and takes the ribbon from Bad's hair, tucking it into a hidden pocket on the inside of her dress._

* * *

In the end, Centola had to hold Bad back by the shoulders once Judal punches poor Aladdin. Bad no longer has the gleam in her eyes of seeing an old friend, but that of a furious wildcat whose mate has been threatened.

The minute that look came into her face, Centola knew who her old love was.

She can't blame Bad. Who wouldn't love the blue haired magi? With his sweet smile and welcoming deposition, it basically shouts 'nice guy'. And that's the kind of man every girl wants to end up with, Badroulbadour was lucky to have gotten him. Now however, her protective instincts aren't helping, so Centola digs her fingers into Badroulbadour's shaking shoulders and yells at Judal,

"Enough!" The black haired boy grins at her.

"Hey, hey~ Bad, are you really ditching me for this loser? No way he's a magi!" Clearing her face from the anger that plagues her, Centola calmly tells Judal.

"Please, Judal, don't stir up trouble. We're _friends_, right? Do this for us then" The magi contemplates this, shoots a smirk at Sinbad, and answers,

"I'll stop once I find this brat's King Candidate! You hear that, chibi?" Judal taunts, and Bad's ears turn a deep scarlet. "Call out your Candidates!"

Someone pulls Centola and by extension, Bad, over to the side-lines, and a peak over her shoulder shows that it's Kassim, his face betraying his furiousness. His own hands press into her bones, eyes glued to Aladdin and Alibaba.

"Cent, stay away from that guy" He commands, pulling them farther away. Judal is too preoccupied with laughing at Alibaba to notice, and Centola's anguish rises above like the moon, frustration at not being able to do anything, despair because she knows that if she uses her Temptation magic, their plan will be ruined. Gritting her teeth, she squeezes her eyes tight and listens as Judal rages on Alibaba, calling out to them,

"Cent, is this one of your friends you told me about? I was under the impression that he was as good as a person as you told me, but turns out he really is useless…"

"He's not useless!"

* * *

"He's not useless!" A figure on the roof, a lithe, athletic girl, watches the scene with interest, an amused smile touching her lips. She had always liked this part of the manga, but seeing it live was almost better. And more entertaining.

She listens as a boy with a blue braid speaks, telling of the goodness and bravery that the blonde man possess, and leans forward on the balls of her feet as the black haired assailant replies,

"Hmph, chibi, is this guy really Candidate for King that's worth such high hopes? I...don't see it at all!" The gasp that leaves her happens when a blur launches in front of the blonde and blocks the hit.

* * *

"_Do you fear death, Bad?" Fanalis red hair is caught in the wind, covering her view of the city they are in, and Amala orange eyes catch the twitch in Bad's shoulders._

"_Where does this come from?" Catrina and Bad sit side by side on a balcony railing, their dresses flowing past their knees and cool air touching their skin. _

"_Well, it's something I asked Jane a long time ago. I want to know your answer" Bad cocks her head, reaching up to grasp the fading sunlight._

"_My answer and Jane's...I won't say I don't fear the idea of death" The magician stands, the thin railing under her feet providing an unstable balance for her. "But what I fear more than dying, is dying without completing my promises. Do you know what it's like to die with a guilty conscious, Catrina? Did Alice die that way?"_

"_...Alice didn't die with regrets. But she didn't…" Catrina reaches out, her hand encircling Bad's ankle, holding it steady. The fragile bones are thin under her hand. A little pressure and she could break it as a easily as glass. "Didn't die feeling complete. Alice didn't know love or happiness, because those emotions were taken from her when she became sick. Catrina may have had these feelings but- but…"_

_Bad opens her arms, and in those Amala eyes Catrina sees something. Something bright, something warm yet fading as she looks directly at it, a portion of a soul that the pinkette keeps within herself, a tiny bit hidden away under lock and key. _

"_Catrina and Alice both possess a tormented soul" _

"_Are you not Catrina and Alice?"_

"_I don't know anymore. Am I a Fanalis-Amala, am I a sick girl in a hospital? Why do I hold the memories of a life I didn't want? Why do I have to be in costain pain?! It's not fair!" Catrina's yelling at the end, grip tightening and tightening._

"_Pain made you kind!" The sun's gone, but the light is still there, a twilight without color, a world without truth. "That's why I chose you, a soul so filled with pain that you understand that no amount of hurting others would ever unburden your soul from agony. And perhaps it has always been like this, perhaps two lifetimes ago you were a warrior killed by someone you loved, or a woman whose husband and children were murdered, but those people did live, whether you experienced their pain yourself or not! Pain cultivated your soul, nourished it, made it into the beautiful rukh I see before myself now. You are kind, and that is because you are Catrina _and _Alice"_

_If the words uttered by the nine year old were true or not, Catrina's not sure, but either way they made her more confused than she had been since she left her mother's side with an ugly scar on her arm._

"_So I'm...I'm…"_

"_You're you. You could take any name you want, but your soul will always be yours" If nothing else, her tears on that twilight belong to her, along with the Rukh she carries in her body._

* * *

Eren Chandlen is a practical, normal man, blessed with a humongous body and skill for archery. Actually, he wasn't born with that skill, as it was one he cultivated over years and years of sweat and hunting in the musty woodlands on his family's mountain. But truly, Eren isn't a very strong man. Physically, he is mighty, but mentally and emotionally? He relies on others for that. And it's not that he is dumb or incapable of thought, it's just that his mind never changed from Charlie Mason's view on life.

The simple life Charlie Mason lived, from reading to walking home from school to homework to _normalness_, Eren was blessed with. And from that, he made lots and lots of friends and got along well with his family. However, because of his disbelief of magic, he can't fathom making devious plans or creating new spells.

He's just Eren Chandlen, normal, normal, normal. He'll leave the plan making to Bad and Centola, and the remembering that plan to Catrina. His only job, in the end, is to carry out that plan.

Eren is the muscles, the powerhouse kept at tip-top shape in order to be able to go at his fullest when battle became necessary. He learned this after a while of living and having adventures with Bad, traveling the world and realizing who he was.

Catrina may be unsure, but Eren knows.

He is a servant of Badroulbadour, and though he is a 'King Candidate', he had no intention of ruling a country or even allying with one. He is Bad's, and he will be Bad's for as long as she needs him, wants him. And though he thinks himself very intelligent for coming up with this resolution, he knows that he's felt this way ever since they left the dungeon together. Bad, for all her scary faces and thieving ways, is his master as much as he is Myeshia's.

Eren will do anything for her.

He will follow every command, every demand.

The Chandlen with fight,

The Mountain will hold,

The King will rule,

And Eren will **die** for her, if she ever utters the words.

Which is why, as he stands on the opposite side of the roof by Catrina, he hears his Bad, his Princess, call for him, and he follows her orders. Maybe Eren isn't very bright, but he is good of heart, and that is enough for him to do what he does.

"**Eren!** **Help!"**

* * *

Judal always liked Bad.

Okay, that's a lie, but people always say shit like that and why should he say anything different? Being original is too hard sometimes. *Sigh* Fine, how about this:

Judal and Bad are more alike than they are different. Ah, but that's not very true, is it? And it's not like they're the same, or have much in common. They pulled pranks together in Kou a few times, and annoyed their friends with one another, but he doesn't _know _Bad. Centola is a different matter.

Centola and him did get along surprisingly well, yet that was only when she wasn't around Kougyoku talking about makeup or bickering with Asad in a very unladylike manner. She made him some sort of exotic treat once, and Judal thought it was delicious.

"_What's it called?"_

"_A brownie"_

"_That's a stupid name"_

It was a stupid name, though another bite brought him to crave even more, though Catrina stole the last piece and ran away with her fast feet the moment he turned his red hot glare on her. He wonders if those three hate him now that he's gotten into a fight with their own new friends.

_Shouldn't I hate them though? For replacing me?_

Jealously. He now understands Asad's snapping whenever 'Gyoku's engagement was brought up in front of him.

Asad.

A-assassin...No...No, no, no, no, no. It's not true. Marrkio lied, because he's a liar, just like everyone else in that goddamn organization and screw it his brother is the best, his brother would never, ever hurt anyone because he was his _brother_.

Asad...Asad got him presents randomly, yelling, "happy birthday!" Thought that itself was another lie because Judal didn't know when his birthday was, and neither did Asad, though they smiled at one another and snickered at their dark joke that Kougyoku never understood.

Lies, lies, lies, lies.

Why are _there so_ _**many**_?

He's ranting, he hears it, but it's not his words, nothing that comes out of his mouth is true, and he wishes, pleads with whatever God there is to save him from this pain, to save his brother, who has the blood of men, women and children on his fingers and swords.

**Though not a drop got on him.**

His magic leaves his wand, and though it's aimed at that blondie, it feels like it's hitting Marrkio.

"**Eren!** **Help!"**

And it actually hits a shadowy giant, who deflects his blast of magic with a wave of his cuffed paw.

"What?!" Judal yells, jumping back and taking a stance. When the smoke is cleared out, the figure in front of the magi and his candidate comes into view, and his pine green eyes shine with victory.

"Hi Judal" Eren Chandlen greets, smiling as he holds his arms out to protect the people behind him. "Sorry about this, but I really can't have you hurting these guys"

"Eren!" Centola cries, and the Chandlen waves.

"Hey, Cent! How's the kid?" Bad puffs up her cheeks.

"Keep refering to me as that and you'll learn first hand!" Bad shakes Centola off her and stomps her way over to the green haired man, bopping his hip with her tiny fist. "But, uh, thanks, I guess"

"Eren…" Judal growls, pointing his wand at his old friend. "The hell are you doing here?" Eren shrugs, lightly patting Bad's mussed ponytail with his giant hand.

"Didn't you hear? Bad called for me, so I came" He rubs his neck. "Although it seems you all are in the middle of a fight, so I'm sorry to interrupt...I think…" He chuckles goodnaturedly.

"I don't really care if you're here, but get out of the way, I got a score to settle with the brat behind you" Eren peaks over his shoulder, and sees the two Bad called to him to protect.

"You're fighting a child? Isn't that a bit much, Judal? I don't think they did anything to you" Eren nods at his own reasoning. "Maybe you can just talk it over instead of fighting"

"That's boring!" Judal screeches, and once again shoots out a massive ball of magoi. Raising his wrist, Eren says,

"**Stop!" **The magoi freezes an inch in front of him, and Bad smirks.

"You're reflectes are good!" The man smiles at his companion.

"Thank you" He points to the sky. "**Start!" **

The magoi continues it's pace, but launches upward into the sky, exploding in a flash of bright light. Laughing, Eren once again speaks to the angered magi.

"I can block any attack you throw at me, Judal. Bad told me to, so I won't allow you to attack these guys" Hugging his waist, Bad beams smugly.

"That's right!" Bad chirps. "You know I won't allow you to hurt the leader of the Fog Troop~!"

"Tch, I forgot how annoying you guys can be when you work together to gang up on me!" Judal mutters, twisting his wand around his fingers in thought. "Ah, but there is one thing that you probably didn't think of, you annoying Dungeon Capturer"

"Dungeon Capturer!" Sinbad exclaims, staring at Eren with wide eyes. Alibaba too looks confused beyond comprehension, and Centola, across the room, winces at the revelation, making Eren remember that he wasn't suppose to reveal that fact until later, when he would be introduced.

_Oops._

Judal aims again, but this time motions to the side of him, where the crowd of people watch with confusion and awe. Wait is he gonna-

"Move out of the way!" Centola screams, and rushing about, the people dive out as a massive magoi ball hits the wall, making it crumbled with a giant **Smash.**

Eren instantly covers Bad, shielding her from the blast so that the bits of rock hit his back instead of her, using his massive arms to hold her to his chest.

"Bad, are you alright?!"

"A-ah...Yes, I'm fine…"

"Sinbad, Badroulbadour! Why do you mingle with these boring people?! Did you all become stupider?!" The bright light radiates from Aladdin, and with a heavy heart for being unable to defend the people Bad told him to, Eren scoops said girl up and carries her away from the brewing fight, nearing Centola and the dreadlocked man behind her.

"Cent, what should I do? It looks like they're gonna fight" Cent sighs heavily, and reaches out a hand rest on his forearm.

"Just stand back. We need to get these people out of here if Judal is dead-set on battling with Aladdin" The ten year old's face goes pale, and Eren agrees with Centola.

"Cent" The man hisses at her, and the Temptress flinches. "What's going on? Who're all these strange people?"

"These 'strange' people, Kassim, are my friends" Bad has a tone like the tip of his arrows. "And Eren just saved Alibaba's ass, so be thankful he's here" Eren grins at his little sister's inbetween praise, and then, at her insistence, puts her down.

"Yes, they are my friends" Centola smiles, and lifts her head up high. "Now, let's clear the floor!"

* * *

Fighting, fighting, fighting, and Bad can't help but become very, very, very scared. Of the fighting? No. That's not like her, because she had never really been afraid of fighting. It was more like...She was afraid of her special person getting hurt.

She knows he will, but still glues herself to Centola and Eren's sides, watching from the sidelines with a guarded expression and heart. Sinbad makes his way through the throngs of people on the roof toward her and Cent, an unreadable look in his tawny eyes.

"Centola, Bad, may I speak to you?"

"Is now the time, King Sinbad?" Centola replies smoothly, her body settling into the familiar pose for addressing a noble. Her shoulders relax, face pleasant, hand making small circles in the air, making a slight gesture toward the battle between magis as if it was a simple game between friends. "Shouldn't you be getting people out of the area?"

"Evacuation is complete" Sinbad turns on his coy smile. "Please, Miss, I hate to trouble you but I do need to know some basic information" Centola pauses, lifting a finger to her chin and watching the blasts of thunder crash onto the ground, startling Bad, who takes a deep breath.

"Of course, however I'm afraid that we may have to speak a bit later, if that is alright with you" She doesn't ask, and message is very clear despite what he may think is conveyed through her sympathetic smile.

_Later, and don't ask again._

Grimacing, Bad watches Ugo appear from the flute. His muscular arms shield Aladdin, but she gains no less worry from the action. Heat radiates off of Eren's arm, and said man looks down to see his own Djinn Metal Vessel glowing as a reaction to Ugo's entrance.

"What's this?" Eren hands his wrist to Bad, who gently traces the hot cuff very slowly, making sure not to burn herself.

"Myeshia is responding to Aladdin's Djinn's presence" Sinbad glances over at her.

"So you are a Dungeon Capturer, Eren" The man nods, careful to pick out his words.

"Yes. I don't think we've met before…"

"Sinbad"

"Nice to meet you"

Ugo dodges Judal's ice spears, breaking them with his strong arms and obeying Aladdin's words and commands that he shouts from atop his shoulders. Copying Aladdin's moves, Ugo jumps up, and slaps Judal to the ground, although his borg protects him from the crater he stands in.

_Ugo...You're too kind…_

Bad feels her shoulders shaking, but there isn't anymore fear in her heart, only a deep seeded anger that fills up her chest like water, making it hard to breathe. Yet, despite that anger, a little portion of her is filled with electricity, and it zaps her stomach and causes her to jump.

_Excitement._

When Morgiana pulls Aladdin out of harms way, Judal stops, his eyebrows scrunched up.

"Catrina?" He calls out, scratching his messy hair. "Is that you?" Morgiana turns to face him, and Judal blinks in surprise.

"That's not Catrina, Judal" Bad yells at him, and the magi squints at the pinkette.

"Well duh," He replies, "They have different eyes. Still, did you replace that Fanalis girl you take around with you? Where is she?"

"Like I'd tell you" His eyebrow twitches at the exact moment that Alibaba attacks him, his dagger puncturing the borg and slicing Judal's cheek.

_IDIOTS. _

_I'M FRIENDS WITH IDIOTS._

Seriously, the moment she distracts him Alibaba just has to be a total numbskull and attack Judal, as if the surprise attack would lessen the magi's anger. God, this is too much work, and fate is going way to fast for her liking. She should just let the rest of this play out-

"And when I'm done, I'll kill that little chibi!"

…

**Snap.**

* * *

Judal wasn't expecting such an intense reaction from the blue giant, nor from Bad's Rukh shooting up, the black roses that her Rukh form flowing up, twisting and churning uncomfortably in the prison made by several steadfast white Rukh. The thorns take shape, jutting out, thirsty for blood.

Her own eyes turn an startling red, fists clenched angrily. It distracted him so much, that when the chibi's Djinn comes rushing at him, he didn't even notice.

He hits the wall, and the pinpricks of needle like pain stab his back. The Djinn comes again, going too fast, bringing fear into his heart.

Judal is human too, you know.

It's not like he was going to actually kill the kid. Judal hadn't ever killed anyone. It's true that when Sindria was first established Sinbad suspected him of commiting the crime that lead to the death of many people living there, but Judal didn't even know of the incident until he heard of it. Sinbad insisted that it was someone from the organization-

_Eh?_

_What's this feeling?_

_I don't...Asad wouldn't...I don't understand… _

The Djinn punches him into the ground, and it takes all Judal's strength not to have his borg crushed under the weight, though the pressure flattens him, sucks the air from his lungs and leaving him panting on the floor.

"H-Hey, what's with this Djinn?!" Judal screeches, and looks to Bad. "What's it doing?!"

Looking away was a big mistake. The damned thing's fist is the size of him, and it's rammed into his force field, and suddenly, the magi meets with the wall. A thick liquid dribbles down across his lips from his nose.

"HEY CHIBI!" he screams, "That Djinn is unfair! Since earlier you haven't been giving that Djinn any magoi!" He's flying now, avoiding the damn monster's strikes. He summons an ice spear and throws it at the Djinn, but he breaks it with a toss of his arms. "In other words, he's using someone else's magoi to move. That Djinn...That Djinn is...THAT DJINN ISN'T YOURS!"

_Steam magic?!_

That gave him an idea. In the mist, he summons another spear, and through the air he slices, until Judal smashes the spear through the Djinn's chest, smiling out of relief.

"That'll do it!"

_Hands?_

_No…_

_No…_

_NO!_

_Stop-!_

The borg, which with a resounding and tear jerking **snap, **breaks. Those hands meet with his body, like he's smashing a pesky fly out of the air. Pretending that there's going to be less pain than there will be, Judal thinks back to a time before the troubles of now.

_Brother, help me!_

* * *

"_Brother? What's that?" _

"_Such an annoying kid!" Asad jeers, and motions him to come sit on his lap. Judal, only ten, agrees, sitting down and criss-crossing his legs, watching as Asad pulls the sword out of the sheath. "These are my swords! Like 'em?"_

_They were both very pretty. One had a black blade protruding from a white hilt and handle, yellow designs starting from the bottom twistings like ribbons up until the tip of the sword, and the sheath itself was dark yellow, made from tough sanded wood. The other sword was that way too, except it had a white blade and black hilt and handle, and the designs were blue instead of yellow, as was the sheath._

"_They're cute swords" Asad chuckles, putting them away to pat his unruly mop of black hair._

"_They're not just swords, Judar"_

"_Judal"_

"_Whatever"_

"_What'd you mean?" Asad hugs his brother, smelling his hair. When asked why he did this, Asad usually had a snippy comeback, but once he said something that sounded serious. _

You smell innocent.

"_One, they are _katanas_, a special sort of swords. But more than that, they are an abodement of me"_

"_What?" Asad sighs._

"_These swords are a reflection of my soul. They show a bit of my personality, and that's why I like them so much. Do you understand?" No, he didn't. Judal wished he could, but as he racked his brain for any connection between the swords and his older brother, he found nothing that could describe the both of them._

"_Nope"_

"_Ugh, so annoying" Asad roughly ruffles his hair. No wonder it always looks like he just woke up, Asad does it so _much_. "Hmph. Well, what'd you want to name them?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Name them, Judar. What seems good for the new additions to the family?"_

"_Um...How about-"_

* * *

From the moment Asad met Kougyoku, he was scared to show what he had been hiding something precious within himself for a long time.

His heart.

And while that heart isn't something he is afraid of having been seen, it's the only place where the most important thing to him lives.

Judal.

And that's why he was surprised that he allowed another person into his heart. That place, hidden deep in the folds of bended light and pressed to a warm area that feels like a hug was tucked gently in the crook of his elbow, and he carried it around soundlessly, protecting his little brother with each swing of his twin katanas.

So why allow another into the care of his protection? Why not allow the pitiful child to find her own path? Asad never quite knew his reasons, but now, under the light of torches and the soft singing of a tavern singer, twirling a princess dressed as a peasant around, it becomes clear as water.

Because Kougyoku looked like Judal when they first met. Because Kougyoku looked like him when he first met Judal. So lonely, so afraid. Asad pried open the doors to his heart, and Kougyoku jumped through, landing near Judal and striking up a conversation. Asad shut those doors, hid the heart away, and carried out his duties, glad he was able to protect those two lonely people who made him forget his troubles.

The light dances off her hair ornament, drawing stares as she laughs, and he laughs with her, the weight of his swords strapped to his back and not his hip confusing him.

"Here," Asad says after they finish the song, leading her through the lit stalls of late-night merchants who really should ought to go to bed. "I got you a gift today!" Kougyoku lights up at the words, skipping like a little girl, admiring the silver bracelet now bouncing on her wrist.

He chuckles.

When the Balbaddian Palace looms before them, Kougyoku stops. Looking back, he notices her knees shaking, eyes wide as they stare up at the dark windows and empty hallways, the guards with stone faces and servants with solemn ones.

"Asad," It's not often the Kougyoku has ever used her 'Royal' voice on him, but now the dignified, swooping tone commands his attention, a strange sight from a trembling girl. "I order you to run away with me"

"Run away? I thought that wasn't in your vocabulary"

"It is now. Let's go!" She lurches forward, taking him off guard and pulling on his hands. "Come on!"

"Kougyoku?"

"Please!" Asad doesn't budge. Doesn't move a single muscle, because that'll be the deciding factor. A step back, they stay. A centimeter forward, they go. And while Asad knows that staying is for the best, the most advantageous option for the two tenants in his heart, he doesn't want to stay here, with a pig King and civil war brewing.

"I'll go with you," he says slowly, regarding the frightened Princess with calm eyes. "On two conditions"

"Asad, don't joke-"

"I'm not joking," He says it so seriously, so compassionately, that his grip finally overrides hers and he pulls her closer. "Two conditions!"

"I...O-okay"

"One, Judal comes with us." This is an absolute thing. No matter what he wants, Judal comes first. If Kougyoku denies this, then the entire thing will be dropped like a stone in a pond. "And two…"

"Two…?" Lifting the hand not trapped in hers, he fits it right under her chin, and lifts it up, those pretty eyes like cherry blossoms looking into the only part of him that's truthful and shows his lack of light.

"Two. Marry me"

"Marriage?!" she jerks back, but he doesn't let go. "We're- I'm trying to- young-!"

"Kougyoku Ren," he drops to one knee. "Please marry me. I know this is probably sudden, but I promise that I'll stay truthful to you forever. If you marry me, then I'll take you, and Judal of course, far away, to where ever your heart wishes. If you want it, I'd build a big house just for us, or we could ride the desert dunes on a merchant wagon. I'd work as a servant or a waiter, anything to make you happy. I'll cut all ties with the Kou Empire if that is what you desire. Kougyoku, you'd be the only one I'd touch, or kiss, or love, and I promise to never look at another woman, but only if you marry me, and swear the same"

* * *

_Yes, yes, a million times yes!_

Kougyoku could almost hear the response on her teeth, leaving her lips, entering his ears. Kougyoku could feel the touch of his lips on hers like so long ago, and the roughness of his peasant shirt he wears so loosely in her palms. The pink haired woman could imagine it, a far away meadow in Reim, or Partevia, or even- to hell with it- Sindria! The little house he'd build for her, made of fine wood with a plush garden, and the inside big enough for the three of them, or maybe, if she'd get so lucky, four.

And they'd travel of course, to places they've never seen, and Judal would be the best brother in law, the men working while she cleans or cooks or writes or does whatever she pleases, hearing the pitter-patter of a silver haired child rush about. It doesn't matter that Judal's an adrenaline monkey, because he can still roam the countryside to do what he likes, and she'll have her husband by her side, as Asad has always been lazier, not very inclined to fight like her brother in law is.

It's everything she's ever dreamed off and more, to hear his passionate speech about how things could be out in the open, all she has to do to earn such a lovely dream it is say _yes._

Oh God, she wants to say yes.

But it's just that: a dream. Her hands quiver in his, and he looks so hopeful, so nervous. She holds his heart in her hands, his freedom in her sweaty fingers, and she knows she can't give him the reply he wants.

Her father asked her to do this. Kouha had looked crestfallen, Koumei disappointed, and Kouen like he wanted to kill their Emperor, but Kougyoku had stood tall and proud, answering that yes, she would marry King Ahbmad Saluja. Yet that too was nothing except a dream, since it was already decided and she had choice but to accept.

It really sucks though.

She had told all of her brothers about her dreams, to become a General and strong enough to make the stupid Keeper look at her with respect that he lacks for someone of her standing. And her brothers had kept on saying, "Go for it, go for it!"

(Kouha literally, Koumei partially, and Kouen with his eyes)

_They didn't stop it._

They couldn't, but a little part of her is too angry to accept that answer. Or maybe it too was a dream, since Kouen would've done the same thing if he was in their father's place. The thought hurts, but even the glimmer of hope that she's wrong is a dream.

"Asad," There is only one option, like there has always been. "I can't-"

"We can figure everything out later." It's like her resolve is a pastry, crumbling bit by bit everytime it's touched. "Kouen, Koumei, Kouha, Bad, Judal- everyone can just deal with it. Forget about them. What do you want, 'Gyoku?"

"I...I want…"

_I can't say yes, Asad._

"I want to say no"

"But?"

"But yes, you idiot!"

Somehow she imagined that he instantly hug her and twirl her around, but instead he stays on his knee, looking confused and dumbfounded.

"Yes?"

"Yes"

"Yes"

"Yes"

"Yes...she said yes!" And then he hugs her and twirls the eighth Imperial Princess of Kou around, setting her down only to kiss her forehead. "Let's go get Judar!"

"Judal"

"Whatever, my dear fiancee"

_Did you really think I'd say no?_

* * *

Duty = marriage to a King.

Duty - love = marriage to a King.

Duty + selfishness = marriage to a King.

Duty + selfishness + love = marriage to a Shadow.

* * *

"_...I don't know! Can I choose anything?"_

"_Anything. As long as it's the most awesome names ever."_

"_...Hachi and Hikaru"_

"_Why those?"_

"_Hikaru means 'shining', right? The white one looks like that. And Hachi means 'bee', which reminds me of the black one with the yellow ribbons"_

"_Ribbons?"_

"_S-shut up! It's awesome!"_

"_Heh, it sure is little Judaruda!"  
_

_"Oh God not another nickname"_

* * *

Really, Asad wasn't thinking. How could he, when his Princess was begging him to go run away with him? When they get back into the Palace, Kougyoku giggling like a madwoman while he goes to switch quickly into his Kou attire. Smiling, he packs a small bag and leaves it in his room, heading back to Kougyoku. Where was his idiot brother? They need to inform the magi of the plan.

Of their engagement.

Grinning like a fool, Asad raises his knuckles to his Princess's door.

_Judal's probably floating around the city-_

Pain. He falls to the floor, gripping his chest, the feeling of his back slamming against a wall invading his systems, frying his nerves. Groaning, he heaves in and out, spasms rocking his body close to the floor. This was- it can't be- Judal-

_Judal's hurt!_

And at the Fog Troop's base. An ice spear that feels like Judal's spreads through his chest, and he pulls himself to together, leaning heavily on the wall. He carefully closes the path way between their Rukh, severing it so that he won't be put out of commission before helping Judal out.

_Damn it, that's what all the weird pain was about tonight! I should've paid attention-_

Asad raps gently on the door and Kougyoku opens the door for him, blushing and clad in her elaborate dress again. She fiddles with her hairpin.

"Where's Judal? You better have not told him yet, I wanna see his face! It'll be hilarious-"

"I'm sorry" He blurts out, eyes squeezed tight.

"What?"

"Where's Ka Koubun? There's a problem- Judal's hurt!"

* * *

_When Judal was a child, Asad did something. It was weird to Judal, to see the his brother's strange and mysterious Rukh surround him. They aren't white but a fascinating purple, shifting from lilac to mauveine, swiftly moving like they are busy. Whenever the 'old farts' (as Asad calls them) are around, those Rukh instantly wrap around him, pulling him close to his older brother and protecting him against the elder priest's black Rukh that flies sluggishly in the air, trying to wedge in the pair's space._

_Whenever Judal was hurt, like he tripped over something or scraped his knee, Asad would always instantly be by his side, cooing soft apologies for the pain he suffered and bandaging him up. It was always like that, and Judal never knew that Asad only sensed that Judal was hurt because he himself felt that same pain._

_Asad's Rukh are always there, comforting and warm against his skin._

* * *

"Bad?" Eren asks slowly, eyes following Ugo's every move as he stands up, and sluggishly heads to the fallen form of Judal. Judal's skin had bruised easier than a ripe peach, muddy brown patches of skin fading to dark purple and black, his arms and legs twisted and hair covering his face. Bad went still. "What'd we do? Is _that person_ coming?"

"Who?" Eren jumps, turning to face Sinbad who stands right behind them.

"Uh, er-"

"The Holy Keeper" Bad answers, watching Ugo raise his hands, intent on killing the poor boy crumpled like a trampled flower on the rough stones. "I assume you met him? If Ugo kills Judal, I have no doubt that the Holy Keeper will definitely kill everyone in the vicinity"

"That's horrible!" Sinbad cries. "No one would-"

"The Holy Keeper would" Bad grins at Sinbad, her eyes shining with a blunt, vicious spark. "But if you'd like, I'll stop that Djinn and save the people here. On one condition, that is~"

"Name it" Sinbad says solemnly, his good morals showing. "I'll see what I can do-"

"Don't try to control Balbadd once Alibaba takes control"

"E-eh?"

"Don't try to control Balbadd. Alibaba's an idiot, but he's a good person, and I don't want him to fall into your greedy hands like so many others have. 'Seven Seas Alliance', Ha! What a load of bull. There's a reason they call you High King Sinbad, and that's not because you're apart of some fancy alliance!" Bad's grin is sickening to some, but Eren feels nothing as he sees it, as he had always known what Bad was capable of saying and doing to people. Of what strings to pull to unravel a cloth. "For you, Balbadd's fall or raise to power is a win-win. If Alibaba becomes King and enters the alliance, providing an optimal trade route between countries? Win. If Balbadd falls altogether, with the monarchy crumbling, you could easily come in and occupy the land, or even persaude the new ruler to join you. Win." Bad looks at him seriously. "Here's the bottom line: trade agreements? Sure, you can have it. Balbadd's name added to your list of ways to show off, go ahead. But try and squeeze out anything else from Alibaba and this country, and I will have your head on a platter. That's a promise"

Bad's eyes are so lovely when she's happy, but when she angry they look like a dark pool of blood, and you're trapped in it, sinking farther and farther down into it until it chokes you, takes away any sort of resistance you may have once had.

"And I keep my promises"

* * *

It's when Ugo's heat reaches an incredible blaze Sinbad can feel from all that distance away that he, with a strangely defeated and meek voice that he _knows_ he didn't have before, agrees to the child's demand.

"Pleasure doing business, my dear friend!" She chirps, holding out her arm to her companion. He was holding her staff, and with a pat on the head he hands it to her. "I know we'll be close friends someday, Uncle Sin!"

* * *

Aladdin had never been afraid of his most important friend. After all, Ugo had raised him, taught him, and protected him. Ugo was his special comrade, and thus Aladdin only saw the good side of the Djinn. But now, the blue giant in front of him is terrifying, muscles contorting as he tries to get a good aim on where to _murder an unconscious man_.

And that's not something he ever wanted to witness.

"Ugo!" He screams, again and again, "Stop it, please!"

No response, no indication that his voice was even heard. He cups his mouth, desperate for one last try, when a blur of pink grazes his side view.

Ugo's hands come flying down.

The air is hot and blistering, a shockwave that flows through his chest and makes him go tumbling back into the air, falling back with a startled shout. Arms catch him around his chest, and he is placed safely on the ground by Mor.

"Mor!"

Looking back to the steam raising far away, he strains his eyes. Vaguely he hears Alibaba call out to Centola who comes over to greet them, and express her thanks to Morgiana, but there is something off.

He saw it, the black rose, before Ugo attacked.

"Centola, where is Bad?" Cent blinks.

"She's over there-" The place she points to, beside Eren and Sinbad, is empty. "Hm? Where did she go?" Aladdin doesn't think, he only knows that he has got to go save the pinkette. If she's there, Ugo might hurt her-

Eh?

That...was the first time he'd ever thought of Ugo like that.

"Bad!" He calls, close to the roof's edge when he freezes.

_What is she doing?_

Judal isn't dead. Well, maybe he is, but his body is still the same as before and in front of him, shielding him with a brightly glowing staff in hand, is Badroulbadour. Her staff is pointed directly at Ugo, and a smile touches her lips.

"Ugo, please step away from this child. I know he's an idiot, but you at least have to cut him some slack. He is in no condition to fight anymore, and if you insist on it, I'll just have to fight you, and I'd rather not kill one of my new comrade's friends" Bad meets his gaze, and winks. It makes his body twitch weirdly. "Please, let it go"

Ugo hesitates, but then jumps back, raising his fists again.

"I don't think that's a good idea, dear friend!" Laughing, Bad points to her staff, and Ugo once again falters. "You recognize this, right? Come on, you know that if I use up almost all of my strength…"

Bad lifts the gold staff up, pointing it right at Ugo's chest, aiming with one eye shut.

"...I could kill you on the spot. So, for the final time, lower your guard and spend your last moments with your important Aladdin. Do you really want him to remember you this way? That's cruel, my new comrade" Ugo's balance shifts, his chest facing toward Aladdin.

"Ugo!" He calls out, close to tears. "Stop this, please!"

The ice in Ugo's chest disappears, and a giant gaping hole leaking magoi is created. With slow, lumbering steps, the Djinn makes his way to Aladdin, who smiles weakly. Then he stops, frozen with the smoky magoi leaving his back and front.

"Oi, Bad, the fuck you think you're doing?!" The scream comes from above them, and as all heads snap up to the night sky, they meet with the underside of a giant rug. Clad in a black and gray kimono with red and gold swirling designs, two katanas strapped to his waist and a utterly pissed off look in his coal colored eyes, a dangerous man stands.

* * *

Bad pales.

_He got here fast…_

The wind whistles by her. Turning around quickly, she catches a glimpse of a man carrying Judal off, and she cries out in protest. The man hops onto the carpet, and converses with the tall, stately man behind the angered Asad and a confused and furious Kougyoku.

"Asad, I don't think it was Bad who did this. Look at these wounds! They're too much for anyone to make, even Bad" Asad eyes turn from onyx to straight up black, red seeming to ring his orbs.

"Who?" Asad snarls, resting a hand on his blade. "Who did this to Judal?!"

Others wouldn't see it, but desperation hides under his tone, and Kougyoku gazes at him worriedly as she orders Ka Koubun to heal the magi. This acting was good, she'll admit. Not the worry for his brother, but the not knowing who did it.

Ugo steps back, and once again takes a stance, prepared to fight to the death.

This isn't what she wanted to happen.

Maybe Bad is being a bit prejudiced, but she feels that Aladdin at least deserved some sort of closure with his friend, not just seeing that person he idolized so much die at the hands of a Princess-

"It was that monster, wasn't it? If he still wants to fight, then I'll become his opponent"

_Asad, you asshat._

"Please be careful, Holy Keeper" Kougyoku stresses her words, hiding her frown and obvious worry behind her draping dress sleeves. "I'll tend to Judal's wounds with Ka Koubun"

"Ah, I'll be fine once I kill that thing" Asad may know that his words will have a giant effect on Aladdin, but doesn't care, layering them with hatred. In a swift move, he tosses one of his swords into the air while he draws the other one, catching it and spreading them out like an eagle would.

He jumps into the air at the same time Ugo launches toward him. With a swift move, he dodges the Djinn's large, quick hands and slices along the mammoth Djinn's side, creating twin large gashes from his armpit to his ankle. Dashing away, Asad turns as Ugo hits the ground, staggers, and faces him once again.

"I see my brother has got you quite good. But, I'll be the one to finish you!" Asad uses the twin sword spin style. It may sound a bit stupid at first, but it really is lethal, especially since Bad knows that the anger emitting from her old friend may be the downfall of even a powerful Djinn like Ugo.

_People just love to make me work, don't they?_

"Asad, quit it!" Asad does stop, but he looks prepared to cut an even bigger hole in Ugo's chest.

"Why? This thing...this thing nearly murdered my brother!" His grip is so tight, his knuckles turn white. "I'll kill it!"

"Asad, this is an order" She whispers to no one else can hear. He quietly looks over his shoulder at her, at her seriousness, and whispers back,

"I don't take my orders from you." It was true, unlike the others Asad never said he would follow all her commands without a second thought. It was a bit troublesome, but she knew Asad would eventually come around. Pressing her lips together tightly, Bad goes for her old trusty trick.

"Then I'll tell Kougyoku about everyone you've murdered" Blackmail~

"You wouldn't." Asad lowers his arms. There is fear in his face.

"Oh yes I would," She smiles, "Do you really think I give a damn about what your Princess knows? I have a plan Asad. Everything is meticulous and perfected, and I know exactly what goes where. Little things like death do nothing but further me~!"

"Tch, fine" he growls in a normal tone, and Bad's smile only grows.

"Yay~! That's grea- **Look **_**out**_!" Above them, falling down with raised, red palms ready to flatten them, Ugo tenses, and prepares for impact.  
_No, this isn't how-!_

They can't move, and the seconds feel like hours, as she can't move to raise her staff and prepare a borg (as a human, making a borg is necessary instead of having one automatically form) to protect them, and she also cannot run from the hands inching closer and closer.

"AHH!" The first thing she sees is pink hair, darker than her own, and eyes that are like cherry blossoms, searching instantly for the two forms she came to save. The hole in Ugo doubles, and Bad finds herself surrounded by flesh, being held onto by Asad, who also caught Kougyoku when she slashed the whole in the blue Djinn with her Djinn Equip. The Princess whispers something to Asad in such low tones that Bad knows she wasn't meant to hear, and pretends to have not listened to.

"Idiot Keeper, don't leave me like that again. I don't want you dying before our wedding..."

_Some things aren't meant for blackmail._

* * *

Asad picks up the girls by the waist and clammers over the giant's- the monster's, body, and quickly he pulls them away as the beast begins to stir again.

But the stirrings only last for a few seconds, because the Djinn turns to smoke and is swiftly sucked back into the flute in which it resided before hand.

"Ka Koubun, how's Judal?" Asad asks, wincing at his own worry, and Ka Koubun answers calmly,

"He has stabilized. I'm doing emergency medical treatment, but we'll need a standard facility for a full recovery" Ka Koubun, the stiff back advisor, may not like Asad or Judal, but it's not like he'd let them die, and for that Asad is very greatful for the fact that he let the man live years ago.

"What're we waiting for?" He heaves Bad under his arm, and the girl squirms. "Let's go!"

"Hey, put me down!"

"No, you're coming with us. I hold you accountable" Bad glares at him, a hard feat since she can't see his face.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Most likely you agitated him enough to open a door to information you wanted to keep a secret. Like, I don't know, that you have ties with Kou much deeper than friendship, along with our dimwitted Eren coming out to play? So come with me unless you want Sinbad up your ass" Asad hisses in her ear.

The carpet rises into the air, and Aladdin attacks. His staff glows bright white, and his own carpet flaps in the wind. Tears gather in his eyes, and anger frames his chin. His lips tremble, and he meets her gaze.

"Let Bad go!" He yells, pointing his staff at them. "She did nothing wrong! Before you people showed up…"

"Who are you? You're acting brashly. We saved you and your comrades from being attacked by the monster"

"You're wrong! Ugo was fighting to protect me- to protect everyone! He was the one who attacked first!" Bad is roughly thrown behind, into the waiting arms of Kougyoku, who holds her in her lap, surprisingly strong. Kougyoku still hadn't transformed back her sword to a hairpin, and said sword lays heavily on the girl's legs.

"Aladdin, get out of here!" She calls, and the magi looks to her. "Please, you're too tired to deal with someone strong like Asad!"

"I get what you're saying, brat. You're that monster's master then? And those people down there are your companions? Heh, I guess we need to clean up the mess then" Kougyoku gently turns Bad face into her neck.

"I know these people are your friends," the Princess whispers, "So just look away, please" Bad grips the woman's dress.

"Please Aladdin! Make amends, quickly!"

_Nobody is listening to me! Why?!_

"Enshin, Entai, Engi," Asad smirks, holding out a hand and motioning to the men, "Get rid of them!"

* * *

_Bad, I told you to fix it!_

Turning on her heel, Centola bites the inside of her cheek, and raises her hand, gathering attention.

"Everyone, step away! I promise everything will be explained later, but for now the situation is not only delicate but highly dangerous. Please move back as far as you can!" She looks to her friends. "Sinbad, take care of the people here. Alibaba, prepare for attack"

"Attack?" The blonde gulps.

"Yes. Kassim, you man the right, Alibaba center, and Mor, you go to the left. I'll work on getting that blockhead to calm down and give us back Bad" Centola shakes the hair out of her face, sighing. "What a hassle"

"You are friends with that man as well?" Centola looks to Sinbad and then laughs, her shoulders bouncing up and down ever slightly.

"Heavens no! That man is the most annoying person I've ever met! We often quarrel, but then again, I suppose he's like an estranged older brother who forgets my birthday" Centola frowns. "Don't get me wrong, I do not agree at all with his life choices, and have tried many times to get him to come join Bad and I, but he won't leave his brother alone in Kou"

"What? A brother?" Kassim asks, and Centola nods.

"You didn't realize it? Judal is Asad's younger sibling" Sinbad blanches.

"Judal has a brother?!" Centola giggles.

"Yes, I've told you" The strawberry blonde raises her chin. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I have negotiations to deal with"

"Enshin, Entai, Engi, get rid of them!" Sighing, Centola raises her palm, and smiles, feeling as the warmth from her heart spreads up to every inch of her body, heating her bones and rippling across her skin, tingling in her fingers.

"Stop" All the guards freeze, and Asad's slimy smirk slips off his lips. He too is frozen, but he still looks down at her with a grimace. "Hello Asad"

"Hello Centola"

"Could I have a word?"

"I hate speaking with you" Asad deadpans and crosses his arms over his chest. "You always speak sense into me. I don't like it"

"Aladdin, get down from there. This person is dangerous" Aladdin bites his lower lip and shakes his head. "Aladdin-"

"I'm not gonna let him take Bad!" The blue haired magi stands straighter on his carpet. "These people have done so many horrible things tonight, and the only one trying to stop it was Bad! I'm not gonna lose another friend!"

"Centola, shut this brat up or I'm gonna do it for you" Asad snarls, his black eyes staring holes in her head. Centola politely folds her hands.

"Asad, please lower your carpet. I promise we can work this out"

"Yeah Asad don't be a butt!" Bad calls, and the silver haired man groans.

"Uh, this girl is annoying! I forgot how much"

"Oh shut up" Centola motions to the side, where the Slum rats all watch anxiously on rooftops.

"See, we are already talking things over. Lower the carpet" Centola wants to use her magic badly, but knows that if she does, then the others would figure out who exactly she is, and that's not something she wants out just yet.

Asad looks at her, into her glass green eyes, and then up to Aladdin, who bravely stands in front of them, gulping down his worry. A snail's pace could've beat the time it took for Asad to reply, and when it did, Centola's heart sinks.

"Unfortunately, I can't let that happen" Centola opens her mouth to refute this, but Asad shouts, "Go, Enshin, Entai, Engi!" And the three do. Centola screams as the three speed by her so fast her dress flies back. She falls back onto her butt, and Alibaba yells for her.

Bad calls out as Aladdin stumbles.

"I'll handle these two. You three take care of the others!" The three are all horrible in their own right, terrifying and huge with special attributes to tell them apart. Despite the clothes and veils covering them, patches of different color skin show through.

For Entai, leathery gray skin protrudes from his giant build, and he towers a tall 6'7", pinprick red eyes shining through the veil which covers his face. A mane of wild gray hair, twisting like snakes and greasy too, hangs behind him at the same time his three trunks swing back and forth wildly.

Engi has slick yellow fur with black spots dotting his knees and arms, undoubtedly along his face as well. His back is as straight as a ruler, and he holds his head high, hands behind his back as the sword gleams at his side.

Enshin takes the cake on height, at 13'1" with shaggy brown hair splayed over his head, arms, and legs. His fingers are as long as the textbooks Centola used to read, and as thick as them too. The man is always crouched down, lowering his true height, his nails barely scraping the ground.

But Centola had planned for this.

Like she remembered, Kassim stands in front of the crowd, who all begin, one by one, to peel off and make a break for it. Entai takes toward him, and Morgiana prepares for Enshin on the left. Alibaba is right down the center, where Engi strides on the pads of his feet.

_If this was hard to handle, then how will the rest of the Balbadd Arc go?!_

* * *

Catrina sighs.

It's been a long day, and a certain loneliness had filled her up with the absence of her best friend. She'll admit that Bad is more of a friend then a sibling, although the girl calling her 'Elder Sister' or 'Big Sister' is nice every now and then. Due to the Fog Troop taking to the rooftops, Catrina was forced back even farther than before, although she can still see the action despite the impressive distance.

It's annoying that she can't participate but Eren can.

Which means it's only Yunan, Yamu and her now, and the two adults, while kind and very caring, aren't really good for hanging out. They are like parents, and Catrina feels that her respect for the two often hinders her actions of familiarity with them, which Bad and Eren don't seem affected by at all.

Yet she did feel a bit more inclined to liking Yamu now that she knows of her past. What sort of troubles lay after the Alma Torran Arc? Catrina isn't sure, and it worries her more than the others know. She'll be completely dependent on not only the bonds she must forge, but the credibility of her best friend, and despite the trust and loyalty she feels for the pinkette, Bad is a _liar_.

It pains her to even think the word, but it's so true it hurts more.

A liar, thief, criminal, and _psychopath_.

It's not her fault though, and with a heavy heart Catrina accepted all these things long ago. That the person she treasures so much is not all there, a vital part of her humanity ripped away by the lose of a love so pure.

_Bad isn't all bad._

She repeats that phrase over and over again, like a mantra, as she clasps the scar that often throbs against her bone. Trust, loyalty, such things don't come easy to a woman like her, and to place it in a person like Bad, what is she thinking?

Catrina doesn't trust in many people, and the ones she does trust is Eren, Bad, Yamu and Yunan. For some reason, as much as she cherishes and loves Centola, she can't get herself to place any faith in the woman, and it's not because she has any faults. In fact, Catrina fully believes that Centola is nearly perfect, her only inability being that she has no stomach for battle.

She also doesn't trust Kougyoku, Asad, or Judal. Why should she? Asad may have been a good workout partner, but he is with the organization, who is the enemy.

Enemy.

When did she begin to think like that? It must have been Bad.

But isn't that a basis of loyalty? Shaping your own sense of self to accommodate the one you promised to serve? No, that might just be mindless servitude. Yet she's so happy, just being by the warm sides of her friends and siblings, and that is what matters, right? That she's more than content being with a person who is probably using her than anywhere else?

Maybe she is crazy, or warped, but at the same time she is also a girl, a girl who misses her mother and the father she only met once so much that it hurts. Her father…How was he? Does he miss her? Does he think about her? What if he'd forgotten about their promise, about the gift that he gave her?

Catrina touches the smooth blue gems of the green laurel hair ornament, smoothing out her thick hair while doing this motion, and watches with detached interest at the battle. She sighs, her lower lip jutted out.

"I wanna go too"

* * *

Kassim has his hands full. One one hand, he's thankful for his ability to think ahead and grab his sword, but on the other he's now fighting some sort of crazy psycho that's amazingly tall and verocious, which isn't a good thing for him.

The black mist traps the monster with it's dark tendrils, curled around the legs and middle, snaking it's way up to the trunks that flail wildly up and down, reaching for the closest people who seemed to think it was a smart idea to get closer to the beast.

The beast struggles hard against the restraints, making Kassim grit his teeth and bring up the weapon to full power, struggling to keep the monster still and docile. Centola begins to climb a latter, her eyes following each of the battles, looking for who needs her the most. Her eyes, green and reflective, meet his, and he opens his mouth as if to call for her, but at that moment Alibaba yells,

"Cent, help me out!"

And she hesitates, scanning Alibaba's distress level. Alibaba's monster, a brute with a sword, swings the blade around with deadly accuracy, and Centola bites her lip, looking to Kassim. Kassim wants to ask her to come to him. Wants her to discard Alibaba's plea and rush toward him, backing him up with her very presence, which could be the boost he needs to take down the damn thing.

Before he knows it, that man who towers over others with flaming hair catches the flailing trunks in his arms, muscles tightening under his skin and feet digging into the stones. Sinbad calls for them, and Kassim, despite everything, smiles at Centola.

The women's relief is evident, and she heads to Alibaba.

* * *

"Engi!" The bodyguard looks to her, and bobs his head slightly.

"Hello Lady Centola. I have heard much about you and your friends from my superiors. It is an honor to meet a De Coverna, since I heard that they are a dying race" Centola knows that her anger is rising, and it takes her entire training and techniques to keep herself calm.

"Is that what you heard? The De Covernas are more of a clan than a race, but I value that you think so highly of us" A bit of snideness leaks into her tone, but Engi doesn't seem to notice.

"Hm. Send my regards to your aunt for me, please. Now if you'll excuse me I must follow the Holy Keeper's orders" Centola steps in front of him, curtsying low and smiling the smile that Zeina often keeps on her own face.

"Please, sir, won't you leave these people alone? As a request from a De Coverna. I know that familial bonds and such are important to Kou, since in the ancient days the De Coverna clan used to live there" Centola bows her head, motioning to the Slum rats and their Prince. "Surely the friendships that my predecessors share with Kou are still important, no? Have people already forgotten the loyalty and trusted shared between us? Please, remember that what my ancestors and your master's must still have some meaning. God only knows the extent of their anger should their wishes of peace be forgotten"

Engi values respect and class. She remembers it from the manga, and even now the cheetah hybrid's posture and politeness show through his regal stance. And, by crafting her words to accommodate such values, he does what she asks and sheaths his sword.

"...You are correct, Lady Centola. While I doubt my masters will be pleased by my refusal to follow orders, I must honor the dead men and women of Kou who fought alongside the legendary De Covernas. Forgive my rudeness" He bows, and then walks away, pausing to speak once again. "However, Lady Centola, I can only do this once. Should we fight again, I will go to my full extent"

"I wouldn't have it any other way"

"Farewell" He runs on the pads of his feet back to Kougyoku, jumping onto the carpet.

* * *

"Heh, everyone's having fun!" Asad jumps to the ground, landing in a crouched position, once again drawing his swords. Aladdin is tense, sweat dribbling from his forehead, arms holding his wand out in front of him like one would a blade. "I'll get serious too"

Asad smirks. Winning this will just be too easy!

"My name is Asad, and I am the Holy Keeper of Kou. I am also known as the Shadow, and I was taught by the fifth generation head of the twin sword spin style, so I am called the sixth generation head of the twin sword spin style. Prepare for battle" He crouches down, spreading his arms out, Hachi and Hikaru sparkling in the moonlight.

He remembers his master, the fifth generation head. He was not particularily fond of the man, but through him he gained a sword style that proved very suiting, and thus now is able to fight even those with more experience and a bigger mass than him than him. Before he even takes a single step, Hikaru is thrown out of his hand, and his wrist is caught by a much bigger one.

"Hey, what're you doing?!"

"You are the Holy Keeper of Kou, right? Please, stop this!" Asad, looks up into the mans face, and realizes who it is. He tisks.

"King Sinbad of Sindria...was it?" Sinbad nods, and Asad steps away, sheathing Hachi and picking up the fallen Hikaru, sheathing him too.

"Yes. Forgive me, but we are both people of high statures. We shouldn't have dispute in a place like this" Damn his reasoning.

"Yet you already have" Asad growls, pointing to Aladdin. "That child over there has caused the injuries on my brother, Judal!" Sinbad lowers his head.

"Aladdin, this matter ends here. You should withdraw your staff like the Holy Keeper has" Asad can't help but smirk at the child as Sinbad lightly chastes him, and Aladdin sends a weak glare in his direction before lowering the staff.

"Holy Keeper, I am here in this country to talk with the King for another reason. If you are the same, then I wish to speak to you and your Princess in more suitable setting" Asad looks at him for a long while, before sighing and scratching his head.

"Whatever. I suppose I acted out of anger, and that is not very appropriate, especially not in front of my Princess" He looks to Aladdin and, because his words do hold some truthfulness, he bows. "Forgive me for harming your friend. Tell him my apologizes. However, I expect the same"

Aladdin lip quivers, but he bows as well, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I'm sorry" He whispers. Asad snorts.

"Everyone, where're leaving" He turns to the carpet where Kougyoku and Engi wait, before pausing. "Oh yeah, King Sinbad"

_This'll be fun._

He juts his finger to the girl still stuck in Kougyoku's arms.

"I'll be taking back Kou's property! Don't you know it's rude to steal someone else's things?" He smiles darkly, relishing the expressions on everyone's faces. "Seriously, taking from another country isn't very King-like"

"Bad's a person!" Centola cries, rushing forward toward the latter from the roof. "Don't call her property! She doesn't belong to anyone!" Asad waves off the shout.

"Please, you know it as well as I do" His hand pats his swords. "She's as much as a possession of Kou as these swords are a possession of mine" Centola has tears in her eyes, he can see is from this far away.

"Y-You…!" Then Eren is there, his eyes smoldering.

"That's not gonna happen, Asad" Erens arms are crossed over his huge chest, and he glowers down at the Holy Keeper. "I will not allow Bad to return to Kou without Centola and I by her side"

"He's right" Centola's feet touch the ground, and she strides furiously toward the two. "Don't you dare try to take her with you"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Cent, your face is all red!" Eren rolls his eyes.

"Let her go, Asad, and maybe I won't kick your ass" Asad grins, raising his hands.

"You can't have Bad!" Aladdin adds, joining them, true to the words he spoke earlier. "Centola's right; She's a person too!"

"Sure, yeah kiddo. Although Eren, I wonder how that would play out with my superiors? I'm certain that they'd be more than happy to have a reason to pick on the Chandlen compounds and also to put even more pressure on your aunt Zeina, Centola" Both freeze, their jaws tensing at the exact same second. "Are we done here already? No response at all?"

"Seriously Asad? Our families? That's low, even for you" The Shadow backs away toward the carpet, where his bodyguards wait.

"I get what I want, and what I want right now, is Bad. And I don't really think you two have much right to call me low, considering your line of work, Centola, and Eren's allegiance with this little brat, who happens to be the absolute master of threats and lies. But yeah, I'm the low one. See you two later! Maybe we'll have some drinks!" Eren launches forward, but then Bad speaks up.

"Eren, Centola, Aladdin, stand down"

"But he-"

"Eren, stay here and help Sinbad and Alibaba organize the Fog Troop. Centola, get Khadeja to man the fort or whatever, and you go find Catrina, we'll need her. Handle things here. If I escaped that psychotic bitch once, I can do it again"

"Hey, hey, don't be rude when speaking of my superior!"

Bad folds her hands over Kougyoku's sword, her body relaxing.

"I might as well go and get this over with. I doubt that they'd take me all the way to Kou; I'll handle things with the Banker and then come back. Hopefully." Bad sighs. "What a pain~"

The carpet rises into the air, and speeds off.

* * *

Centola stays perfectly still and Eren swears, stomping the ground.

"Ugh, what an annoying guy!" He yells at the ground, and rubs his temple. "What'd we do now, Cent?"

"What Bad told us to...Everyone, they left! If you aren't hurt, then tend to the few who are, and set up medical centers!" Centola braids her hair down her back, using a leather strap and her green ribbon to tie it. "Khadeja! Where's Khadeja? I gotta go find Catrina and that's gonna take a while"

"Why would it take a while?" Eren asks. She gives him a deadpan look.

"When Catrina's alone she often goes for runs, and being that we are in a city she knows nearly nothing about…"

"...She'll get lost! that's right I forgot that! Also, you sent Khadeja to go pick up a 'package' from a friend of yours? Something about a report about some sort of blackmailing incident-"

"Oh! That's right, please shut up now!" Centola steps on Eren's foot, but the guy doesn't react.

_Foot muscles are the worst!_

"So...I guess I'll have to wait for Khadeja, and Catrina will stay lost for a while"

"Yes"

"..._Wonderful_"

"Maybe she didn't get lost!"

* * *

Catrina was lost.

And now it's late at night, and she's hungry.

She doesn't have any money either.

Damn it.

* * *

Alibaba sulks in his room, hands folded tightly over his wounds from when Judal hit him with his magic. Gritting his teeth tightly, Alibaba applies more pressure, trying to get a good look at the bloody gash.

_Useless_

The word vibrates over and over in his head, especially after not being able to protect his comrades and not stopping Bad from being taken. What kind of man is he, that he let someone who tried so hard to help him get kidnapped by the enemy? Even Centola worked harder than he did, and she doesn't even like violence.

**Knock.**

**Knock.**

**Knock.**

That sound reminds him of yesterday, when Bad knocked and then snooped around his room, basically forcing him to read her his autobiography.

_I couldn't help her, or Ugo, or even Aladdin._

_Useless._

"Come in" He says this weakly, still occupied with his injury.

"Ali, don't touch it!"

"Eh, Cent?!" Centola comes over and smack his hands away, placing the water bowl and clean rags on the bed beside his bloody old ones. Carefully she lifts the shirt and frowns at the wound, examining it.

"You'll infect it at this rate" She scolds, dipping the rag into the water bin and gently cleaning the edges. He hisses when she presses on a sensitive spot. "Sorry! Gosh, this is bad. Do you have anymore? Is this the first time you've cleaned it? Please don't tell me it's the first time"

"It's…"

"Ali!" She hits his knee lightly, and he winces. She catches it. "You have one there two? Take off your pants I'm cleaning it"

"W-What?"

"You have no medical experience!"

"You don't like blood!"

"At least I can stomach it!" She grabs his pants as he tries to push her away, but the end result is not amusing, as next thing he knows, they are teetering back, away from the bed. "Eep! Al-"

**Thump!**

"Ugh…"

"Uh…Alibaba, could you get off me?"

"Alibaba, how are your injuries?" Morgiana asks, and with horror, Centola and Alibaba meet her own red faced gaze. "What are you doing?!"

* * *

"Alibaba, how are your injuries?" Morgiana sees Alibaba like an important figure, a kind person who helped free her from slavery. She never once thought that he'd do something so lewd and thus walking in on him, his hands pinning Centola's wrists and knees holding down her dress, his own pants lowered. She can't help but scream, "What are you doing?!"

"It's not what you think!" Alibaba shouts back, and Centola goes pink. "We aren't- I'm not- Cent, help me!"

* * *

"I see. So you fell?"

"Yes. I fell and accidentally pulled Alibaba down with me. Sorry for the confusion" Morgiana breathes a sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear. I thought…" She shivers and averts her gaze from Alibaba.

"Hey!" Centola's deft fingers make short work of his injuries, wrapping the bandages around his middle and arms, rolling his pants up from the bottom to get the one on his knee. "Um, Cent, could you go faster? I want to help everyone else as fast as I can!" Centola pauses, and then smiles.

"Of course"

"Hey, Miss Centola?" Morgiana asks, picking up the old supplies and water she dropped upon entering the room, "Who's Catrina?"

"Catrina is a Fanalis, like you!" Centola giggles, and a bit of...hope(?) blossoms in Morgiana's chest. "I believe I told you about her, right? She's very nice, you'd get along. Unfortunately, she's not here right now, so I'll have to go find her. I'm sure she'll want to speak with you, once she gets here"

"Will Bad be alright?" Centola stops again, her eyes finding their way to the floor.

"I hope so. But she's strong, so I'm sure…" Morgiana winces.

_Why'd I ask her that? Of course she'd still be upset that her friend was taken away so quickly after they met again._

"Anyway, how's Aladdin?"

"I saw him returning to his room. He looked pretty tired. I wonder if he's worried about Ugo disappearing"

"Hm…Maybe we should go take a look" Centola finishes tying off the bandages, and helps the blonde stand.

"Yeah!"

* * *

"Aladdin?!" Alibaba holds the boy to his chest, shaking him roughly. Centola runs around the side and presses two fingers under her chin, feeling for a pulse. It's faint, but there, and she yells at Alibaba,

"Stop that! He's alive, but not for long!" Alibaba sets him down and Cent instantly looks for the flute. "Take the flute away!"

"What?"

"Do it!" He does, and Centola knows that drastic times calls for drastic measures. "Alibaba, take Aladdin to the empty bedroom down the hall, and don't give him back the flute! I'll explain later, but for now I need to grab something that'll help!" Launching to her feet, Centola runs past the confused Sinbad and Ja'far, down the twisting hallways until she gets outside, where Eren helps some men move to their rooms.

"Eren!" She calls, run to him, and breathing heavily. "Get me my aunt's medicine!" Eren helps the men down, and then opens the bag around his neck, stuffing his entire hand in and rummaging around the items.

"H-his hand just disappeared into the bag!"

"But it's so tiny!"

"Here!" Eren pulls it out, and Centola snatches it up, running back the way she came, legs burning as a needle begins to poke her side.

_I am not in shape, am I?_

When she gets to the room, Sinbad is feeling Aladdin's forehead with the back of his hand, explaining the concept of magoi lose.

"Move" She commands, rushing to the boy's side. Lifting up his head, she once again checks his breathing and pulse, finding both to be lower than normal. "His pulse is low, and so his breathing levels. This isn't good"

Everyone's gaze is directed to the vial she holds delicately in her hands, holding a bluish green liquid that thickly sloshes around in it's container.

"We got to give him this medicine from my aunt"

"Are you sure? It doesn't look trustworthy" Centola blushes, and then explains,

"It's a one of a kind mixture! My aunt knows everything about plants, so she was able to create this. It's incredibly hard to make, and currently there are only three in existence. It not only strengthens the immune system, but also helps strengthens the physical body"

"Whoa…" Alibaba mutters, looking at the vial in a new light.

"Yeah…" The Temptress lifts Aladdin's head, unplugging the vial with her teeth and raises the medicine to Aladdin's lips. A sweet, strong smell like mint fills the room, and the liquid slowly trickles into the boy's mouth. It takes longer than she thought it would to empty half the vial, but once she finishes, she holds him up for a little while longer, so that it all is swallowed. When she finally places him back onto the bed, he has some more color to his skin.

"He looks better already!" Centola smiles.

"He'll still need to rest, but at least we know he'll wake up"

"Chief!" startled, Centola turns to the door, where a man stands, panting, his chest moving up and down. "Something's happened!"

"What is it-"

"Kassim's left!"

…

_What?!_

* * *

"Property, eh?"

"Shut up. I needed to get you away from there"

"They'll hate you now" Asad rolls his eyes. Kougyoku sits on the edge of her bed, watching the interactions with drooping eyes. Bad sits in a nearby chair, her hair let down and smoothly brushed by Kougyoku who had insisted. "Seriously, you couldn't think of anything else?"

"Well, it's the first thing that came into my mind. Especially since what I've heard…"

"What?!" Bad rockets to her feet, pointing the tip of Sheba under Asad's chin. "What did you hear?"

Asad looks down at Bad, his face still and calm. Kougyoku looks faint.

"Kougyoku, could you go check up on Judal? I'm worried"

"Asad-"

"Please. I'll join you after I have a little chat with this one" Kougyoku gets up slowly, her eyes so filled with worry that even Bad feels a twinge of guilt, and she exits. When the seconds turn into minutes and the footsteps are long since faded, Asad says, "I know what you are, Bad. I know that Gyokuen is the one who-"  
"Stop-" Her hand shakes, but he ignores her.

"And I also know that she wants you to return to Kou. In her eyes, you are property. She let you have your fun, touring the world and all, but she needs you now. I won't tell Judal or Marrkio that I took you here, or told you this, because if I did not only will Marrkio insist I collect you, but Judal will will begin to question why Gyokuen has such a fascination with you"

"I'm not going to Kou"

"I don't expect you to" Asad turns the point away from his throat, lowering Sheba. "I'm just telling you what I know. I've been told that she's been looking for you"

"How?"

"The maids are very receptive to my charms"

"Ew! you're gross" Asad laughs.

"Yep. Anyway, she's on the lookout. Everyone in the organization is. I am. Judal doesn't know yet, but I'm certain he will soon, and that's just too horrible to imagine" the silvered haired man shivers. "Please keep a low profile. If you can, hijack your way onto Sinbad's boat using your honeyed tongue and get the fuck to Sindria. Trust me, there is no way that Gyokuen can follow you there. I hope. Follow your plan, but downgrade your flashiness. Take care of Cent, Catrina and Eren, because Gyokuen will do anything to get you to come back to Kou and join her. She's a monster"

Bad snorts.

"Tell me about it. Hey Asad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. If you hadn't warned me-"

"But I did~ How's that for friendship?"

"Pretty good. Pretty good."

* * *

Kougyoku lies in wait, her hands folded. Judal sleeps, and Ka Koubun had left to go fetch her some dinner, since she hadn't eaten all day. Kougyoku sighs, watching the door, listening for any sound that might indicate whether or not her fiancee was there.

_Fiancee…_

Running away with Asad felt right, felt perfect. But now…

The door opens, and she meets the troubled gaze of Asad, who enters the room with a huff.

"Bad can be so annoyin-" Kougyoku is in his arms before she thinks about what she's doing. She never thought that Bad would kill Asad, but it's not like the idea that he might be hurt or worse didn't cross her mind. "'Gyoku? Are you alright? You should sleep. It's late-"

"Asad, we can't" The man stops his speech, and with her head pressed to his chest, she hears his heart slow, pulse loudly in her ears. "I can't"

"Why not?" His voice is so soft, a breathy whisper, that it's drowned out by his heartbeat. "You said…"

"I wanted to! But...leaving Balbadd with Judal injured like this? With Ka Koubun breathing down my neck about my marriage with King Ahbmad? It's impossible" Asad holds Kougyoku tight, his breathing very deep, and then lets go suddenly, pushing her way by the shoulders.

"I understand"

"Asad-"

"It's fine, Kougyoku. Return to your bedchambers, get some rest. I'll watch Judal" Kougyoku reaches out to grab his arm, but Asad shakes her off, turning his back on her and walking to the veiled part of the room, peeling apart the curtains and taking a seat by Judal, all while demanding in a rough tone, "Leave, your Highness"

* * *

He doesn't see the tears in her eyes, but tiny little **plop **on the ground makes him tremble, and the door slams shut as the woman he never wanted to hurt ran away from him.

* * *

Let's imagine history as something that can be changed. For instance, let's picture is as a pong. A lapping, lukewarm pond in the middle of the summer, sunlight shining yellow on every part of the land, the bright blue sky endless and the green glass sprinkled with wildflowers blowing in a careless breeze.

This pond can be changed, as life continues all around it in such an inviting way that many people, both young and old, wish to swim, touch, and cause ripples in the crystal waters that come with the natural part of the season of summer.

Yes, this pond will always be history, changed and created so much that the image can change and jump around until it's completely different. The sun shines, smiles, and glows but it isn't really doing that at all. The water warms, cools and refreshes, but it isn't really doing that at all. The pond is churning, changing, and lapping, but it isn't really doing that at all.

Everything that happens to and around this pond will always change, has changed, and will continue to change like a video on repeat.

Everything is different, everything is new.

It is a mere memory, rewinding and continuing on forever.

* * *

But which do you prefer? Which is better? A history always meant to happen, or a history that you can shape and mold into something that suits you much better? In essence, these descriptions of two different but the same ponds both have equal benefits and consequences.

While you can have a fate that you bend to your will and can soon master, the fate you create can become predictable, horrible, or terrifying should you make a single mistake. But on the other hand, you can have a fate that is predetermined and absolute that you can always rely on, though the ending is unsure and mysterious. You could die painfully, have someone important ripped from you, or even end up all alone.

Do you see now?

Fate and history are things that you decide. But once you decide these things, you can never take them back, and that's why there are so many problems in the word. The regret at choosing the wrong one is frightening, and no one wants to live a bad, no, a **wrong** life.

Death, life, _existence. _

Would it be better to decide for yourself, or allow someone else to determine things for you? Do you have the strength to decide who lives and who dies, or will you instead wish that task to be passed on to another person entirely? Our heroine, a child, decided herself that she had such a strength, and so did all the others she chose to follow her.

A bird who thought herself too frail to soar in the skies.

A shadow that never believed he could be allowed in the light.

A mountain which dreamed to move from where he was grounded.

A temptress who wished for love more than anything else.

A pearl, beginning to crack, longed for death to relieve her pain.

A Alchemist wanting to create something meaningful, not the things he can make appear.

A feather drifting lost in the air, unsure of her path.

A Princess who never lived to be a Queen.

Ah, well, only time will tell your answer, won't it? But that is a discussion for another day entirely.

* * *

DONE.

Like it? Hopefully, because that's the last time I write 17,993 word chapter. I know, I'm awesome (JK). Anyway, thanks for reading to the end! Long chappie, long time to read! Hopefully y'all are ready to review *Winks* I would write something to explain wtf went on in this chapter, but I'm tired and my fingers hurt and I've been writing since I woke up, which is a horrible way to spend my sunday but whatever~!

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	13. Chapter 12: When One Goes Astray

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**Fourth Arc:** Begin Again

CHAPTER 12: When One Goes Astray

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belong to me but to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

When Zeina De Coverna was young, she was rowdy. Adventurous, longing to see every inch of the world. So she promised herself she would. When she grew some, she did have adventures. The kind that involved friendship and loyalty, making lifetime memories to be remembered fondly forever.

By that time, she became known as many names. Kaguya. The Queen of Charms. Lady of Healing. Mistress of the Garden. But the most well known, the most revered of all, was the one she still calls herself today.

Zeina the Desert Flower.

And this Desert Flower found that such adventures weren't enough. Her mother, Farida De Coverna found this, she used it to her advantage. Zeina didn't like to be away from her family, but knew that no harm could befall them. Farida sent her daughter off on mission after mission, and Zeina forged her mark into each place she visited, bringing her name to be known far and wide. But it still wasn't enough. What was missing? This whole in her heart, spread out like a chill, fickle and jumpy.

It was when she was once again older she figured it out. And all it took was riding the waves with a stupid sailor and his loyal crew to figure it out, although for now, we will leave that story untold.

* * *

"What was it like?" Yamu sighs, and then lays the book she had been reading down on the table. Instead of going sitting back on the couch, she leans against Yunan's chest, laying her head on the crook of his neck. Yunan tenses and then relaxes, thumb making little circles on her shoulder, chin resting in her hair.

"It was terrible. Blood everywhere, and I had to choke down my screams and sobs. I had wondered for a while if I was pregnant, but the idea that I was not likely. After all, my body had become very frail and sickly, and when one becomes too thin their periods stop. So I just thought it was that...But it wasn't. I really was pregnant. And to make matters worse, the man I had...well, you know...conceived with, didn't even come to see me anymore. So there I was, sick, bloody, in pain, and there was nothing I could do except call for a maid, open the door barely a crack, and order her to fetch Badroulbadour for me"

"Why Bad?"

"Because she was quiet. She'd keep the secret, and even if she told it, it would be to Aladdin, and you know that boy wouldn't ever speak of such things unless I or Bad permitted him to. And Aladdin never could say 'no' to Bad. When she came, I was crying. Bad held me and I told her what happened. And we cried together. Huh. What a weird idea, that Bad would cry. But back then she went by her real name, so I guess... We cleaned the mess. Using our magic- water magic- we cleaned the sheets, washed my clothes, mopped the floor. We burnt many, many scented candles and incense so that the horrible smell would dissipate. I don't think anyone found out...except maybe Sinbad. Perhaps he had been spying on me…?"

Yunan pulls her closer, holding her with both his hands.

"Yamu...That's horrible" Yamu lifts a hand to the other side of his neck, clutching onto him, feeling an emptiness in her heart. "I can never imagine having that happen. Why didn't you tell...that guy?" Yamu giggles.

"Oh my God," She pulls away, looking into his pale eyes, "You're jealous!"

"What?!" He squeaks, mouth wide open. "Why would I be jealous of...that guy!"

"Because you call him 'that guy'! This is priceless!" Once again she falls against him, laughing while he grumbles,

"I'm not jealous…" But he still pulls her closer.

"I didn't tell him because he didn't want to see me anymore due to the fact that I was going to die. He was too sad about it, and wanted to forget about me, about how I never told him that keeping the barrier up was deteriorating my lifespan. He wanted to marry me, so he felt like I lied to him, which, I guess I did" Yamu looks up at Yunan. "Did I?"

"Yes." the female magician smiles weakly. "But you had good reason. Why'd you want to mention something as tragic of how you're going to die to someone you date?"

"You're too sweet" She curls up by his side. "Speaking of sweetness, won't you carry me upstairs?"

"...Come again?"

"I'm tired and have a sad backstory. Take me to our room please?"

"Wow. 'Our' room? Getting comfy I see"

"Shut up. The kids aren't around, so do me a favor?" Yamu knots her hands around his neck, eyes wide up at the blond magi. "Please~?"

"Uh, um...f-f-fine" He picks her up from under her knees, and Yamu giggles like she's a child.

"Calling Catrina, Bad, Eren and Centola 'the kids'? Are we their parents?"

"Yeah, of course we are. I have a feeling it would seem more legitimate if someone would ask me to marry him…?" Yunan neck turns hot under her hands. "Any thoughts on that?"

"I-I-I-I-I blame Bad for that joke ever coming into existence! The worst part is that never know if you're kidding!" The stairs seem a bit hard for Yunan, and he groans a bit while stepping up.

"Watch it," Yamu growls, "You're treading a dangerous path, my friend"

Yunan chuckles breathlessly.

"I'm just kidding…" His voice is high pitch. When they enter the room, Yunan puts her down, looking a bit relieved from his workout. Yamu still has him by the neck though, and she smiles coyly at him. Blushing, the magi averts his gaze.

"Hey, Yunan…" Oh he doesn't like that tone of voice. Her grip is forceful, and she pulls him even closer than they already are, faces mere inches apart.

"Y-yes?"

_I don't know if this is good or not._

"Do you wanna see if I'm kidding or not?"

_Oh sweet Lord._

"If I say yes, will life become better or worse?" By now his entire face is the color of tomatoes, and Yamu's smile grows darker and even more beautiful.

"Depends..." And Yamu pulls him against her, pressing her warm lips against his cheek.

Then she releases him, satisfied, though to the magi it feels as though the entire world has exploded and now is being put back together again, atom by atom, monomer by monomer, polymer by polymer like the magic he uses.

"Be a dear and rub my feet?"

"O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-k-k-k-a-ay"

_Best. Night. Ever._

* * *

_Worst. Night. Ever._

Catrina was lost.

And now it's late at night, and she's hungry.

She doesn't have any money either.

Also, she feels as though she has said this before. Eren's quiver full of arrows and his bow bump up and down as she wanders through the streets of Balbadd, she looks around for food to- uh, 'borrow', and finds nothing. At this time of night, every merchant is closed, and every sane person is hiding due to the explosions from far away. She considered following the sounds back, but they stopped, and she was too tired to try to smell her way home.

Vaguely she smells Yamu from outside the city, but the scent is weird, the perfume of medicine and ink mixed with the aged paper and potion-y smell that usually follows Yunan around like a cloak. Weird. Of course, they do sleep in the same bed whenever Bad and them visit. Then again, they always smell like that...But that would mean that they never stopped sleeping in the same bed, right? Maybe she'll ask Centola. Centola always knows about the weird stuff that happens between people-

Huh?

_What's that?_

The footsteps come closer and closer, and more follow in pursuit. Standing in the middle of the road, she watches as a blur of black curls rounds the corner and hobbles straight toward her, amethyst eyes spotting her and then a gruff,

"Catrina, catch me!" Makes her turn and await the woman's weight on her back. When it comes, Catrina starts sprinting, her pace very quick as she makes her way through the maze of streets, the pursuers in the background disappearing with angry shouts of,

"You lousy-"

And they kiss their mothers with that mouth?

"What's this all about, Miss Khadeja?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. I got sent out on a job by my mistress, and it ends up- here's the usual part- being a double cross. But this time was fun. The double crosser got double crossed by his servant, who then double crossed the other employer and took control of the whole operation. Unfortunately, I hurt my ankle during the escape. Would you carry me for a short while?"

"Sure. So that would be why the men came after you?"

"Bingo. I don't get paid enough" Catrina looks over her shoulder at the black haired woman, slowing her pace to an easy jog.

"You get paid?"

"...No"

"Well then of course it's not enough" Sighing softly, Khadeja rests her chin on Catrina's shoulder.

"But I can't help it. I love my Mistress, and I want to stay by her side. I owe her everything, from my name to my life. I love her"

"You love Centola?" Catrina asks gently, getting a better grip on Khadeja's knees.

"Mhm. To the very bottom of my heart and soul, because of all the things she's done for me. And you know, I'm connected to the Earth, so…"

"So the Earth loves her as well?" Khadeja pats Catrina's head.

"Yes. She's the sun and I'm the Earth, and I can't help but want her to shine on me"

"That's sweet. Hey Khadeja?"

"Hm?" The woman is staring up at the skies, the twinkling stars and the white moon, thick like a cheese wheel and white like porcelain. "What is it sweetie?"

"I wanna love Centola too but...I can't find it in me to trust her"

"Because of the magic?" Ashamed, Catrina tightens her grip. "I understand. My Mistress, for all her grace and kindness, has a fatal flaw that causes distrust or worse- blind trust. I believe I fall into the later. But I've been touched by that magic of my Mistress, and have seen the beauty under her skin. I can't let it go."

_Touched by magic...Have seen the beauty under her skin...That reminds me of..._

"Why? I don't understand...I wanna be her friend…"

"You can be someone's friend and not trust them. Of course, it's hard. Do you want to make it work?"

"Mhm" A hand pats her hair. It's true, Catrina does want to be friends with Centola. To return to days so long ago where Jane read to Alice, and told her the story of Magi day after day for two weeks. She thought Jane was an angel sent to protect her during the end of her life, but now, to see her alive, or at least in some way…

It was almost scary.

"Then try your best. It may seem hard, but can always form a bond with someone"

_Touched by magic….Have seen the beauty under her skin...Blind trust...That reminds me of me…_

"Can you take me back to the base?"

"Sure!"

* * *

Bad's tired. Her heart, her mind, her legs, her arms, everything. Not only has she been walking about for a long while, but no one seems to be around, which totally sucks since she could really use a place to stay the night.

Looking around, she recalls the late night walks with Hassan, Zaynab and Kassim, the corners from when she stalked Alibaba, the alley Alibaba confronted her in, the bar Hassan and Zaynab suggested if she'd ever wanted a 'real' drink.

_I don't even want to know what that means._

Following these mental placemarks, she strolls through the deserted streets, her long shadow trailing after her, reminding her of how she left of the Balbaddian Palace.

"It's this way" Asad had said, pointing off down a hallway. "Go to the right, down the stairs, and slip out of the servant's entryway. Following the path, you'll find a discrete route away from the palace"

Bad smiled.

"Thanks, Asad. I don't really care how you know about that…" Asad shrugged, winking.

"I already told you. The maids are receptive to my charms~"

Bad gagged.

"I'm still pissed about earlier, by the way"

"Yeah, well thanks for letting my brother get the shit beaten out of him"

"Touché" The silver haired man chuckled. "Oh, and Asad…"

"What is it?"

"I heard…"

_"Idiot Keeper, don't leave me like that again. I don't want you dying before our wedding…"_

"...Never mind. Thanks again."

"No problem, trouble maker. And uh, I'll keep that secret of yours, okay? Consider it payment for keeping my dirty little secret. You know, about my…'Occupation'" And that's when Bad began to question her strategy. Getting Asad's trust will be harder than she thought, and now things are going astray with the plan.

The Shadow is a good ally, but she doubts the extent he'll go to for her and her goals. He'll still help her, especially since he's aware now of not only her intentions on saving this world but also about the truth behind who she is.

How'd he figure it out? The answer was simple.

"Hakuei" Bad whispers, dark thoughts directed toward a certain ex-Princess filling her head. Vaguely Bad wonders if the assassin had used his charms on the woman as well, but the thought is discarded. Hakuei still isn't over the death of her son, nonetheless ready to be flirting with younger men.

Although she'll still talk up a gossip storm with them.

_HHAAAAAAAKUUUUUUUEEEEEEIIIIIIII~! I thought we were paaaaaaaaaals!_

* * *

"Achoo!" Sniffling, Hakuei Ren pats her nose with a hanker-chef handed to her by Seisyun.

"Are you alright?"

"Mhm, don't worry about me! Must be the night air" Hakuei smiles, patting the boys head. "It's late, I think I'll be going to bed. These documents can wait till morning"

"Yeah, don't catch a cold!"

* * *

Leaving the palace and being careful to be light with her footfall, and sharp with her intake on her surroundings, the pinkette surveys the world around her. It's not that she doesn't trust Balbadd, but she doesn't trust Balbadd.

Where to go? Back to the fort? Yet she told them it would take a while to destroy any possibility of her returning to Kou, and as far as she knows, the plan is still in effect. Hmm, is it? The plan, her plan, had gone so smoothly that she must have known that there'd be a rough patch sooner or later. But in the grand scheme of things, nothing has been effected. It's true that she had to make adjustments to her own personal goal in order to incorporate Kassim's life into the equation, but everything is perfect, so far.

Kassim's life.

She'd had taken a liking to the boy. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he lived. Bad grins to the blackness surrounding her, twirling Sheba in her fingers.

_Wouldn't be so bad…_

And yet, Centola's face when she looked at those boys of hers were so different. How could she not notice? How could she ignore it? In no way is she angry at her elder sister, but more curious. Bad had never really taken the time to understand the depth of Alibaba's love for his adoptive brother, and now wishes she had. At least then she'd have a grip on the complexities of Kassim's rotten mind, and the reason Centola seems to not notice anything wrong with him.

Ah yes, her plan, perfect, manicured, complete.

Nothing could stop it, because everything leads to it. Breathing deeply, lips twitching, she rounds the corner and freezes, shrinking back against the wall and hunching low, eyes wide at the scene she now witnesses. Unexpected. Does nothing to her plan, but to Centola's plan...Oh dear.

*Sigh*

Troublesome.

* * *

Centola didn't believe what she heard when the words reached her ears.

Kassim was gone?

That's…not possible. Bad told her that her presence should have been enough to keep him with the Fog Troop, if their bond was as strong as she thought it was.

Was it?

Apparently not. He was gone. Poof! And along with him Zaynab and Hassan too, and the scummier parts of his band of thieves. It's only her and Alibaba now, along with the people who expect their prince to lead them, as if all he had to do was snap his fingers and a new idea for salvation would be reached.

If only it was that easy.

It's never that easy.

The plan was simple.

Go to Balbadd, split up. Centola meet with Sinbad, Bad with Kassim and Alibaba. Begin gathering intel and trust. Eren and Catrina will be the outside sources, watching and gathering information to stow away while Yunan and Yamu devise their way into the next part. When they get together again, Centola keeps Kassim at the Fog Troop and Bad'll promise Sinbad that she'll help him save Balbadd.

Later they would have helped Alibaba storm the Balbadd castle in an actually organized Coup'd'etat and dislodge the Balbaddian King from the throne, preventing Kassim's death and assuring no other changes to the storyline.

Easy.

Except that it's gone horribly wrong.

Maybe it was because the plan was so easy that it went wrong. Should she have put more detail in the text? But the words, the lies, the stories and trust (as light as it was) she engraved into Sinbad was hard work, and gaining her position as a Strategian must have been awfully hard for a girl like Bad, so young and sweet looking.

Deceptive. That is a better word for her plan. Her lack of truthfulness must have driven Kassim away. She's really quite horrible. Being a De Coverna and all-

**_Don't insult the people who've given you life and happiness._**

_…_

_Sorry._

But she's still horrible.

She's looking down the pathways, trying to catch a single glimpse of her friend. Alibaba had followed Ja'far back into the Fog Troop's base, his face betraying his emotions. There were so many. The one time he looked up at her, something sad and wistful had broken to the surface, and then was gone as gold eyes met with the dirt.

Centola gazes at the labyrinth of cramped streets and remembers her home. Marching down these paths, stomping with barefeet, giggling as they raced through crowds of people like flies, annoyed yet tolerated in the summer sun beating on red faces. She recalls Alibaba's annoying habit of buying her apples for her birthday, a reminder that he knows her favorite fruit, and Kassim taking her home from the bar at night after Alibaba was in the castle.

The way Kassim once took her to a little party going on for the people of the Slums. One of the better nights, her day off and she was feeling a particularly good mood due to the grins that seemed to grace every face. Zaynab was there, and Shana too, when the woman still youthful in appearance. They played festive music that resonated in the tiny courtyard hidden by the buildings.

There it is! She strayed far from the Fog Troop, but still wanders, the large stone arch signaling the entryway lifting above her head as she enter tiny passage, leading to the circular garden area, where ivy climbs heavily and prickly desert lilies with pale complexions bloom, lifting their heavy heads to the stars above, whispering in the wind.

The music. Oh, it was heavy too, staining her ear with unfamiliar pulses, twisting it's fingers in her hair with every straining note of the flute. Her feet had danced just like this, bending to the sound and lightly touching the floor, barely a second with any part of her still. There had been alcohol, and for once she allowed Kassim to have one, although she herself had forced him to share.

"Why?" He asked, redness of his tan skin. He did work hard that day, out in the sun doing a job for friend of his who needed help with construction. "Get your own" She had glared.

"I'm not gonna let you have it all! You'll get all drunk and blubbery" His face was funny, thinking she was being silly while still amused.

"Blubbery?"

"You know what I mean!" In the end, she took the spot next to him and shared the cup, passing it back and forth between conversations. It had been Zaynab's birthday! The woman was very high and mighty, cheeks glowing at being called a mature adult.

"'_Mature_'" Hassan had muttered under his breath to them, and they laughed, and laughed some more when Zaynab got flustered at their reactions to her questioning.

The beer had been dark reddish yellow, and Centola learned that she was a lightweight. It's not that she couldn't handle the taste, actually the bitterness of the drink and the sweetness of the cheese Zaynab had saved for this occasion tasted wonderful, and soon she leaned heavily on the dreadlocked man, eyes drifting shut. The music at that time turn soothing, and Kassim shook her shoulder.

"Wha?" She asked, arms tightly around the one she forced into becoming a pillow. He smiled, and she realized why. The band was playing her mother's song. The one that was first taught to her when she begged to learn to sing. Standing, with difficulty, she moved to the center stage, noting that many people had left, it was only two musicians and Zaynab and Hassan. Kassim followed her, and she took his outstretched hand, laying the other, like her head, on his shoulder. He wrapped a secure arm around her waist, and gently they swayed to the music, her mother's lyrics drifting on air around her, though it may have only been in her head.

_"Quiet is the wind_

_that slips between the branches and_

_Unknown is the world_

_Around you and I_

_Yet that's alright, yes that's alright_

_You're safe here, we're safe here"_

Kassim kept that hand at her waist when they took their leave, Centola cheering out a goodbye with half lidded eyes as her friends snorted at the sight. Kassim walked her through the darkness that wasn't there when they came to the party, and she slumped against him some more, digging her fingers into his sides and clinging tightly.

"We're home" he whispered to her, and she groaned, snuggling some more. Her feet had hurt so bad, and her mind was fuzzy. "Can I have your key?"  
She paused, looked up and pouted, but gave the key hidden in the folds of her dress to him. He opened the door and helped her inside, placing her on the bed with the fondness of a parent. She gripped his hand when he tried to leave. Scooting over, she patted the bed and managed a smile.

"Ssslleep withme...likewhen wewere little!" Her words slur and he hesitates, shadows across his face from the slants of the roof. Then, slowly, he got over the sheets, helping her under, and lay his arms stiffly over her shoulders. She buried her face in his shoulder, eyelids no longer able to stay open, and felt something scratchy resting quickly on her forehead, before thinking she must have imagined it.

In the morning, Kassim was still sunburned on his cheeks, and she felt them anxiously. Her mind was dangerously spinning, and he stayed all morning with her, nursing her poor hangover. It was then that Centola found a mutual dislike for alcohol, and decided not to try it again, despite how she enjoyed the bitter and addicting aftertaste.

It's so cold. The stones freeze her feet, bare from the shoes she had discarded, and moved her body to an invisible beat. She twirls, jumps, moves, up and down, side to side.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight,

One, two-

Like before, a hand reaches out for hers, and gathers it in a warm palm. She turns, and expects to see those brown eyes like before, full of glee and things she doesn't understand but wants to, a dangerous grin that she knows is only put on for show, and that his true smile is something much more intimate and embarrassing.

But those eyes aren't like that. In fact, it's not his eyes at all.

(Are you disappointed, Centola?)

Such pretty eyes, all the same. Gold like the clivias that Zeina loves so much, deep yellow and gentle flowers that need attention and care to thrive. They make for such a nice addition to Zeina's miniature garden.

"King Sinbad?" She asks, tensing her muscles "Did you follow me?"

"Forgive me, Lady Centola. But I must have a private moment with you, and seeing you leave the Fog Troop's base without a guide seemed risky to me"

"I know Balbadd like the back of my hand" Centola says smoothly, slipping her hand away from his, stepping back so that she's not forced to look up at him so much. "I did grow up here, after all"

"In Balbadd...What would a Temptress being doing here? I heard that your aunt, Z- Lady Zeina, never stays in one place for long periods of time" It may be her own imagination, but he says the last sentence with bitterness.

"I wouldn't say that at all. Zeina just works a lot. And to let you know, I happened to have been a bit of an unplanned pregnancy. Tell me Sinbad, how well do you know Zeina?"

"..." Sinbad knows what she's doing. Spinning around the conversation to exploit an obvious weakness. His knowledge of Temptresses is low, his knowledge of Zeina is low, and his knowledge on how to save Zeina is low.

How to save her.

What a noble and sisyphean idea. Though Centola supposes, the only one who stood a chance on helping her Aunt would be Sinbad. Or, does Zeina even need help? She's not the kind of woman to be taken lightly.

"Could it be, King Sinbad, that you...see Zeina as someone important to you?" Sinbad doesn't respond, but the grim, dark shadows show what he's hiding. Zeina trained her to see the ticks of people, and hammered the ways of Sinbad into her head with a steel rod.

_Don't trust Sinbad._

"I know much about Zeina, but at the same time I know nothing. She's a petal in the wind. You could know what kind of flower she was, and what direction she flows, but you know nothing of how she came loose from the stem, which flower she belonged to in which field, or any personal information. A mystery, a woman you could hold the hand of and yet feel that she's too far away to reach. It drives me crazy that none of my words have any effect on her. That's why, Centola," He bows his head to her, and even though she's also been trained to expect anything, having a man called the High King of the Seven Seas lower his head to her is shocking. "Won't you become my comrade, like Zeina refuses?"

"No" Her response is immediate and cutting. "I can't"

"But-"

"I'll explain" She says this softer, gathering the shoes and slipping them onto her feet. "It's not because I'm a Temptress. It's because I understand where my loyalties lie. You're bright Sinbad, like a smooth white star, and I admire that. But I have people I love. Badroulbadour, Eren, Catrina, Khadeja, Kassim, Alibaba, Zeina. They are the reason I refuse your offer. I promised Zeina that I would become the kind of person who could…" She looks at him, his eager expression, his thirst for understanding the kind of people Temptresses are. "...save monsters, even ones like her"

"She's not a monster" Sinbad is swift with his answer, hardness in his posture. "She's always said things like that. It's not true."

"...Is that what you think? I'll admit, Zeina is no monster. But it's been a long time since something has moved her stone heart" she giggles, holding out her hand. "In fact, it's one of my many goals to help Zeina"

"Help Zeina?"

"I want Zeina to remember who she is. The elder sister of my aunts, the matriarch of the De Coverna clan. She does her job to a perfect tee, but I think there is a way that she can regain her life. I don't want her to be chained to that obligation anymore, or at least do it for the love she has for the De Covernas. Do you think I can free her, Sinbad?"

"..." His hand is big, and it swallows hers, a sad grin climbing his face, gentle and full of memories shared between young people whose fates were linked by chance. "I'm...Sure you can, Centola"

* * *

**Thirteen Years Ago...**

* * *

"Zeina, Zeina, Zeina, Zeina-" A sigh is heard, one much like an adult except that it's emitted from a youthful teenage girl, who puts down the book she had been reading.

"What is it this time, Sinbad?" A cheshire cat smile crosses over another teen's face.

"Let's be friends!"

"Oh God not again" Obviously this is not the first time the two had had this conversation, and to the girl it's getting older by the second.

"Please? I've been nothing but nice to you, and I think that we'd make a good team!" Sinbad pouts, as if she'd be fazed by such an action.

"Team?"

"Mhm! I want you to go to Sasan with me!"

"Sasan?!"

"Yep. I'm apart of my very own Merchant Company, and I would like your help to make it strong" Cockiness, goodnatured but self assured, settles into the boy's shoulders, eyes shining in a way that mesmerizes most people in a second. Zeina is not amused.

"Help? Strong? Why does a merchant need these sort of things?"

Sinbad takes her hands, looks down intently into her face, and says with seriousness beyond what Zeina's seen from him before,

"To create a country"

Sinbad the Sailor and Zeina the Desert Flower. What a funny combination, don't you think?

* * *

Centola and Sinbad return to base in time to catch the carriage entering the grounds, and Sinbad strides up to it, but not before giving her a goodbye.

"I must deal with this, Centola. I trust we may converse later? There are several issues I'd like to speak with you about, especially the ones concerning Badroulbadour and Eren" Centola smiles, her mind finding the connections between those two names funny as they're said aloud. Bad and Eren, the two who started this mess, Eren getting noticed as the brawns and Bad instantly being picked out of the gang as the leader despite the girl's attempts to make Centola seem like the one who orchestrated it all.

_Sinbad is smarter than I expected._

Or maybe he knows only of the things told to him and he wants to know what Asad meant by 'property'.

_Bad is **not** property._

Of course she knows that, and understands Asad's reasons for saying it, but it still makes her anger boil. Asad had a glint in his eye that said, 'I need to speak with her'. And honestly, Centola was tempted to flip him off and snatch Bad back, but Asad wouldn't call Bad 'property' or any other name unless he really needed to talk with the girl.

What did he need to say that's so important that he revealed something huge about Bad? Need for the answer shakes Centola's insides like an earthquake. Asad really is...something.

It's not like they're not friends, because often Bad, Catrina, Eren and her would get together and write a long letter to send to Kou to those four, but at the same times they are different people. Asad and Judal are apart of Al Thamen, Kougyoku and Hakuei are Royalty, they aren't- aren't the kind of people that associate with the niece of a (for lack of better name) mafia boss, a Fanalis-Amala with a shady background, a dimwitted Chandlen and a simple little girl.

Except Bad isn't simple at all.

Centola watches as the meeting with Sahbmad continues. The painting the man, Deputy King Sahbmad makes with his words, about becoming slaves, is disgusting. And it's not until the realization that he's talking about every citizen of Balbadd, including her, that her entire body goes to stone.

She never really paid it much mind, and maybe that's selfish, but the idea that it could actually happen to anyone of them is terrifying. Being sold into slavery, forced labor...and the fact that it's real, it could happen, makes her entire self shiver. She had made her way up to Alibaba, and the ex-Prince reaches out and steadies her when she pitches forward, paleness to her skin.

"Alibaba...is it true? That's…" Alibaba clutches her shoulder and looks to Sahbmad, who continues to explain for them the truth in all its hideousness.

Morgiana comes, her eyes as clear and determined as a lion catching it's prey. The three Nando brothers take steps away from her, and then, looking to one another, quickly make their leave.

"Deputy King, are you asking for us to stop them? Is that the reason you came here?" Sahbmad trembles.

"Yes...that's why…" Morgiana turns to Centola and Alibaba, a sort of desperation in her face that Centola hadn't noticed before.

"Alibaba, Centola, Let's do this! Lets stop that ridiculous plan" Her hands shake as she takes a shoulder of each of the people she names. And Centola grips that shaking hand, shoving down her worries.

"You're right"

* * *

Sinbad's not pleased. Not pleased by the lack of answers he receives from Centola De Coverna, losing a mere child to the organization, and definitely not by Alibaba's absence of words while dealing with Sahbmad. In fact, the whole situation puts an even heavier strain on his patience.

What did Zeina used to say? "I bet you'll only get serious when your older~!"

Of course, he's not old.

He's not.

STOP TALKING ABOUT IT, OKAY?!

Still, these things are too annoying. And Centola's criptic promise, what in God's name does she want him to do?

_"In fact, it's one of my many goals to help Zeina"_

He's sure that Masrur and Ja'far would LOVE to hear that (sarcasm implied), especially since both of them are still pretty ticked at Zeina for leaving them just after Sindria was first founded. Of course, their hurt and anger was no match for Sinbad's, who almost went after the Temptress had his senses come back and he remembered that this was his country, and he couldn't just up and leave it. That Zeina had warned him years ago she'd leave.

_"Why? Do you not want to stay in Sindria when it's established?"_

_"It's not that. Fate has made sure I'll never get to stay in one place for too long. Something will happen, whether it be death or duty, and I'll have to leave"_

_"Then I'll give you a duty in Sindria."_

_"Sinbad…"_

_"I'm going to at least try"_

And he did try, and it didn't work. How was that possible? He remembered thinking that when it was told to him, that she was missing. Gone. Sinbad had leapt into action, his mind racing. He'd rode the waves of fate as easy as an experienced sailor, so how-

Ah.

Well he wasn't a sailor anymore, nor a merchant. He was a King. Is that what Zeina meant? That he could no longer ride those waves and change her fate as he had been doing? It seems she had been speaking the truth, as horrible as it was.

And yet he had accepted Centola's idea, even as he had tried to distance himself from the idea that he- or anyone- could save her.

"I have understood everything you have said, Sahbmad. Just leave it to me. I will contact my ally countries and we will come together to oppose the Balbadd government. Although I'm not certain we could make it in five days for the ceremony, I will absolutely stop this idiotic plan to export citizens as slaves!"

_Bad said I could, "add Balbadd to my list"_

What a dark thought. It's true that this is beneficial to Sindria. In fact, that's part of the reason he is doing all of this. But the other half is because he wants to. That's him, the half-half.

Helping Sindria comes first.

Helping others comes first.

Aid to our people.

Aid to any people.

He is constantly conflicted with himself, and the worst part is that he doesn't know which is bad and which is good anymore.

That's him, the win-win.

Just like that child had said with a grin bearing duplicity.

_I need a drink._

* * *

She saw him. Centola saw the dreads swinging as he made his hasty retreat, the white cloth of his clothes fluttering close behind. So she cut through the crowd cleanly, unnoticed due to Sinbad's small speech, and follows, striding with untold energy that fills her.

Around the corner, down the block, following those quiet footsteps and the swish of black hair, hunched back sometimes protruding out. And knowing that she's close, he goes faster. So she runs and calls out his name,

"Kassim!" He freezes, and she breathes heavily as skids to a stop, staring at his back. "Kassim…"

The quiet hangs over them like a blanket, with nothing more than the breathing of the two entering the ear. Kassim looks back at her, and faces his old friend, averting his gaze from her face.

"Cent. It's late, you should go back your base"

"Our base" She corrects him, coming closer. He drops his eyes to the ground.

"No. I've left that group. Alibaba is wrong. Sinbad is wrong. I should have never allowed that man to join us-"

"Why? What has he done other than help us?" His lips curl at the edges like the hand of an old tree branch.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Centola"

"Of course I understand!" She booms at him, once again nearing him. "I completely understand. I know that Sinbad is doing this for his own gain, but he's still helping. Don't you think that we should do what we can for Balbadd without-"

"Without what, Centola? Without voilence? That's not going to happen. Too much has happened, too much hate has been built up in people's chests-"

"In your chest?" His glare is intense, is anger exceeding that of anything she's seen of him before. Kassim is never like this. He's the brother she cooked for as a child, the kind friend who walked her home. "No. In our chests?"

"You don't-"

"I do!" Her voice cracks, and when she tries again, it takes several long seconds for her lower lip to stop quivering. "I understand entirely. I was there with you when we lost those most precious to us. I was there when we escaped from the hell of the segregation camps. I was there through you best moments and your worst. I know that same emotion in your chest, but it's not hate. It's never been hate"

"Then what is it?" He asks, reaching out, shaking her shoulders, jolting her muscles, tensing her limbs. "What is this I feel day after day? I have no more hope for Balbadd, Cent. I have nothing but this-"

The brother who she cooked for, the kind friend who walked her home, the boy who she danced with. With his black dreads adrift the breeze and his earrings tickling her fingers, she grasps his face, looks into it, and comes to a conclusion that she never considered before.

"It's despair" How funny she only saw it in other people, never him. But it's always been there, the thing that causes people to Fall. Despair is cruel, unforgiving, and attacks those who have little hope, like Kassim himself. And it kills her to see it in action in those brown eyes. "But you don't need to be desperate, Kassim. Anything can be changed if you have the will to do it"

"And yet nothing can be erased" The solemn sentence brings tears to her eyes.

"Yes. Nothing can be erased, and no thing forgotten, not by everyone. Which is why you have to believe me when I tell you that we can fix the things we do. The mistakes we make...it can all be forgiven. Not forgotten, but forgiven and- and healed"

"That's…" He looks at her, and then it happens, and her head spins.

She can feel the outline of the chapped lips on hers, not quite solid as they touch. She can feel each cut on his mouth, inflicted by biting teeth and sleepless nights. It's such a chaste thing, and yet she knows what it really means. He smells like that reddish brown beer on Zaynab's birthday, and an odd mixture of smoke and dying embers.

The brother who she cooked for, the kind friend who walked her home, the boy who she danced with, the man who kisses her. And it's a sudden, bursting feeling- no, an idea, like the one she told Sinbad about, and she kisses him back, pressing her own lips clumsily to his in an attempt to understand what the hell is going on.

Friends don't kiss, b-but yet here they are, and her head fills with light bubbles, easing away her tension, erasing her doubt.

And it's his reaction that confuses her even more. He rips himself away, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling, and just looks at her.

It's weird, because it's almost as if he's afraid of her. So Centola lifts her hands once more to his face, and he jumps back as if her touch burns, and runs away. She's standing there, looking at his back moving farther and farther away, all while her arms are sticking out, frozen in place, awaiting the warmth of another person.

_Eh?_

She finds her arm pressed roughly against the nearby wall, and she leans heavily on said wall, watching as the braids disappear, as the memory of her first kiss burns into her mind, imprinted like words in a book.

Centola remembers everything.

"Wow. Bravo, dear Centola" Cheeks turning scarlet, she looks to the voice, where someone claps at a measured pace as they enter the scene. "I must say I'm impressed"

"Bad?" She asks, clenching her eyes shut. "How are you here?"

"Asad told me how to escape the Palace. Jerk wanted to catch me up on the latest drama at Kou. Of course, his ways of going about it make me want to strangle him" Bad sighs, rubbing her temple with two fingers. "And now I walk in on my sister and boss making out. Gross"

"That's not-"

"I know. But how you guessed it yet? Why he rejected you?" Centola doesn't answer, dropping her arms. "...No? Well, Kassim thought you were going to reject him. I guess maybe it was his own little hope, in fact. Having no hope...that's impossible. Unless you kill it, of course, and I doubt boss was looking for you to share his feelings"

"Feelings?" She's breathless, looking at her own body and questioning what she was even doing. "I...I thought that Kassim was like a brother…"

"Was he, though? Your heart seems to disagree. And the way you talk of him...It's not the way a sister does her brother. Face it, you've haven't seen him in that sort of light for a long time now"

"I...I…"

"Compose yourself. This may seem harsh, but we have bigger things to deal with now. I have news, and I doubt you'll like what I'm going to say" Centola just stares at the pinkette, righting herself and trying to stop the racing of her heart, along with the speed of her thoughts.

"What is it?"

"Gyokuen has ordered a lookout for us. She DOES wants me to return to Kou and help her"

"No" Her words are forceful and final. "There is no way in hell I'm letting you go there, now that I know about what she did to you…in this world and the Other"

"What is it again? That word in your language...**Amen**" Centola giggles, and reaches out her arms, weary. Bad is instantly in those arms, snuggling into their warmth. "I'm sorry things aren't going perfectly"

"Nothing's perfect. There is absolutely no person or thing in this world that is perfect, though we try. Catrina fears fire; I hold no love for violence…"

"Speaking of love, Asad's gets in his way; Eren cannot see past the veil of his past reality. I understand that. I'll have to make adjustments to incorporate human emotion, although my plan is perfect" Centola chuckles, raising a hand to her mouth, touching her lips. "...and factor in that little moment I walked in on"

"Can we not speak of it? I'm...I'm not ready…"

"Alright. Let's go"

* * *

_Useless._

So much, in fact, that he couldn't believe that he even entertained that idea that she...Kassim is better than him, really. He has a sort of independence about him, a way of leading others. A way of attracting others, of capturing their lips with his own…

Why does he even care?

It's not as though he could ever live up to the charisma of Kassim and the suaveness of Sinbad, and it's not like she'd ever see him as anything else other than the little boy from the slums, dirty and weak-willed.

_Useless._

Alibaba can dream though, can't he? That he's worthy of being by the sides of such powerful and talented people? Isn't it fair to at least allow him his own dreams?

No.

It's not. Dreams are things you should only give yourself if there is a chance of achieving it...and he can't achieve such a large dream. So why do people keep coming back to him? Why is he so damn important to them? He's nothing. Just a little boy from the slums, dirty and weak-willed.

_Useless_.

He couldn't ever get what he truly desires. And does he want so many things. He wants his dagger to shine like a thousand suns, he wants people to look at him with awe (not scared and lack of hope), he wants the clothes on his back to be clean and for him to smell fresh like a spring breeze.

And he wants things you can't touch. The brother he lost by his side as an equal, the country he loves loving him back. Green glass mirrors to show him the reflection of a simple man, not a King or a little boy from the slums, dirty and weak-willed. Pink lips to whisper his name in a way that could make anyone- man or woman- fall to their knees, and a smile that causes nosebleeds.

_Useless_.

Desires and dreams are things one should never be placed together.

* * *

A moonbeam falls across the bed, and a shadow dances on the wall, doing a gentle jig in a lulling manner. The woman she was looking for sits up in her bed, and when she places her feet on the wooden floor it's replaced with lush rugs. Her fingers skim across the bed and the hard mattress turns to feather, the sheets silk and satin. Golden fires ignite where there were once vases and clocks, and a bookshelf is transformed into a large trophy case, each book becoming silver trinkets.

"What do you need now?" The woman she was looking for touches her mussed hair, which become bouncing yellow curls. The nightgown becomes an elegant red dress, and sprouting from the rugs like an unfurling flower, two large regal chairs arrive, separated by a finely polished table.

"I was looking for you" she replies, coming out from his hiding spot and seating herself, feet not even close to touching the floor. "It's been a long time, Mama Zeina"

"Mama Zeina? Have you taken to calling me that like the others? It's sweet, I'll admit. Tell me, how is Maysun? In my leave I asked her to run the clan but-"

"It's fine" she soothes, spreading her hands. In front of them, a meal appears, savory turkey, unpleasant salads, and cooked potatoes. "Maysun has taken care of everything, like usual. I've been good too" she adds the last part with a sniff, and instantly the blonde laughs.

"Yes, Dream, I know. You are a strong little girl. I believed you could handle it!" Dream pouts at first, but then beams proudly.

"Thanks Mama! I tried my best" Shyly, she folds in on her shoulders, blushing. "Nee, Mama, is it alright if I were to ask you something?"

"Mhm. It's always alright, sweetie"

"Can I come join you?" Zeina considers this, waving her hand in the air. A goblet appears and she sips it, relishing the sweet wine on her tongue. "Please? I know Maysun doesn't want me to go, but I'll be safe with you, and she just-"

"Dream," Zeina's voice is soft. "I can't take you with me to were I'm going. Remember my niece, the one I wrote you about? She's in trouble, and I need to help her in anyway I can"

"But, Mama…" Dream looks down at her soft hands, the little droplets of salt water that sprinkle them. "Maysun ignores me now. Everyone does. Because I'm different...Unusual...Strange...And I don't want that!" She squeezes her eyes tight. "You're the only one who cares! Whenever you're around, everyone is so happy and kind, but when you leave and your sister is in charge...It's different…All because of who I am..."

"I only leave because it's my duty" The blonde responds, scooching her chair back and opening her arms. The child, teary eyed, runs into that lap, hopping onto the awaiting knee. "Trust me, I don't want to leave the clan...I want to stay there, happy, forever, but I can't. There is a duty to fulfill, to fate and my family, and it lies on a lonely path. Oh Dream, don't you hold any resentment toward me because of this? Everyone at least has some place in their hearts that holds hatred for me"

"No!" Dream cries, hiccuping. "I don't. I love Mama...I understand, I promise I do…" The girl clutches the Temptress, and sniffles as her back is pat.

"You can always come to me in my dreams, dear. Like you are now"

Everything melts away, colors mixing together and dissipating into the air. Does it have to end so soon?

"Mhm...Please come home soon. We all miss you"

* * *

"Let's stay here for the night" The night is old, yet dawn hasn't sunk her claws into the earth, so Bad picks the lock of the side door of the bar and enters. It's late, very late, and the entire place is empty, stools stacked over the wooden tables, blue coaches empty. She rounds the corner and walks up the stairs, looking around the place. Centola opens the bedroom door, and finds…

An empty bedroom.

"This is Mrs. Gamela's Bar, right?" The pinkette asks, looking around the bookshelves and desk. "Nice room"

"My...My teacher used to live here. Mrs. Gamela herself"

"Where is she?"

"I heard from Kassim that she died a few months ago" Bad solemnly looks at the made up bed and clean floors. "He's been keeping it clean"

"Kassim?"

"Yeah"

"Wow that's...nice of him" Centola looks under the bed, and pulls out the spare blankets and cot that she used when she escaped from the segregation camp, and begins to set it up. "Is it alright to stay here?"

"I assume so. Kassim, Zaynab and Hassan had taken control of the bar after Mrs. Gamela's death, and I assume they won't care if I spent the night. Looks like they don't use the room much anyway"

Soon enough, Bad is under the covers and Centola is laying on her teacher's bed, head buried in the pillow.

Mrs. Gamela is dead, too.

Loneliness. That's what you'd call this feeling of hollowness. Everyone is gone. Kassim practically rejected her, Alibaba must think she's chosen Kassim over him, her teacher is dead, and so her sister Mariam, her mother Lilliana, her aunt Anise, even Kassim's no good father!

Why has she lost everyone?

_Why live if their is no one to share it with-?_

_**You're not alone.**_

As if to prove those words true, a small body is pressed to her own, thin arms wrapping clumsily around her waist.

"You're not alone"

Stop echoing her heart, Bad.

* * *

Kassim doesn't know why he did it. That action, of kissing Centola, was a fantasy he has controlled for years- no, since they left the segregation camp. At first, it was a harmless idea that he considered briefly, barely acknowledging it's presence.

Example:

"I'll see you tomorrow"

"Thanks for dinner, Cent"

_Kiss her goodnight._

"Is everything alright?"

"U-uh yeah! Bye!"

and then it became more persistent, drawing his attention to the way other greedy men stare at her when she scarcely dressed onstage, and those who had the audacity to ask her out, try to touch her flawless skin. So he specifically told his gang to stay away from Centola. Unless, of course, they were women or Hassan.

Centola seemed thankful.

But it became more and more demanding, pressuring him to hold her longer during a 'friendly' hug, or to not let go of her hand when escorting her home. It made him go to her house often, carry her groceries when they were shopping, walk her to and from work. It made him bend his schedule around hers, invite her to go do things with him almost daily, and much more. Kassim found that the more he gave into his desire, the more control it had over him and his actions.

He hung onto Centola's every word, and looked at her with such admiration and reverence that it scared him.

_I kissed her._

He ruined everything. He already knew he couldn't return to the Fog Troop, so he decided, 'might as well get her to hate me'. It would be easy if she hated him. And yet…

_She kissed me back._

Why would she do that? Doesn't she know that he was only trying to get her to push him away, to slap him? To say she hated him so that leaving would be easier? So how could she grip his clothes and press them together tighter? It wasn't fair!

Why'd he have to be the one to push her away…?

How come, after all these years, she reciprocated his feelings...?

Standing in the back of his new base, with a solemn Hassan and Zaynab speaking to one another in hushed tones, Kassim grips his knees and hunches over himself thinking about these things.

"Mister Kassim" Flickering his eyes upward, he meets with the weapons dealer. His dark eyes are shadowed by his wild hair, and the man speaks with a smirk. "May I interest you in some new items?"

Kassim sneers at the man.

"I'm not in the mood to make deals" He turns away, but the man talks again.

"Are you sure? Trust me, this is interesting"

Kassim hesitates.

"What is it?"

"These are special pills" The weapons dealer opens his hand, and three black pills. Kassim squints at them, and the man chuckles in his bartone. "Take one and you'll gain immense power"

"...what do you mean?"

"Each one contains a special magic elixir in concentrated form. I learned of this formula from a friend of mine, but I made some adjustments, of course. One pill will increase your magoi and stamina tenfold" Kassim looks at the shiny pills, and then back at the dealer. There are many shady things he's willing to do, but this is a bit…

"Hand it over"

* * *

_The midday tea is made and the cookies are brought to her chambers, and her excitement is palpable. It's still hot when the boy arrives, his smirk glued to his face. He takes off his shoes and steps onto the hallway looking over the garden, sitting crisscross on the floor as she sits beside him and gives him the tea._

_"Hi Asad!"_

_He blows on the tea, takes a sip, and eats a cookie_

_"Mm! It's good, Lady Hakuei. I didn't know you could cook so well" Hakuei blushes._

_"I didn't make it…"_

_"Oh" They sit in companionable silence, watching the trees' leaves getting blown about. "How's your week been?"_

_"Good! Although I'm going to be deployed to the Kouga plains soon" The Princess frowns._

_"I could talk to some of my superiors about stopping it-"_

_"No. If you did that then Kouha or Kouen would take care of it for me, and then...and then I doubt they'd be peaceful about subjugating the Kouga tribe" The teen watches her, and then rubs the back of his head._

_"Do you want me to come with you? I'm sure I could go for a little while…" The Dungeon Capturer wants to say yes. Asad is so nice to her, offering his help and spending her lonely afternoons with her, and to be able to have such a nice guy around to ease her aching heart…_

_"Don't worry about me, dear. You have to protect little Kougyoku in Balbadd~!" Asad laughs, gulping down more tea and snacking on the cookies. She's not sure why she likes Asad's company so much. Maybe it's because around him she feels as though something new is happening to her._

_Whenever she is around her family or anyone, there is always a sort of boringness that comes with it. She's heard it all before, in the Other._

_"I'll do good, 'Kuei!" The Princess smiles, patting his head._

* * *

"Hey Aladdin. You still haven't woken up, though Centola said it would take a while. After you collapsed, Sahbmad came. He said he wanted me to save this country...Although it's true that this country is facing a big problem and that someone must do something about it...Is it really something for me to do?" Dawn spreads her rosy fingertips across the horizon, paving the way for the sun with each pull of her hands further along the earth. "Aladdin...I have worked hard before, haven't I? Joining the Fog Troop and becoming their leader so as to change this country but...No matter what I do, nothing comes out right"

Someone stands outside the door, listening in while closing their eyes.

"Even though you expected something from me...But that really isn't right. In this world there are heroes. That's right. For example, people like Sinbad. That person is amazing! He has great spirit, strength, and prestige. People like me couldn't even begin to compare to him. Bringing everyone in the Fog Troop together in an instant. Really, I can't compare to him at all…Isn't that right...Aladdin..."

"Is that what you think?" Jumping, the blonde looks to the door where the person is leaning against the frame.

"What're you- have you been listening to me?!"

"Shh! It's too early to be shouting. Really though, do ya think that's the way things are?" Alibaba gaps like a fish, and the person's half lidded eyes turn soft. "I don't think we've introduced ourselves. I'm Eren Chandlen"

"I'm...Alibaba"

"Oh. The leader guy. I guess I should've introduced myself earlier…" Eren comes lumbering in, careful not to knock anything over. He looks over at the boy, Aladdin, and then squats by the bed, though it only serves to bring him a few inches above the sleeping child. "Do you think that?"

"What does it matter what I think? Of course it's true!"

"What'd I say about shouting" Eren yawns, patting Aladdin's head with his large paw-like hand. "Too early. But if that's what you think, then who'll save this place? I admire Sinbad- like you- but that guy'll only do something if it's good for his own country. And Kassim...Well, he's okay from what I've heard from Cent, but I don't think he has the right intentions. I assume that's why the people picked ya, but what do I know? I'm from the mountains, don't got my own country to defend or uprisings to orchestrate. Me, I'm just a simple brawny goon used by Bad to accomplish things"

"...Used by Bad? Doesn't that get…"

"No. I guess 'used' is the wrong word. I've been by Bad's side since I was sixteen. That's four and a half years taking care of the little brat! God she can be annoying"

"Finally someone who understands!" Eren chuckles, patting Alibaba on the back goodnaturedly. Alibaba lurches forward, hanging onto his seat by an inch.

"Listen kid. I know it seems hard, but you're not alone. You got your friends who adore you, a powerful King who offers you his help, and much more. Hell, you even got Bad liking you, and that girl doesn't like anyone! Don't pressure yourself. It seems hard now, but there are a lot of things that require hard work. Just relax, and take things one at a time" Alibaba looks up at Eren, who towers over him.

"I guess so…"

"If you want, I could show you how to use that Djinn of yours correctly"

"What?!" Eren winces, a stabbing pain in his temple. Sighing, he musters up a goodnatured grin.

"I am a Dungeon Capturer too, ya know...and remember, it's early…"

"Oh" Alibaba whispers. "Sorry about that"

Eren's not sure if his words have lessened Alibaba's angst somewhat, but at least he knows that he can't worsen it with his company. If the blonde has too much weight on his shoulders, then Eren'll carry it for him. He doesn't have a big body for nothing.

* * *

Hakuei likes the fresh air, even more so in the early morning. The wind over the plains, bringing the smell of cut grass and wildflowers into her nose. She likes the peace, the good memories that stain her mind. Her little boy, running through the fields and into her arms like the good son he is. She can almost feel it happening.

The good thing about being reborn? Getting to fix your mistakes. To experience the good times again, to love your brother much more than before, to tell him you understand the pain he feels, make sure he opens up to you even when it hurts or he's annoyed. She feels her cheek affectionately. It's good that she didn't get a scar this time. If she had, then Hakuryuu would have been concerned.

The bad thing about being reborn? Remembering your mistakes. Seeing the fake smiles for what they are, fake. Reopening the wound of having half your family ripped apart, and worse, much, much worse…

Realizing that you were wrong all that time.

Uniting the world under one ruler...Idealistic, hopeful, but not possible. She sees that now. Her dreams, her support of Kouen...It's not her fault, right? It's not as if she naive or didn't understand but she was doing what felt right. How would she know that people didn't like the Kou culture? How could she know that some people prefer their own traditions and style of making homes over her country's?

She didn't.

Oh, so many mistakes she made.

Leaning down, she grasps a few wild daisies and smells them. Looking over the Kouga clan, who now face subjugation to the Kou Empire's will, Hakuei lets loose a single tear from her eye.

The truth about being reborn? Letting those mistakes happen again.

That's why she enjoys Asad's company so much. He doesn't say things that she could guess because she's heard it before. Sometimes he's just a quiet companion by her side, or chats with her. They can have conversations as light as cotton or deep talks about things that frighten them.

Hakuei knows Bad will be angered, but she told Asad about her past. Not all of it, but enough to make him understand her better. Then again, Hakuei herself doesn't know everything about Bad, not like Aladdin in the...What did Bad call it? The 'Other' did.

Those two understood each other perfectly.

And she likes Eren too. It's was nice to have someone her age around, especially since Asad's teenage mind often wanders to a certain cousin of hers. Plus there is that soft-spoken Fanalis who was shy around her, and Bad herself who has...changed. Apartenly the magi Yunan and magician Yamuraiha had survived as well, and desperately wants to meet them. To see normal people who shares the same memories of a world that never was…

It'll make her feel a little less crazy.

* * *

People begin to leave their homes for a day's work by the time Centola awakens. Rubbing her eyes, she lazily snuggles closer to the child beside her, and then Bad begins to groan.

"Cent...we should…"

"Mmm, go back I know" She yawns, as unladylike as it is. "But I'm tired…" Bad rolls over, away from the protesting Centola, and falls onto her own cot on the floor. The Temptress pouts, but pushes herself up, finding her knees and shoulders to be sore. She's in Mrs. Gamela's apartment...She came after-

Kasism.

"Ughh" Centola stands, careful to move around the squirming Bad and fixing her dress, which is wrinkled and disoriented. Pulling open the desk drawer, she pulls out the brush that Mrs. Gamela used to use to brush her hair. Combing through the strawberry blond waves very softly, she sits and then begins to braid it loosely. Bad is on her knees, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

She wanders over to a chest, and being the snoop she is, pulls it open. Centola watches, firmly tying her hair with a leather band and wrapping it with her green ribbon. Bad pulls out a some clothes.

"What's this?"

"Ah, Mrs. Gamela always kept spare dresses for the girls just in cause. We can borrow two, if they fit"

Downstairs, in the dressing room, there is a full length mirror. Only one, and it's a bit dirty, but Centola can see herself. Bad squints at her reflection and frowns, pulling her hair up in a ponytail.

"I can do your braids, if you want"

"Nah, we should get back to the base" Centola nods, smoothing out the floor length dress. The white cloth between her fingers, reminding her of times that have past by.

_Next time I see Kassim, I'll explain everything._

"No more secrets" The Temptress whispers, and in the mirror, a child grins.

"No more secrets?" She giggles. "Is that possible?" The tone is one that a parent uses to their children. Centola never cared much for that tone, but knows that despite her dislike for it Bad's only doing whats necessary. Bad is the little sister Centola never had, but...Bad has her own ways of going about her business, her goals. Centola can't help but disagree with her methods, and that has always put them at odds with one another.

"I hope so"

"Hope isn't always enough, Centola. I hate to sound condescending, as your are my friend, but don't think that I'll allow my plan to be disrupted for you" She never noticed how her own eyes never showed any emotion. They are pretty, like clear green mirrors, but other than that…

"I understand, Bad. I value you as a sister and a comrade, but I will live my life the way I want to"

"Hm. I considered this possibility. No matter, live as you like. I just hope that we are at an understanding" The two face one another, face to face despite the height, equal to one another.

"Of what?" She knows, but it needs to be said out loud.

"Our goal is the same. But you and I have different ways of wanting to go about it. And that's fine, I just want you to remember that no matter what I do or ask you to do, it's for that same goal. You don't know what it was like, what it could be like. So, Centola, know that I won't stop for anything to achieve our goal" Bad's hands tighten over Sheba. "Please, keep up with me, or be left behind. I don't want to loose you"

"Yeah, I...Understand"

They leave the bar, careful to not be seen, though Centola feels guilt over sneaking into the bar, hoping that her friends don't notice.

She had a feeling they won't be opening up for a while.

* * *

Walking through the streets and navigating the city, they quickly arrive back at the base. Bad lets go of Centola's hand and then pretends to tip an imaginary hat.

"It's been wonderful, but I gotta fly! I told everyone it would take time for the Kou Empire to let me go, and I'd prefer to take this time to finish a few necessary tasks" Centola nods, and crouches down, pulling the shorter girl into a hug. With Badroulbadour, every relationship was complicated. Eren and Bad behaved like siblings, but Eren wouldn't hesitate to do whatever Bad asked of him, no matter what it was. Catrina dotted on Bad and was friendly to every person she came across, but has often spoken of how she wouldn't hesitate to turn on anyone if they threaten Bad. Centola herself...She wasn't sure yet. Bad is a little sister, and they both dream of the same world, but that doesn't mean they don't fight now and then over their methods of going about the path to that place they share between them.

"Be careful. I love you, little sister" Bad pauses, and then returns the hug.

"Me too. Be good to the idiot King and the Fog Troop~" Centola enters through the twin doors and sees the camp, men moving around boxes of supplies and chatting to one another, awaiting orders for the day. She makes her way to the main building, a tower, and looks around for Alibaba.

"Centola?" Turning, she sees Eren. "Hey, you're back! Did you find Catrina?"

_Oops, I got distracted. _

"No, I'm afraid I couldn't find her. I ended up staying the night at Mrs. Gamela's bar. Have you seen Alibaba? I'd like to speak with him" The green haired man nods, smiling.

"Yeah, I have. I like the kiddo. Offered to help him with his Djinn, so we'll be training out in the courtyard"

"Where Judal fought? Okay...I'll go meet him" Eren moves aside.

"'Kay. I gotta go grab my sash from my room. It's strange that I forgot it" He says it with so much confusion that Centola almost, almost reminds him that the sash is the only thing he wears over his chest, and therefor it's not like he's covering up much of anything, but decides against it.

* * *

Alibaba isn't sure about the training. Eren seems much stronger than him, and it's not like he'd make a good Metal Vessel user with just a few pointers and push-ups. Maybe he should just go call it off before the man returns from his room-

"Alibaba!" He freezes, and rigidly turns to the source of the voice. Centola is there, smiling a little bit. "I heard that Eren is training you! Good luck"

"Uh, thanks" he looks down. Frowning, she comes closer.

"Is everything alright?"

_Ask her._

"H-hey Cent? Where were you last night?" Centola blinks, tilting her head.

"I ended up going over to Mrs. Gamela's. I couldn't find Catrina, and…" She bites her lip, looking down. "Never mind"

_Were you going to tell me about you and Kassim?_

"Why do you ask?" She smiles playfully, poking fun at his concern.

"I-I was worried! It's far from the base, and…" He looks away. The reason clicks, and she reaches forward, squeezing his hand.

"I'm...I'm not going to leave you, Alibaba" The blonde looks embarrassed and humiliated. She raises his hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles even as her insides scream at her to stop being so embarrassing as well. "I've made a decision"

"C-Cent?" His cheeks stain blood red.

"I'll stay by you" The pause, the silence is so incredibly intense that Centola ignores his gaze and leaves her lips on his fingers, which taste strangely like dust and sunshine.

_No more secrets._

"I want to stay by you. It's been so long, and I know that maybe I don't deserve to be your friend anymore, but it's always been my dream to hold your hand like this, and tell you that I want to stay loyal to you. Being away from Balbadd, while exciting, was painful. Knowing that I left Kassim alone with his thoughts, and not even trying to find you to make amends...I felt like an idiot. The worst girl ever. How could I leave so many people so suffer? It's cruel, I realize it now. But...But I still want to help you!" She's squeezing his hands so hard like she's afraid he'll slip from her fingers. "I want you to know that I support you! That you're my most important friend, and always will be. I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. Please forgive me Alibaba!" As she speaks, she's afraid that, if not for her tight grip, he was gone.

(Are you disappointed, Centola?)

"Cent…" it's whispered, and with shaking limbs she looks into the gold eyes, and he looks into green mirrors, and it's easy to tell the emotions that cross his face. A fondness of some sort, like the kind given to trusted companions or family members. A indecisive twitch, staining the sadness.

"Why would you apologize to me? I'm the one who practically got you to leave Balbadd...I'm not a good leader. I can't be charismatic like Sinbad, or cunning like Bad. I can't be charming like you, or strong like Eren I can't risk my life for an important friend, I can't think of a way out of things other than fighting. I'm not the kind of person you should want to dedicate your life to, Cent-"

"But I am!" She interjects, holding his palm under her chin. "And you're wrong! You don't need cunning or flattery or charisma to win something! You're brave, and kind, and bright like the sun! You're smart and sweet and help people! You know it, don't you? There's a reason Aladdin picked you to be his King Candidate, and it's because you are the kind of person who stands tall and fights. Alibaba, I think you're amazing"

"Cent…"

"Please don't doubt yourself…" She no longer can bear to stare at him, resting her eyes and feeling the pulse of his heart along his wrist, strong and quick. "Ali…promise?"

"...You…I...I promise..."

"I found my sash!" Dropping his hand and quickly wiping her skirt, she musters a smile at Eren, composing herself as quick as she can. "What's up? Ready to begin?"

"I...Yes. I'm ready"

"Okay! So, first things first, I gotta tell ya about the Djinn Metal Vessels"

"What do you mean?" Eren sits on the ground and asks Centola to go grab some paper and a pencil. Joining him, Alibaba asks, "Aren't Djinn Metal Vessels containers for a Djinn"

"Yeah! That's right. But they are much more than that. A Djinn Metal Vessel is something that holds the potential to release enough power to level a city, if you use it correctly"

"W-what?! Are you serious?" Eren nods, and holds out his arm, showing the cuff on his wrist.

"Yeah. This is my Metal Vessel. See the eight pointed star surrounded by a circle? Her name is Myeshia. A Djinn chooses an item on their King's person and uses it to house themselves. This item can be a personal item, or just something around that they happened to be carrying. If you break this item, the Djinn can switch to another item, which can be good sometimes"

"How do you know so much, Eren?" the Chandlen smiles, rubbing the cuff lovingly.

"I was taught by a magi"

"Huh? A magi? You don't mean that Judal guy, right?!" Eren laughs.

"No, I mean another magi. The one who adopted Bad and I when we first set off on our travels" Alibaba's jaw drops.

"A magi adopted you? And Bad? That's…" More chuckling is emitted from the man.

"Hey, do me a favor don't tell Sinbad about this. I have a feeling he won't like me very much once he finds out about my adoptive father...Ahem. Anyway, a Metal Vessel has many stages to it's power. Given the amount of time we have, I doubt you can get very far, but might as well try" By this time, Centola comes back, sitting on her knees and laying the paper on the floor. The twenty-one year old smiles at her. "Can you write some things down for me, Cent? I don't really like to write" Centola giggles and agrees.

"The first stage of power would be the way you're using your vessel, simple attacks using the type of magic the Djinn specializes with" Centola writes, 'attacks' on the bottom of the page and draws an arrow pointing up. "Next is a Djinn Weapon Equip, which is what we'll be focusing on"

"Djinn Weapon Equip?"

"Mhm. And finally there is a Partial Djinn Equip which goes into a Djinn Equip, but I'm not going to go into depth about that. Got that down, Cent? Good. Alibaba, the Djinn Weapon Equip will be hard to master, but if you work hard then I'm sure that you'll be strong enough to gain it in, oh I don't know, a few weeks?"

"A few weeks?!" Alibaba jumps to his feet. "But we only have a few days!" A hand tugs on his pants, bringing his attention to the Temptress.

"That's why we are starting now. With Eren's training, you'll get stronger, and may be able to protect the country"

_May be able to._

"That being said, let's get started-"

"Hey Centola! Someone is here saying she's a friend of yours!" Centola stands and hands the paper to Eren.

"That's probably Khadeja. You boys have fun!"

Eren nods.

"I have the best training plan laid out! It'll put Bad's to shame!" Is that pity in Centola's face? Why?

"Are you sure, Eren? Bad did some questionable things to you..." Oh no, does that mean-

"I'm more than sure" Is it just him, or does Eren's face look malicious now? "Let's get to work, Alibaba~"

* * *

_Poor Alibaba_

Heading toward the cluster of people in a nearby tent, Centola notices Morgiana on the edge of the group, trying to stand on her toes to see the people.

"Morgiana?" The Fanalis nose twitches.

"Centola...the person with Khadeja smells like me" The Temptress taps a man on the shoulder, when he turns, she dazzles him with a smile and asks,

"Could you stand back please?" He pulls his friends away and she strides through, beckoning Morgiana to go with her. When they get to the tent, she instantly notices Khadeja wrapping a bandage around her ankle. "Khadeja, are you- Catrina?!"

The Fanalis-Amala smiles at her, sitting cross legged on the bed the Khadeja is on.

"Hi Cent. I found Khadeja and carried her back here since she hurt herself" Catrina explains, and then her eyes wander, and she stops on Morgiana, her own nose twitching as she smells the air. Then her smile amplifies tenfold, and she hops up, taking Morgiana's hand and shaking it. "Hi! I'm Catrina. You're a Fanalis too, right? Nice to meet you!"

Morgiana shyly looks away, but replies softly,

"I'm Morgiana...Nice to meet you too…" Catrina looks blissful.

"I could tell you were one because we smell alike! Not all do, but you do! That's cool!" Mor blushes and as her eyes land to her feet. "Let's get along well, okay?"

* * *

"How'd it go?"

"The usual" Khadeja replies, rolling her eyes. Centola sits beside her and throws her arms around her shoulders.

"Double cross?"

"You know it!" The two women laugh together at their inside joke.

* * *

"It's yours" the woman deadpans, handing over the key to her old apartment, gathering the cash in her hands and mentally counting the bills. Frowning, she takes one last look at the old place, and then shows her back to it, walking away from Rayide.

As she journeys down the streets to the lot where her lift to go meet her niece will be waiting, she observes the daily life, the men toiling at work and the women fussing over children, shopkeepers selling items and customers bargaining for a better price. The woman smiles, her small pack hanging daintily from her elbow, and her blond curls bouncing as she walks.

Maroon eyes look to the sky, closing and relishing the feel of the sunlight on her face, and she walks a bit faster, not excited to leave but ecstatic to arrive.

Zeina De Coverna leaves Rayide, her hair fluttering in the wind as she enters the wagon with the grace of a Queen.

* * *

"Catrina? If you're a Fanalis, why do you have orange eyes?" Said Amala-Fanalis sits with her feet dangling off the rooftops, the people milling down below looking like ants. Morgiana sits next to her, silent and shy.

"I'm not all Fanalis. I'm mainly Amala, in fact" She smiles to make the other feel more comfortable, careful not to be too pushy or rude. She can't be, because if she is than...Well, maybe she's over thinking it. Catrina really wants to be Morgiana's friend.

"Oh...Amala?"

"Uh, my father is a Fanalis, but my mother is from a tribe called the Amala tribe. They have orange eyes and pitch black hair" The pure-blooded Fanalis looks interested.

"What are they like?"

"They care about one another and are very strong. They have a very special way of organizing their government and often compete with one another. And it's very pretty there" Mor looks dreamy.

"That must be nice"

"Yes, well, I never really got to do any of that stuff"

"What do you mean?" Catrina smiles sadly, stroking the fabric covering her scar, feeling the throbbing of her bone.

"I...am a Fanalis. My hair is different, and so is my strength, so I...never really got fully accepted by them"

"...I'm sorry for bringing it up…" The Amala-Fanalis just reaches over and pats her head, saying,

"It's fine! From now on, let's only talk about good things, alright? It'll be fun" The way the ex-slave's eyes light up makes Catrina's day, and so does the rush of excitement at getting a new friend.

* * *

A long time ago, Bad might have loved the idea that she could have been with Aladdin when they were young. Now, however, she sees it as a curse. To watch him grow into a great man, and for him to see her descent into darkness firsthand…

Fate must really hate her, right? It's the only possibility she can think of. So, deciding that Fate and go fuck itself, she grins and relishes the tickling of the black rukh dancing along her arms and legs, across her torso, caressing the inked skin hidden behind her dress, whispering in her ears.

_Princess._ It's not often she hears them speak, but when she does they do it in a sultry, low tone that tingles along her spine. _We love you. Forever._

"And yet I'll hate you. Forever and ever" She gathers them in her hands, smiling as she crushes them in her fist, watching them dissipate in the air, reforming with sick masochistic delight as they flutter even closer.

_We'll never hate you. Never._ And they're gone. Bad lifts her head to the sky, aching for the warmth you can't get from the sun. For a blush of scarlet, for lips gentle like spring rain, and a heart beating against her chest, close enough that it was almost as if she could reach out and grasp it.

She wants Aladdin, and yet she can't have him. Bad thought it would be easy to hate him, to forget all the things they shared, but she can't. So she'll make him hate her. To the bottom of his white soul, he'll despise her, be utterly repulsed and it'll become easy to do what she has to. Because in the end, she'll always, always love him.

"I'll never hate him. Never."

* * *

"Lady Centola" It's night, and Sinbad had asked her to have a private conversation. Of course, she knows better than to go to a place with a man claimed to be the 'Lady Killer of the Seven Seas' alone, so she brings along Khadeja and Catrina. The two stand behind her, Catrina on her left facing Masrur and Khadeja on her right facing Ja'far. She herself sits at the table, smiling at Sinbad as the man does the same.

"Lord Sinbad. I'd like to introduce Catrina, my Fanalis friend I had been talking about" She motions to Catrina, who bows and smiles widely.

"It's nice to meet you!" She chirps. "I've heard about your stories, although...Isn't Ja'far a firebreathing guy with seven horns on his head? I thought it was a bit unrealistic but…" Ja'far glares at Sinbad.

"You wrote that in the Adventures of Sinbad? Sin!"

"He called me a giant that says 'gaoo'" Masrur comments, and Catrina beams at him.

"Oh, you're a Fanalis too, right? As I told Morgiana, I hope we get along well!"

"Catrina, you always end up making friends despite the situation…" Khadeja adds, and Centola can't help but agree with the singularity.

"So Lady Centola, may I ask you something important?"

"Why not? Ask away" She folds her hands, crossing her legs. "I'm an open book" Out of the corner of her eye, Ja'far stiffens. So he remembered, eh? Those words Zeina once said.

_"Whenever Sinbad or anyone tried to question me, I'd always say, 'why not? Ask away. I'm an open book'. I have a feeling Sinbad would recognize it if you say it to him, so keep that under your belt"_

Pity the King barely moves an inch. Actually, maybe that's good. If he's as troublesome as Zeina says, angering him wouldn't be wise.

"I must know about your connection to the Kou Empire" Centola leans back, frowning.

"Oh. I thought this would be more interesting. Why don't you just come out and say it? Whether or not I'm in league with Al-Thamen" Sinbad stops smiling. "Which I'm not, by the way. Actually, I happen to oppose them, along with Eren, Bad, and Catrina. None of us hold any loyalty to the organization"

"Then why are you so close to their magi and Holy Keeper?" Centola intensifies her smile, pounding it like dough until it's soft and smooth, innocent if not truthful.

"I told you, didn't I? When we visited the Kou Empire a year or so ago, we met Judal and Asad. They aren't bad people, just in with the wrong crowd. How sad, really. Judal really isn't very violent, and Asad was only mad because Judal was hurt"

"If you're not in league with them, then why do you defend them?"

"Should I hate innocent people?"

_"Make sure he contradicts himself. It's surprisingly easy to do that, as long as you guide the conversation"_

"Well, no-" Inching forward, tilting her head, she studies Sinbad.

"Then why do you think I shouldn't defend them? If you assume that Judal and his brother are beyond help, then they are. I'm only considering the possibility that they have the potential of changing sides"

"Who is Eren?" And there it goes, her control of the talks. "How come I've never heard of him, since he is a Dungeon Capturer?"

"Eren isn't one to be in the spotlight"

"It's been that way since I met him" Catrina adds, resting on the arm of Centola's chair. "Besides, Eren's Djinn was hidden away on his mountain, so it's not like anyone knew of the Dungeon before Eren came across it"

"Just as Catrina said" Centola rests her chin on her palm.

"How about Bad? What did Asad mean by property?" Centola almost frowns, but urges herself to smile wider. He's trying to throw her off.

"'Property'. I wonder...it could be because Bad's family lived and worked in Kou. Although, my little magician doesn't like her home country, nor Al-Thamen for that matter"

"That's why she left" Catrina once again explains. "Bad doesn't want to become a weapon for them to use"

"Hm, I see. Well, thank you for speaking with me. I will leave you to retire" Standing, the Temptress curtsies

"No, thank you sir. Khadeja, Catrina, let's find you somewhere to rest"

"Yes, Mistress"

"Okay!"

_"No matter what, Centola, don't let him get the better of you. You may reveal things, but do it in an obvious manner. Speak as though he is your superior, but may your words condescend you"_

_Did I do well, Aunt Zeina?_

* * *

"What do you think?"

Ja'far shifts from foot to foot, scrunching up his nose.

"I don't like the way she speaks. Reminds me of her aunt. Khadeja is rather bothersome as well, being as she doesn't seem bothered by Centola's words or actions at all. I have a feeling we'll have trouble those two. Though the girl she had with her, Catrina, seems nice enough. Whether or not they are telling the truth is debatable, though…" Sinbad nods.

"The issue with Bad is concerning. There is more to her than meets the eye, and I don't know if I can trust Centola's explanation on why Al-Thamen wants her so badly. That child...I wonder…"

"I like them"

"You like Catrina" Sinbad deadpans, and Masrur shrugs. "And that's because she's a Fanalis"

"Her eyes are weird. She's not a pureblooded Fanalis"

"True. I would have asked about that too, but it seemed a bit personal- not to mention rude" The advisor sighs and fixes his keffiyeh. "I doubt we'll have much time to deal with these new people, since Balbadd's situation is getting worse by the minute"

"I know, but I can't help it" Sinbad rubs his forehead, sitting back and grasping the cup of wine Masrur gives to him. "There is something going on with that group, and it frustrates me that they know more than I do about Al Thamen. How do they know so much? What do they want from a magician like Bad?"

"Let it be for now" Ja'far insists. "We need to focus on Balbadd"

"Heh, I love a challenge"

"When haven't you?" The Generals deadpan.

* * *

Catrina curls up beside Centola, relishing the warmth radiating off the slightly tanned skin. The Temptress had decided to allow the Fanalis-Amala and Khadeja to stay in her room, Khadeja demanding to take the floor so that the others could sleep on the bed. Catrina once again thinks about her life, and the people who revolve around her heart.

Eren is her favorite brother, Bad is her precious sister. And Yamu is almost like her mother, but will have to settle for aunt, and Yunan is the uncle who lets her do whatever she wants with a wink and a 'shh'.

Centola is…

Centola is her friend. She loves Centola very much. They get along well, and whenever the Temptress is around Catrina is tempted to trust her.

_Tempted._

That doesn't mean she won't stop loving Centola, and will always cherish her, but the idea of telling her that she'll be loyal for years to come-

"Shh…" Catrina's eyes widen as the older girl presses her fingers into the Fanalis-Amala's back, against the ridges of her spine, trying to relax her. "You must be tired, kitten" That strikes a chord. Catrina forces her muscles to relax, and her eyes to slid close. She imagines her mother, strong and sweet, hugging her close and laughing, telling her stories of her journeys and the world, along with ones from before she left the tribe.

Temptation magic.

The cold milk on the table, the fire in the far corner warming the home. Her mother's orange red eyes, voice like the underside of a plate, scratchy and pleasing. The quilt on her bed, fluffy and homely, spread across her chest and Aishia sitting on the side, smoothing her hair and patting her arms and legs to stay comfy. It's so real, vivid that when she reaches out, it's not Centola but her mother she clutches onto, and Aishia's smile she sees before her.

She slips into an easy dream of farmland and barriers, but not before whispering,

"Thank you" To the Temptress, who kisses her forehead just like her mother used to.

If nothing else, she can trust that Centola will let her have peace while sleeping.

* * *

The hand is cold. Asad grips it, sometimes breathing on it, just to try and make it warmer. His seat is as close to his brother's sleeping body as it can be, and yet the boy doesn't awaken. Bad had told him it may take a few days, but to Asad that wasn't quick enough. He wanted his brother up and at attention, mainly at Asad so that the man could scold and rage at him, telling him that not only is he an idiot, but there is no way he'll be leaving his sight for a few weeks.

It'll be a big fight for sure, but they're bound to make up after a few days pass. Boys will be boys, and it's not like they're girls, who can hold grudges like nobody's business. Not like Kougyoku, who still is mad about the time he pretended he couldn't hear or see her. God was her face red-

...He shouldn't talk about her anymore. The Shadow, once again, has royally screwed up- and with an actual royalty.

It was a pleasant fantasy while it lasted though. Judal, Kougyoku and him living someplace. Maybe touring the world, or settling in a peaceful corner where none of those annoying Al-Thamen guys can find them. Kougyoku would make a wonderful wife, loyal and docile, though he'd have to teach her a thing or two about housekeeping, considering his Princess is a bit spoiled-

_Not your Princess_

-still...it was a vivid enticing dream. He could feel his brother's laughter over drinks in the evening, Kougyoku's heat at his side in their bed, her hair falling like water over his face. If only she'd say yes. If only fate wasn't a cruel son of a bitch who doesn't give two craps about who it tramples.

If only he could take them away, protect them.

Yet the Shadow is a shadow, and since dreams and fantasies can only lie where he is, there is no way such a thing could come true. Whims of a shadow are passed down between people, shared, kept, and never fulfilled.

* * *

The sun was harsh on the servant's face when she awakens, and a blinking the sleep from the crinkles alongside her eyebrows. Pushing herself up, her toes brush the cold of the floors, nails scraping against stone.

"Khadeja?" the voice is like the underside of a plate, unsmoothed yet flowing like water over stones. "Wha...up…"

"Catrina, go back to sleep" Khadeja replies with touch of a smile. "This is a servant's hour"

"Then I should be up and about" The second class singularity raises an eyebrow, lifting herself up and stretching.

"Oh? And who is your master? My Mistress is the one you were drooling on" Catrina scowls and wipes her mouth, she herself careful not to disturb the sleeping beauty curled up like a tulip waiting for the sun.

"Bad is" Khadeja pauses, looking into tangerine eyes that hold sparks of red, pink and gold, blossoming each moment with awareness. She'll need Centola to look into her seals, peaks of her power are showing again, and she wants to be of use and not an embarrassment to her Mistress.

"Bad is? Who is that girl, Catrina?" The Fanalis-Amala shrugs, walking past to looking into dawn's first rays. "It's not as though I care; My Mistress is the only one I have the desire to protect and love. However, if my Mistress insists on mixing up with those I know nothing about, then it's my problem"

"Bad is no threat-" Catrina cuts herself off. "Well, that's a lie. Bad is the biggest threat any living man will ever encounter, in my opinion. But at the same time, Bad holds a love as strong as yours for Centola, and Eren, and me. She may do horrible things but...but I share her dream!"

"What's that?"

"A dream to save this world from itself" The woman presses forward, grasping the servant's hands. "Please Khadeja! I want to serve Bad forever. Maybe not now, but someday everyone will see what I see behind Bad's words and actions! Teach me how to be a proper servant!"

"...Okay…" They leave, and behind them, curled up like a tulip waiting for the sun, a woman's eyelids flicker open, watching the empty room.

* * *

Snickering like the brat she is, the magician settles herself behind a trash bin, watching with a sly grin at the man who spies on his ex-comrade. She contemplates stepping out, but then thinks that maybe just watching, waiting and amusing herself is a much better and entertaining plan. Kassim has a stray braid that flickers in front of his face, and he glares with a fierce passion down at the man he once called a brother. So Bad watches. She follows Kassim throughout the rooftops, trailing behind at a slow pace as his entourage trickle down the stairs, stalking the Prince like wolves, unaware of the lion ready to pounce behind them.

So Alibaba did leave the Fog Troop base, eh? But his stature seems different than the one Aladdin told her about, more aware and alert. His gaze lands softly on each suffering person, and he walks with a sort of brave readiness. Giddily, the pinkette sticks close to the walls, dancing in the shadows as Kassim creeps closer.

The people notice the blonde. And swarm at him like bees to honey and flowers. The girl cringes. No matter how strong you may be, it's easy to be intimidated by stressed out, dirt covered people screeching bloody murder. Kassim takes his chance, snatching Alibaba up like he's an unsuspecting prey, and drags the boy away.

She is forced to run to keep up with the boys, and when she finds the entrance to the hideout, the not-quite-magician folds herself into the corner, making herself small so that the two talking to one another don't notice.

"Kassim, where have you been? We're having big problems you know" She makes her way to a little staircase, clinging to the wall and climbing up, once at the platform peering over. The girl may not be much of a spy, but she can make a hell of an entrance.

"Oh, you mean Sahbmad and the slave plan? I've heard"

"If you heard, then why didn't you return?"

"Because Sinbad is there"

"Kassim, Sinbad isn't-"

"Alibaba! That man is royalty" She grins at the absurdity, perching herself up on the wall. They won't notice, they're so close to scratching one anothers eyes out. "That bastard made fun of the Fog Troop I painstakingly brought up. I won't forgive him for that!"

"But...we require his strength, don't we?"

Frowning, the not-quite magician listens to Kassim explain that they already have power. The power of the citizens, that is. He says they can use the people as an army to take down the monarchy, instigating a war to take back what is rightfully theirs. The blonde, Alibaba pleads with his friend, telling him about how that will just create bloodshed, and they would be taken down by the Kou Empire. The pinkette watches intently, interested.

"No matter how many citizens die, the final victory will be ours!"

"Is that so?" They turn to her in a flash, pale like they're looking at a ghost.

"B-Bad!?"

* * *

DONE!

Hi minna! Sorry for saying it wouldn't be up until Tuesday, but then I had an idea! I could just post this, and then start the next chapter leaving off from here! YAY! So, here's the latest chappie! I'm too tired to write anything about this because it's 11:08 PM, but just know that I've felt really guilty for the accident concerning my deleting a lot of stuff from this chapter and then whining about having to rewrite it, so I worked hard and put it up for my darling readers! I LOVE YOU GUYS! ESPECIALLY KANI-LEEK-LOVER! YOU'RE AWESOME!

Seriously though, you guys are the best! Thank you for sticking with me, and trust me, half of the crazy things I've written will make sense. Hopefully. (EI. Centola's weird binding thingy with Kassim and Alibaba, Bad's craziness (gotta love her tho), the De Coverna clan (I'M SO EXCITED), Catrina's dad (psh, I'm holding that one out as long as possible (lo siento, Kani-Leek-Lover)) and much more)

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	14. Chapter 13: The End in Sight

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC:** Begin Again

CHAPTER 13: The End in Sight

* * *

**Disclaimer: Magi doesn't belong to me but to Shinobu Ohtaka (my favorite Sempai). This story is based off another one called '**Children of Solomon' **which is awesome, go read it. I own my characters and plot-stuff other than that.**

* * *

"Who're you?"

"Who're you?"

"I asked you first-"

"I asked you second!" Crossing her arms over her chest, she looks down at the child in front of her. With shaggy hair covering his striking blue eyes, she's reminded of her brother-in-law, who lives down with the rest of the family- her sister and Dream and the other people whom she's sent to live with them over the years. He has a smudge on his cheek, and the way he glares at her while shyly kicking the ground is just too endearing. She can't help the smile that spreads easily over her face, how her own eyes soften like warm butter. The boy blushes, looking away at a nearby wall.

"Well then, my name is Zeina De Coverna. Now I believe you should repay me in kind" She leans down slightly, quirking up her eyebrow.

"..." He's silent for a moment, kicking up more dust and willing himself to look up at her. He gulps. "I'm…I'm..."

"You don't have a name" Zeina says it so knowingly, so matter-of-factly that the young boy flinches, wide-eyed at the woman. He's a child still, but looks to be at least eleven, with a hard jaw and a set distance between himself and others. She likes him instantly.

"You don't k-know that!" He tries to shout it, but his voice cracks, making it weak and defeated.

"Oh little dove, of course I know" She uncrosses her arms, patting his mop of chocolate hair, finding it to be as soft as a lamb's wool. Instantly her hand melts into it, caressing his head. "I know that you have no parents. I know that you've gotten by by yourself this far because you're smart and you're tough. I also know that you had a name, but can't remember it anymore. And I admire people like you" She stands, offering him her hand.

"I...What…?"

"Are you planning on doing anything?"

"...No but…" She continues to hold out her hand, turning on the charm. His arm quivers and shakes, but it still lifts up into the air, stretching toward her, intertwining fingers and looking down as brown hair falls over his face.

"Come now, little dove. Lets get you a name"

* * *

Sitting on the edge of the wagon, the boy swings his legs back and forth, staring at the back of the horses with surprised awe, fiddling with his new desert pants and shirt, watching the road pass by, interested in the world around him.

His hair had been cut and washed, now grazing his eyebrows like a straight edge and in his palm is a too-big ring he insisted on getting before leaving his old home (tent). Zeina searches through a nearby chest, shifting books back and forth. She pulls one out from the bottom and lays it across his knees, motioning him to open it. He squints at the print, and then shakes his head, blushing.

Zeina smiles. She points a finger at the first line of the page, helping him.

"It's a naming book. Right here is a name, and across the page…" she trails a finger to the right, over a dotted line and to a sentence. "...Is the meaning of the name. Would you like to pick one?"

"...But I can't read…" Zeina chuckles, setting her arm around the boy.

"I'll help you. How about this one…" Names and names later, trees thin and the ground grows soft, fading from yellow to a fresh green.

"I…" The boy isn't soft spoken, but he is just a boy, and kids can't always be decisive or sure in their actions. What if he messes up? What if he chooses a weird name? The boy stares at him lap, feeling the tears gather.

"I like this one" The De Coverna points back toward the first page, down at a name that means defender. Defender? Is that what he is?

"A-A…A-lex-e-o"

"Ah-lay-show" Zeina laughs, pronouncing the name. "Alexio"

Alexio blinks, looks into maroon eyes, and beams.

"I like it too!"

* * *

"B-Bad?!"

Said girl smirks at their expressions, innocently kicking her feet back and forth. Some might say that Bad treads the line between normalcy and insanity like it's a jump rope, going from loving and considerate to her companions to deceptive and hateful in her regard. Right at this moment, the pinkette is docile, too interested to care that she'll now have to take a side.

"Oi, are you alright?!" Kassim reaches out at the same time that Alibaba does and says,

"They didn't hurt you, did they?!" Oh decisions, decisions.

"I'm alright" She assuages them both, hopping down on her own. She'll put off the decision for now. "But, is that really so, Kassim? Even if thousands die, is that alright?"

"In the end, everything will amount to the outcome. Once the guards at the palace realize the cruelty of the King, there will be no one left to defend, and the Saluja clan will fall" The blonde is struck, looking at his friend with confusion and…

Hm.

Betrayal is a funny thing, isn't it? Especially when one first realizes it, and the raw hurt flashes across a surprised canvas of a face.

"I never heard this would lead to war" Alibaba states, beginning to feel the anger surface. Kassim's reply is long and stinging, riddled with condescending sentences yet no swear words. He is speaking like a parent to a child, something, Bad wonders, he might have learnt from her. He speaks of how he tried to use the Fog Troop to change the country, but it didn't work, even with someone with royal blood leading them.

"The plan will be carried out tomorrow night. Are you coming with me, Alibaba, Bad?"

The Prince-y is quiet.

Bad yawns, avoiding the questioning gazes of Zaynab and Hassan, who crowded closer once her feet touched the stones. Rubbing her eyes, she looks at the boys, and then comments,

"You both are really stupid, you know that?" They snap to attention. At the silence, she continues. "Alibaba, did you really think this wouldn't lead to war? Of course it would. Hatred only heads to more hatred. And Kassim, do you truly believe that outside forces would let you take control of Balbadd? You're either cocky or naïve. As for my answer, I say no. I'll take no pleasure in dying for you, and I'm sure as heck not letting Centola die either"

The Slum rat flinches.

"...Kassim. I also think that you're wrong" Kassim whirls on Alibaba, fury in his face. Bad smiles behind her hand. He must be feeling the sting of rejection~! "We should think of other methods"

"Then what are we suppose to do?! If you have a plan, SAY IT!" The man screams, getting closer to Alibaba until they are barely a few feet apart. Bad inspects her bangles on her wrist, still smiling to herself.

"That...I don't know. Although I don't know yet, I do know that I will find the answer" Kassim's dirty sneer turns to disgusted shock, covering his entire face. "The answer that won't result to a single drop of blood being shed. Let me save this country!"

The not-quite magician can't help herself. Her smile fades, replaced by a sicking smirk, eyes turning desolate and cold. Kassim himself looks the same, although something in the way he looks at Alibaba shows her that he wouldn't mind some blood being shed at the moment.

_Seriously Alibaba~ Don't you know people like us hate it when you shine so brightly?_

She doesn't flinch or twitch when Kassim punches Alibaba, but rather feels sympathy for how much it probably hurt. Once again Kassim spews out insults that sting like bees, yet he's so educated and detached that Alibaba almost seems more hurt that Kassim can't even look like he cares.

Bad presses her back against the wall, quickly becoming bored, stroking her one earing.

"That's why I don't need you anymore. Disappear from my sight" Alibaba lets go of Kassim's shirt that he had grabbed hold of. "And if you insist on stopping me, then the next time we meet we will be enemies"

The pinkette claps her hands, grinning at the two. It's tense, and she definitely should not be acting like she just watched a scene from a play, but she does anyway, and then twirls Sheba in large circles.

"Well boys, that was interesting, but you've failed to earn my favor. Honestly, it was cliché. I'll be going now, if you don't mind, because I have business to take care of. Oh, but one more thing~" She jumps into the air, floating there with the help of Sheba. "I really don't care what either of you do, but please don't die. That wouldn't be too fun, would it? Actually, let me rephrase that. If you do die…"

* * *

"If you do die…"

He never liked Bad's smile. It stretches to tightly against her skin when you know she's in pain. Some only see the cuteness of her tiny body and long hair, sweet demeanor. But once you know Bad, and see her real personality, all those things only make you sad for her.

Why is she always in pain? Looking back, all he can think about is the times this same smile was shown, and his heart breaks. It's not fair that a child knows of the horrors of the world, and speaks of them like it's a normal thing to do. A child. A child that laid her head on his shoulder when he read to her, who clutches her staff like it's the most precious thing in the world, who looks at her companions Eren and Centola with love and gives tender reminders of her affections to them.

She doesn't notice it, the little bits of good in her, but Alibaba does.

"...At least die in a entertaining way!" She cackles, but it's a bit higher than her usual one. He doubt if the others see that. She flies away, purple dress swaying in the wind, and Alibaba watches the magician go, before he himself leaves.

* * *

_Asad's never liked it when the cherry trees lost all of their blossoms._

_Year after year, he'd watch idly as the trees cried tears of thin pink petals, and said petals seemed to come alive in the air, exhilarated by the freedom that they've gotten only once in their life. They twirl around like dancers, bouncing on light feet and circling around like long ruffled skirts he recalls from John's time. While watching it, his hand strays beneath the top of his kimono, playing with the black locket that he hides from even Judal._

_"Do you like petals, Milord?" It's a young maid with black ringlets, and she stands behind Asad, looking down at the sitting teen. "I rather love this time of year. The trees are beautiful!"_

_Asad looks at her for a moment, before smiling, standing and taking her hand._

_She blushes._

_"They are, aren't they? It's been so long since I knew someone who valued this time of year like I do" She turns a shy red, and stares at her trapped hand._

_"U-Uh Lord H-Holy Keeper…" The maid stutters, and on the inside Asad sighs. It really is just too easy._

_"And for that person to be so beautiful…" He says softly, squeezing her hand gently, and then pulls her forward, pressing her fingers against chest, willing his heart to beat at a faster pace. He imagines fighting a thousand foes without his swords, having to rely on only his bare hands and magic ability. One coming from the left, his feet trapped to the ground..._

_"M-Milord!" The maid tries to pull away, but he's steadfast._

_"Can't you hear how fast my heart is beating? I must admit...I've always thought you were the loveliest maid I've ever laid eyes on" The girl is shocked, probably since Asad's heart is beating like a humming bird's wings, and he gives her a smile that is a hundred percent fake._

_"I-I think you're rather handsome" She whispers, eyes caught in his own. "A-Although I don't think I'm as pretty as the Princess- Princesses" Asad almost frowns, but catches himself. She's most like thinking about Kougyoku, but then stops herself from saying something to offend the Holy Keeper._

_"Would it be rude of me to ask you something?"_

_"Of course not!" She quickly replies._

_What was her name again? Cl-cla...Kate? No…_

_"What do you know about Lady Gyokuen's priests?"_

* * *

_Kougyoku is angry, and it has everything to do with that damn Holy Keeper. She sits beneath a cherry tree, ignoring how she'll probably stain her dress and how furious Ka Koubun will be once the man finds her and scolds her for running off._

_Of course, who wouldn't run off when they see two people sharing a passionate moment haloed by the petals of soft colors? Seriously! Huffing, the eighth Imperial Princess of Kou thinks of all the reasons she dislikes Asad._

_He's rude._

_He smirks._

_He flirts with innocent maids._

_He plays with their hair and twists it around his fingers, pulling lightly on black curls..._

_HE'S A PLAYBOY._

_"Hi Princess" And somehow, he's now sitting right beside her._

_Jolting at the sudden surprise, Kougyoku bangs her shoulder against the tree and glares at the intruder of her personal space._

_"Asad!" She shouts accusingly, pointing a finger in his direction. Unfortunately, they're closer than she thought, so her finger pokes his nose. He gives her a deadpan expression._

_"Kougyoku" He replies. Flustered, she lowers her hand and turns away, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her knees. "Hey, is something wrong?" A hand on her now aching shoulder makes her relax despite herself._

_"No" she mutters, and the teen chuckles, sitting closer so that their sides almost touch._

He's warm.

_"You can tell me if there is something bothering you" His breath is right on her ear, and she hates that he always teases her like this. Kougyoku leans against the bark, feeling the bites along her back. "Or, is it someone?"_

_Kougyoku doesn't want to think she's a cruel person. In fact, she doesn't think she's even that mean. Yes she spreads gossip around the court when push comes to shove or when some little snot nosed Lady or Lord needs to be put in place, but other than that she's never really directly instigated a fight._

_"Well, actually, there is someone I dislike…" Asad moves his hand from her shoulder, frowning._

_"Who's that? I know it's not me, because you lo~ove me!" He smirks some more and laughs at her glare._

_"It's this maid...Her name is Clarissa" Asad blinks, looks at Kougyoku, and then the Princess wants to take back her words. She's so stupid! If Asad likes that stupid, perky maid then why would he-_

_"Who's that?" The red head blanches. Did she perhaps- No, she definitely got the right maid, because she knows that particular girl is a favorite among the common Lords. With her girlish ringlets and innocent eyes, she can only imagine how many men have been snared in her web._

_"Uh, black curly hair, friendly? She has brown eyes?"_

_"OH! You mean the one who I was with earlier?" Kougyoku goes pink. Why'd he have to say it like that? "Yeah, I know her"_

_"Well…" Kougyoku says slowly "I heard she's been…" She stops, shaking her head._

_"Been what?" Bashfully, the Princess plays with the sleeve of her dress._

_"I heard that she and my brothers…"_

_"Oh. Is your brother complex rearing it's head?" Asad teases, taking her hand and playing with her dainty fingers. "I can see why you dislike her. I'll get her reassigned"_

_"W-wha-? Really?" Hope blossoms in her chest, and in her lap cherry blossoms float down and rest._

_"Yeah. Maybe I'll get her to go to the south wing or something"_

_"But...That's where you and Judal live…" Thinking, Asad nods._

_"I guess you're right. Then again, I spend most of my time in the Central Palace. You know, with my 'duties' and such" He snorts, but Kougyoku isn't..._

_"I want her gone" It's such a simple sentence, yet Asad stops his joking and stares down at her, dark eyes intense._

_"In what way?" He asks softly, hands freezing in their play with her own._

_"I don't care. Demote her, or give her away to some Lord who she can..._please_. Just get rid of her" Asad's lips move, almost as if repeating what she said. Then he lets go of her hand and nods, looking off._

_"...Alright. Consider it done" Satisfaction builds up in her, but in the pit of her stomach a stone grows heavy. He doesn't leave right away, almost turning toward her but then thinking against it, walking with long strides away. She sinks down and clutches the grass, wondering if she's wrong to lie to Asad about something silly and small._

* * *

"Oh, sorry" Sinbad stumbles back before quickly recovering his footing, blinking at the force that knocked him to the side. "I thought I'd have more room, but…"

"That's alright…" he looks at the man who stands taller than him. Smiling a little bit, the man is carrying several large crates in his hands, so many that they tower over him, yet he doesn't seem to be struggling with the weight. But what gets him really is the green hair and eyes.

"You're Eren, right?" Eren pauses, looks closer at him, and then smiles widely.

"Yeah! Eren Chandlen, nice to meet 'cha. You're...Sinbad?"

"Yes. But I believe we are have more similarities than just our heights" Eren nods, sobering his expression. Sinbad grins.

"...What's that?" The Chandlen asks, staring intently. The King sweatdrops, and behind him Ja'far sighs.

"We're both Dungeon Capturers" Sinbad explains, and instantly the green haired man lights up.

"Oh, that's right! I almost forgot you were a King" Laughing, Eren walks over to were some other men are, and sets down the crates, quickly instructing them to take it over to the medical center. Then he jogs back over, wiping his hands on his pants. "So, is there something you'd like to speak to me about?"

The Sindrian King nods.

"I'd like to know how you obtained your Djinn" Eren blinks, shrugs and then says simply,

"I got through a Dungeon and met Myeshia, who then became my Djinn" The purple haired man's eyebrow twitches.

"Yes, but how did you find the Dungeon?"

"Bad showed me" Blinking away his shock, the King stares incredulously at the Chandlen.

"What? How?"

"Eh...Um…" Eren laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head. "She sort of just lead me there, ya know? She already knew there was a Dungeon, and showed it to me. Then of course she told me to capture it, and she pushed me toward the entrance…We both sort of got sucked in" He finishes lamely, giving an apologetic look for his bad story telling.

"I see" Sinbad mutters, giving the man his cool and collected smile. "That's interesting!"

"You reacted calmer than I expected" The Chandlen gives a hearty laugh. "Alibaba freaked when I told him Bad came with me" Sinbad laughs with him.

"You and Alibaba seem close"

_Almost too close_

But Sinbad doubts Eren sees the underlying probing of his tone.

"Yeah! I've been teaching him about his Djinn-"

"What?" The laughing stops, and Eren cocks his head to the side at the now serious King. "You've been teaching him?"

"Yes. I offered and he accepted. Although, I don't know if he can learn to control it in the time it'll take to organize the Fog Troop again, but I'll try my best" Sinbad only frowns deeper at the statement, and then looks off, averting his gaze.

"I'm not sure Alibaba is ready to take on that sort of responsibility. He has already lost his confidence, and I don't think he's ready to lead the Fog Troop anymore"

"You're wrong" Twisting to face the Chandlen, Sinbad prepares to question him when the man continues. "Sorry to be rude, but I don't think you're right, Sinbad. It's true that Alibaba has lost control of the situation, and maybe he isn't confident enough to regain his hold, but he is still just a kid ya know. He may not have a handle on it right now, but with time and guidance I know he'll make a great King"

_A great King, huh?_

"Yes...Perhaps you're right, but-"

"Sinbad!" The entrance to the Fog Troop's base is flung open with a smack, and the one standing in the doorway pants heavily, gold eyes alight with conviction. "Eren!" The voice cracks a bit, but it's not from fear or cowardice, not anymore.

He stumbles in, and Eren quickly moves forward, scanning him for wounds. He's about to ask when he's stunned into silence by the blond teenager.

"Please teach me how to use a Djinn...I need power! I need power to protect this country!"

* * *

_It's late in the day, and Kougyoku is writing a letter to her brothers who are off fighting as Generals of the Western Subjugation Army. The library is quiet until the door is opened and in strides Asad, grinning like a fool. Setting down her quill pen and feeling her stomach twist in knots around the stone, Kougyoku watches as his onyx eyes dance._

_"It's done"_

_"I thought I should already consider it done"_

_"You should, and now you can" Asad pulls up a chair, draping himself across it. He really has no manners what-so-ever, unless they are in a public setting and her brothers are eyeing him. That, or whenever Hakuei or Hakuryuu are around._

_"Asa-"_

_"Kougyoku, have I ever told you that I hate this time of year?" Pausing, Kougyoku blinks and stares out the nearby window, watching the petals float by from the thousands of cherry trees in the Royal Palace._

_"No, you haven't"_

_"I hate it because it's so damn sad" Asad closes his eyes, like he himself is remembering something disheartening. "All the cherry blossoms are dying, and yet no one notices. It's really…"_

_"Are you sure about that?" Kougyoku fiddles with her quill, looking at the feather. "Isn't it joyace because from the death of the cherry blossoms new leaves will be born?" Asad opens one eye, watching her._

_"...I don't know. I've never really found happiness in the spring"_

_"We met in the spring" His lips twitch._

_"That's true. I found my own cherry blossom in the spring" She smiles until the weight of his words sink in and she flushes carmine. "You know, maybe the spring isn't so bad" He stands and walks over to her, holding her cheek._

_She's frozen in place, watching his face go through the sort of emotions Judal and her sometimes joke he doesn't have. Her other cheek is captured, and he leans in real close, watching her with hooded onyx eyes._

_"Why'd you have the girl reassigned?" He asks with a low, rumbling tone._

_"I...told you" Kougyoku whispers in response, eyes dipping to the floor. "She...and my brothers…"_

_"Why do I feel like you're lying?" Asad pulls away, dropping his hands. She notices how cool they had been against her volcano red cheeks. "You don't have to do that, 'Gyoku. I won't care about the reason"_

_"So you wanted her to stay?" The Princess asks bitterly, picking back up her quill and ignoring him. "Fine then! Go get her back"_

_"'Gyoku-"_

_"Go."_

_"'Gyo-"_

_"I'm serious. If it upsets you-"_

_"Kougyoku Ren." Her full name is spoken, and it feels like all the light in the room diminishes, simmering on the place between light and dark, settling on a twilight-like dimness. He never uses his power like this... "I don't care about the maid. All I care about is that there is something you don't want to tell me, and I want to know why. You act as if a simple woman could be my undoing"_

_The quill clatters against the desk._

_Her feet take her to him, and she glares up into his eyes, defiant._

_"Why can't a woman be your undoing?" Her words are sharp, strict even._

_"Because there is only one woman who I allow to live inside my heart" He takes her chin, not as gentle as he usually is, and there is nothing inside those onyx orbs. Except sour, hard truth. "And only that woman can break me. So, my Princess, I believe that person should use their influence wisely, don't you agree?"_

_"I...I don't…" Asad sighs, running his thumb over her cheekbone and releasing her._

_"I suppose you don't really need a reason. Just know I'm always open if you want to talk" And he leaves her there, with a rapid heartbeat, to finish her letter._

* * *

"...Protect the country?"

"That's what he said" Bad laughs, laying back on the cot-like bed and stretching out. She reminds herself to take it easy, her bones are glass and her muscles are mush from how much she's pushed herself lately. Unless some miracle happens (no, not you Sinbad!) the final battle will be tomorrow. At least it wasn't delayed or else Kougyoku would be married off and Asad would murder the Balbaddian King in a red rage.

And possibly beat up Bad.

And Centola.

"Catrina" The girl is sitting on a chest that she pulled to the side of the bed, and they had been talking for a while now. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course you can" She replies, laying her head on the cot. "I'm already hiding you here after all" It's true. After her little speech for Kassim and Alibaba, Bad slipped into the Fog Troop's base and snuck over to Centola's room, only to find a cleaning Catrina making the bed. Catrina had then taken the magician to her own room, setting her for a quick nap since the girl hadn't gotten enough sleep the previous night.

"You're a good friend. I need you to watch Centola for me"

"Watch Centola? Easy. But why?"

"I'd like you to make sure she doesn't go off script. I've lost interest in Alibaba and Kassim, but this is still important to Centola and we have to help her, I suppose."

"You...lost interest?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?" The young Fanalis-Amala looks at their hands, and then lays the magician's under her cheek, so that she feels the warm face under her cool fingertips.

"I thought she was the one you needed most. Why not just stop all this madness in one move?" Bad is silent.

_She is the one I need most._

"She isn't the one I need most"

"Liar" The accusation is fair, but it hangs heavily in the room like a rain cloud. "You need her much more than Eren and I"

_How bitter those words are._

"Centola's influence isn't important until later. Right now we focus on Balbadd"

"Lair"

"Why would I lie? You know I'd do anything for the world we dream of." Catrina is silent, closing her orange eyes. "Do you think I'm wrong about that dream, Catrina?"

"No" She whispers, grasping the younger's hand tighter. "The world we see...It lays down a cold, dark path. But we have each other, and despite what we do to achieve that world...We're not wrong. I know we're not" Bad giggles, sitting up.

"That's enough rest for me. I have to go deal with a trio of idiots now" Catrina nods, and stands with her, heading to the door. "Wait, Catrina!"  
"Yes?"

"You're my sister...I really, really think that" Pausing, the Fanalis-Amala smiles.

"And you're mine"

_Liar_

* * *

Shutting the door behind her, Catrina sighs out a breath that's long and traitorous, and in her head a nasty little voice that's been getting louder and louder in it's criticism over everything Catrina does says-

**_Liar_**

Trying not to break down in a puddle of red and orange, the Fanalis-Amala holds her head up high, and smiles, going to do what Bad says. Because that's the only time when the voice is encouraging and goading. The only thing that they both agree on-

**_Bad is the sleep after the struggle._**

* * *

(The SML NANDO are walking down a street)

L NANDO: Brother, is this really alright? We left Bad after she specifically told us to do something for her.

S NANDO: Oh shut it. The brat has no idea what what she wants, and it's not like we should have give up anything for her.

M NANDO: Ah, how troublesome this situation has become.

(S NANDO stomps the ground, irritated)

S NANDO: What do you expect me to do! It's not like I can just snap my fingers and-

BAD: Excuse me-

S NANDO: -Suddenly everything is the way it was before we had to suck up to some pink haired-

L NANDO: Uh, brother-

S NANDO: -little bitch who has control over us for a week-

BAD: Hey!

S NANDO: If she wasn't so young I'd think she's on her moon cycle! And...She's right behind me isn't she?

(M and L NANDO nod)

S NANDO: (whispers) Shit...Hi Boss!

BAD:...Hello.

S NANDO: How are you today? The sun is shining so brightly! And-

BAD: Where are the items I asked you to get?

(SML NANDO shiver, and BAD grins while her fists are clenched)

S NANDO: Ah well you see...We can't get it to you right now, but-

BAD: Then let's go get it~!

S NANDO: Are you sure? It's a long walk-

BAD: I'm the little bitch who has control over you for a week. Lets. Get. **It.**

(SML NANDO knows they're screwed)

* * *

The sun shines brightly over the base, but it isn't the sun that supplies the heat on Eren's skin. No, it's the teenager in front of him who holds tightly to his dagger, yelling as flames surround him and burst into the air.

Eren frowns.

"Wrong! You need to envelope you body more with Amon's flames!" Sinbad yells, pointing to the dagger. Alibaba struggles, his face contorting in concentration.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Eren sighs, walking toward the boy who now clutches his knees, breathing heavily. The embers lick the air once more before disappearing. "Alibaba, remember what I told you earlier? In order to use your Djinn correctly you need to cover yourself with your Djinn"

"I know, but…" The blonde looks down.

"Well...Here, I'll show you" Alibaba's gaze turns to Eren, who smiles and takes several large steps away. He holds up his cuffed wrist in front of his face, stilling himself and breathing deeply. In, out, in, out.

_"Oh spirits of Balance and Justice,_

_In the name of my magoi,_

_and my will of steadfast loyalty,_

_I order you and your members._

_Bring judgement, Myeshia!"_

His cuff changes, spreading out. The cold metal turns to black leather, and silver plates run across his knuckles and bare forearm, making a glove and arm guard. In his hand, a long silver bow appears, as long as his torso and heavy too, a traditional hunting bow used by his clan. The black bowstring is taut under his fingers as he pulls on it, and he nods his head in approval, tossing a smile to the shocked Alibaba.

"This is my Djinn Weapon Equip. I call upon Myeshia, and she lends me her strength to become 'partially' one with me" Alibaba steps forward, in awe.

"Where are your arrows?" Sinbad asks curiously, and Eren smiles brighter. He stretches his arm out, lining his bow up to a boulder a few yards away, and then takes his right hand, touching the bow's center. As he pulls his fingers back, a white arrow appears, the end touching the string and as he goes farther and harder, it lines up with the bow.

He breaths in, holds it, and lines the arrow up to his chin, taking the archer stance his father had drilled into him as a Chandlen Hunter. He lets go, the arrow rocketing fast through the air and hitting the boulder, exploding and forcing the overgrown rock to shatter into a thousand pieces, flying all over the place in the air.

"Well that answers that" The blonde laughs, and the King gives a low whistle. Smiling, the Chandlen turns his attention to Alibaba.

"You see Alibaba, to achieve a partial Djinn Equip, you need to allow your Djinn's magic to become one with your skin. Like now, my cuff that holds Myeshia has transformed into a weapon most suitable for me because I've become suitable for Myeshia" Eren scratches his head. "Does that makes sense?" Alibaba bites his lip, and then shrugs.

"I don't really get it, but I'll try it again!" Pride swells in his chest. Too bad that he couldn't put Alibaba through the training he wanted to today, but if everything works out that blonde will be sweating buckets soon enough, just like he did when Bad put him through her specially-tailored-training-from-hell.

* * *

"Catrina"

"Centola?"

"May I ask you something?" The Fanalis-Amala cocks her head, motioning her to go on. "Am I being plotted against?"

"W-why would you ask that?" Catrina jolts at Centola's words, while the Temptress stands in the empty hallway, looking at her. Studying her.

"You know, when someone asks a question like that, the respondee usually is shocked, or worried. With you it almost seems like you're afraid or guilty. Catrina, what is Bad planning?" Catrina pursues her lips, mentally chasting herself for getting caught.

"You're not being plotted against, Centola. But I think…" Centola waits, green mirrors reflecting on her the image of a nervous, shy girl. And while it must be true, Catrina doesn't feel her shoulders caving in, or her lips trembling. She gulps, and then states, "Bad will always love you like a sibling, but I'm afraid that she's watching you"

"Excuse me? Bad is watching me?"

"Bad's favor is waning, Cent. She doesn't feel inclined to change the plan just because things have changed a bit. You need to stay on script like she has"

"Well of course I'm not on script!" The strawberry blonde doesn't shout, but her voice holds a hint of anger, a simmering tension beneath her exterior. "How could anyone be after every thing? Kassim wasn't suppose to leave, things weren't suppose to go back to the storyline. This isn't what we wanted. Why are you and Eren so inclined to do everything Bad asks of you?"

"Because we love her, Centola" Catrina shoots back, straightening her spine.

"Love drives you to steal and lie and cheat? Is that the sort of person you are?" Her head spins. Isn't this the one who held her last night when she was worried, and gave her sleep when she needed to dream? Isn't Centola the one who brushed her hair and told her and Bad stories of her childhood? How could Catrina fight with her?

"Yes!" She shouts, flinging her arms wide. "Yes, I'm terrible, I'm horrible! But that doesn't mean that love isn't the feeling that made me who I am now! Because it is. I love Bad because she loved me. She gave me everything I always wanted...A-A home, a family that cared about m-me, something to protect and best of all: something to strive for that might actually come true"

It's quiet.

"Bad gave me everything, Centola. Bad is my God. Can't you see that no matter what I do, it's because I live to see the light in her eyes, the rare truthful smile across her face? And every lie that strikes me and every item I steal that tortures my soul is so I can continue to be by the side of someone who makes me feel alive? I'm so happy with her, Cent..._**Jane**_. Let me be happy with her" From orange eyes a clear tear drips, sliding from a cheek to a chin, dropping inaudibly to the stones underfoot. Blinking hard, the Fanalis-Amala furiously wipes at her face, turning away and muttering just above a hoarse whisper, "Bad knows you don't like our way of doing things. But she'll still help you with Balbadd. Because she loves you too."

"If she loves me then she'll trust me enough-"

"She's doing all she can!" Catrina shouts, feeling the raw bareness of her throat, the cracking of her voice. "Bad'll help. Please don't upset her, Cent. I don't want to have to fight a friend, nonetheless the person who was the most important to _**Alice**_."

She doesn't stay to witness what her words may have done.

* * *

Bad is watching her.

The idea is not one she likes. In fact, it doesn't even seem like an idea. After all, it's an action, isn't it? That's not fair, is it? No. No. No.

Pressing herself into the mattress, Centola covers her eyes and breathes heavily in and out, curling up and shaking violently. Everything is just so damn confusing! And it shouldn't be, it really shouldn't be.

For a second, she allows herself to dream of what all this might have been like if Bad wasn't fallen. Would her name still be Bad? Would those red eyes of her always look the same shade as blood-stained roses, and would her mouth tilted in a merry grin?

How would it feel to see that sweet personality she wears be real, and truthful?

But it's not that way, and she crushes it in a white-knuckle grip.

Bad is bad.

But Bad isn't all bad.

There is her conviction, saddling up with a wink and a simper on smug face. It almost looks like Jane, had Jane ever shown emotion to anyone.

_You dug your grave,_ It seems to say, _Now lay in it_.

She can't back down now, after everything she's been through. She decides she'll take a short nap and then get up early.

The end is in sight now.

* * *

Asad hadn't left Judal's side in two days.

Two.

And he would have stayed longer, holding his brother's hand and staring at his black hair in that stupidly elaborate hairstyle if Ka Koubun hadn't came in and forced him out, shoving him to go eat dinner and get some sleep.

Asad glared at the man, feeling his anger bubble to the surface. But the rice and chicken did fill him, and the bed did welcome him.

(That's a lie. The food tasted bland and he needed to force himself to swallow, and he tosses and turns in his bed like it's made of rocks)

That's when the door opens. He pretends to be asleep, but tenses, fingers inching centimeter by centimeter toward the knives he hides under his pillow. Opening them barely a crack, he sees pink robes swishing quietly as the footsteps come closer. He groans.

"What the hell, 'Gyoku? I was trying to sleep" His Princess gasps, turning around until he takes her hand and sits up, rubbing his eyebrow. "No, I'm awake. What's up?"

"I-I…" She looks away, and he can't see her in the dark. He opens his free palm, and from under his skin gathers light, seeping through and illuminating the dark, lifting up and dividing into several floating candle-like lights.

The Eighth Imperial Princess's face is red, but not from a blush. Her cheeks look sore and her eyes are painted carmine, pretty cherry blossom eyes watered down.

"What's wrong?"

"I, we, I...I…" It comes back to him, and he drops her wrist, horrified. Obviously the sleep deprivation and hunger had gotten to him, because he forgot about Kougyoku and his 'situation'.

"Oh. I...forgot." The room becomes awkward quickly.

"I just...came to see you" She whispers, and Asad smirks ruefully, finding it hard with the soreness of his throat to make it go any farther than an agonizing inch and a half. He almost goes to grip his locket, but stops, not wanting Kougyoku to see it.

"Why?"

"Because I've been worried" She finishes lamely, and he chuckles, a breathy and depressing sound.

"I'm fine, Your Highness" He lays back down, turning his back on her as the lights dim down. He forces his eyes to close.

"I'm sorry" She whispers, and a ghost of a hand touches his shoulder. "I'm sorry"

"Your Highness?"

"Yes?"

"Lets never speak of this again" Audibly, a breath is sucked in. "And lets never talk about our plan to run away again" He faces her, betrayal and anger rising to the surface.

"But-"

"I think it would be best to distance ourselves from one another. Please leave" The cold voice that leaves his mouth shocks even him. The lights flicker out, and he turns once again, closing his eyes tight and trying in vain to sleep, though he only relaxes once the door is shut softly.

His heart shatters at the sound of quiet crying, but it also feels sadistically good.

* * *

_"Who are you?" Silhouettes line the walls, and she stands in the light of a fire, watching how in the dark the shapes move back and forth. She grins at the fools, unrecognizing and anxious._

Ha! They should be scared.

_"Ah, where are my manners! My name is Badroulbadour. Pleasure to meet you all, ne?"_

_"Get away!" Growls the shape of a giant silvery wolf. Fangs glitter red, and eyes sharper than knives aim to pierce._

_And miss._

_"Well, an almost pleasure" She retaliates, twisting Sheba in her fingers, an old habit._

_"You lie" Another giant figure tells her, his mane of blue hair visible. "Your name is not Badroulbadour. And that staff belongs to our Queen. You have no right-"_

_"I have no right?" Bad spits out, a deep seeded flame burning in her heart, catching fire. "I have no right? How dare you, HOW dare you! Do you fucking know how much shit you and your _precious_ King have put me through?" Spittle flies from her mouth. A female shadow appears, uncomfortably shifting her weight._

_"Valefor, Baal, please…"_

_"I won't apologize to a weakling who succumbed to the darkness" A howl shoots through the atmosphere, agreeing with the demon-like Djinn. Another silhouette hisses out a breath and scuttles back from the girl._

_"Well I don't see Solomon doing anything about this world's problems. Yeah, that's right, I know everything. And I'm fixing what he's ruined"_

_"You bitch-" gurgled and scratchy, the wolf doesn't shut up._

_"YOU WILL LISTEN!" She screeches, holding up her stave. Sheba glows brightly, a flash of gold. The seven Djinns are unmasked for a moment, and each one hits the walls in shock, their jewelry and clothing going neon as the girl unleashes a show of strength. The blackness settles all too quickly. "You will listen after everything I've done for that stupid King of yours. Sheb...This stave is mine, because she was created from me. Because Solomon decided this world needed a 'hero' and allowed a monster like me to be born, despite the fact that it would make my mother...Do you know how selfish that was of him? Do you know how much I've lost, how much has been taken from me?! It's...It's not fair…! Dammit. Dammit. _Dammit_!" The little girl throws herself down, grasping Sheba._

_The fire burns gold and red._

_"You Djinns...living without a care, supporting the man who Solomon told you to support...so selfish. Why help a man like Sinbad? He'll wreck the world" She looks up, seeing the silence. She sits back on her knees, looking all around with confusion. "You probably don't believe me, but it's true. I've seen it. Sinbad, and K-K-Kouen, and Muu Alexis, and many, many others...They'll kill the world, and everyone in it, because of their differences" A wave of unrest flows through the powerful deities._

_"Girl...I don't think…" It's a soft feminine voice, but Bad shakes her head, bringing her knees to her chest and hanging her head in despair, feeling the black Rukh snake out from her skin and cloud over her. The Djinns watch with disgust and fear and a unsettling awe as it takes form, covering her like a blanket and then shooting __upward as if a plant- unraveling large leaves and thorns, ruffled petals of a black rose blooming outward like a blush, surprisingly beautiful despite the reality. But the most shocking of all would be the thin membrane of white Rukh that surrounds the ink rose, holding it in shape despite the harsh struggle it entails._

_"It's true. And Arba- Gyokuen, Arba, whoever she is- she'll kill everything. And she'll kill me, once she realizes that I won't help her. Or worse, she'll do to me what she did to my beautiful mother, and make men…I've seen the truth...I hate it..._Why_..." Looking into her lap, Bad giggles._

_It turns into resounding, full blown hysterical laughter that fills up the entire room, taking up every corner and pounding into skulls like hammers bashing nails into wood. She doesn't even know why she's laughing so hard, or so much. She just is._

_"What am I even saying? I don't give a shit about this world, or mother dearest~! Good riddance to that selfish woman. Nah, I only care about a few people ya see? I'll probably stop _Gyokuen_ from completing her little quest to destroy Solomon's world, but other than that...Eh. Meh. Let those assholes Kouen and Sinbad tear this world to pieces. What do I care? I'll be safely dead by that time...I hope~ Heheheha!"_

_The figures in the dark sit in stunned silence as the child stands on shaking legs, swinging her much taller staff around randomly, eyes dark and sad._

_"Hate me, despise me for being depraved...But know that it was _your_ Kings that made me this way" There is salty bitterness in her tone, a sharp stabbing at their ears. "I've seen the truth!"_

_She giggles once more, and then_ wakes up.

The cold room doesn't affect her, because she has become cold long, long ago, but the bag in her hands is hot, burning her icy fingers. Eyeing it, Bad scoffs.

She grips it tighter.

* * *

The moment dawn broke, Centola did too.

Taking a deep breath, she swings her legs over the side, careful not to wake Khadeja, and pulls on her Balbadd dress. It had been so long since she's felt this fabric, felt the way it fell to her feet in a traditional but unfamiliar manner.

She left Balbadd a child still, but re-entered it a woman.

And as a woman, she can't keep insisting that if she waits a little longer, smiles a little brighter, everything will be alright.

No more secrets.

So she slips on her shoes and waits outside Fog Troop's gate, watching the doors from under a scarf wrapped securely around her head. She waits for a long time, watching the sun rise over the horizon, and how it climbs over the sky. Centola notes the comings and goings of Fog Troop members, sticking close to the wall. And then, a teen with a familiar form exits.

His head is wrapped as well, and he walks with a long stride, taking peeks behind him to make sure he isn't followed. Which he totally is.

Centola walks casually among the merchants, looking through items and progressing yards behind the masked man.

_Like hell you're doing this alone._

* * *

"Hi Sinbad~!" The man wakes to see the child at the foot of his bed, grinning like the devil himself. "Look who's back~!"

"Wh- Badroulbadour?" Sinbad sits up, surveying his room and finding that the window was open. "Why are you in my room?"

"I broke in." She says simply, tossing the bag she has in her hands back and forth. Narrowing him eyes, Sinbad studies the bag. There was something off about it, something familiar...

"What's that?" He points to it.

"Figures you'd focus on this instead of the fact that someone you barely know snuck into your bedroom and has been waiting for you to wake up for the past half hour." She shakes her head. "Seriously, what if I had been an assassin?"

"Well you're not, and I can protect myself" Even as he says it, the words seem like a lie. How didn't he notice her? Not to brag, but Sinbad prides himself in his ability to stay out of danger, and the fact that he can almost always sense whenever someone is near him. Why couldn't he sense her presence?

"Hm, fine. Of course, I believe what I have is much more important to you than this silly little conversation. I'd like to make a deal" She moves like a snake, slithering onto the foot of the bed and sitting crosslegged, watching him with a cold stare.

"What kind of deal?" He smiles, because that's the number one thing he learned once he began as a merchant. People can't smack a smiling man.

"Well, I'd like a bit of protection- if you don't mind- for my colleagues and I. And by 'colleagues' I mean Centola, Catrina, Eren and Khadeja. Although Khadeja is more of a addition since she won't leave Centola's side" Sinbad straightens.

"From what do you need protection?" He thinks he knows the answer to that.

"From Al Thamen"

"..." He's silent, and not because he's shocked. It's because, once again, he's conflicted with himself. He should help the girl, because he's seen firsthand the horrible deeds that organization has done to others, and doesn't want to see that happen to innocent people, but at the same time he shouldn't because what if Al Thamen goes for Sindria directly? How will he live with himself if he leaves his people to suffer in the hands of hate-driven monsters like Judal and Asad?

"I know what you're thinking" Bad states, still watching him with slitted eyes. "Why help a child who could only bring ruin? Well, several reasons"

"Several?"

"Several." She holds up a hand, counting off on her fingers. "One, during my stay in Sindria, I would be glad to share with you some of the secrets I've learned over the years about those cultists in Al Thamen. Two, in addition to being on my best behavior, I'll help you out a bit with your magicians. Sorry, but I've heard the rumors. Three...I can't exactly give you much else other than the items in this bag, which I'm sure you'll want" Sinbad clenches his jaw, unsure whether to be angry, confused or actually consider the proposition.

He goes with the latter.

Now that Bad has finished her spiel, it's his turn to talk, to ask questions, but he doesn't know what to say. What should he ask? It really is a toss up between Al Thamen, who's talking smack about his magicians, and the bag.

"How do you know so much about Al Thamen?" One at a time, he supposes.

"Oh dearie me, didn't Centola tell you?" She looks genuinely concerned. "My family is from Kou, and since I'm a pretty awesome magician one thing lead to another and I ended up getting into a bit of a fight with the wrong people. Well, person."

"You're shady" Sinbad states, pulling his sheets farther up his waist. Unfortunately, he realizes, he relapsed into his habit of sleeping naked. Not that he really cares about anyone seeing him bare, he has a rather nice body (in his and many women's opinion), it's just that having a child see him naked would probably send Ja'far into a fit of hysterics. "And not the good kind"

"Why do you think my name is Bad?" She raises an eyebrow and he shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Badroulbadour, but I don't think it would be a good idea to have you come to my Kingdom. I can't risk my citizen's lives"

"Hm. I knew you'd say that." She looks displeased, but then raises the bag. "Which is why I went out and found a few items that would change your mind."  
The familiar and uncomfortable pressure the bag is giving off make Sinbad grow frustrated.

"What's in the bag" He demands, holding out a palm. She's off the bed in a flash, picking up the staff she layed down and hopping on the window sill. He almost gets up but finds he's tangled in the sheets, which in turn are tucked under the cot and tied to the ends of the legs, wrapped around his ankles. She- While he was sleeping- "Bad!"

"Sorry Sinbad, no can do. I really do think we'll get along once all these issues are dissolved, but right now I'm trying to get my family to a safe place away from those Al Thamen assholes. If you can't help me now, that's okay. Just know that until I ask you this next, you should consider your options. Thoroughly." She jumps out the window, and Sinbad doesn't need to check to know that she's flying far, far away toward the sun's lifting head.

* * *

"You're leaving!" This isn't a cry of despair, or a shock statement, but rather a demand from a rather pissed off blond teenager. It deserves an eye roll, but that had been drilled out of Centola over the course of her tutelage under her aunt.

"Like hell you're doing this alone" She voices her thoughts, poking his chest with a finger and proceeding down the path way. He grabs her wrist, stopping her. Not roughly, but with light fingers and a serious look in his eyes, the only part of him visible.

"Centola, you have to go back. Women should listen when a man gives them orders" It's a good thing her face is hidden, because her face goes an unattractive purple.

"It's a good thing you're not a man yet" She changes the position so she's tugging on his hand, pulling him toward the wide road to the Royal Palace.

"Cento-"

"Alibaba!" She spins around, gripping his hand tightly. "I have a right to be here! I promised you, didn't I? I want to stay by your side. I know it's dangerous, but this has to end. I've never...really blamed anyone for the things that have happened to the Slums or the people there but I know...I know that if this'll make Mariam's death easier to accept then...I have to come..."

"Cent…" Looking to the castle, Centola takes a deep breath. The lump in her throat relaxes, easing. But it's true. The memory of a sweet little girl holding her hand, showing her embroidered fabrics to sell…

The secrets they shared with one another, the black dreads she smoothed out and rebraided, chocolate eyes that burned deep in her memory, a smile innocent and childish...

"I just...I know that I can't let anyone else go, Alibaba...Mariam, my mother, Anise, Mrs. Gamela- I can't stand to see the people I love suffer! Letting you go alone, with the idea that you might get hurt kills me! I'm staying, and that's that!"

"Centola I understand" He takes her shoulders, steadying her as if he was afraid she might fall over. "But I can't protect you if you come. You need to go back" Centola blinks.

"Oh, that won't be a problem"

"Thanks for your confidence in me, but-"

"No, I mean I can protect myself if they come after me" Centola smiles behind the scarf, giggling and patting Alibaba's arm. "What do you think I've been doing with my aunt all this time?"

"Becoming prettier?" Centola breath hitches a ride south of the equator, and Alibaba's eyes go the size of dinner plates. He slaps a hand over where his mouth must be. "I-I'm sorry! Pretend I didn't say anything!"

_Like that's easy._

Clearing her throat, Centola begins to walk toward the palace, Alibaba striding beside her in silence.

"Well actually, yes" Laughing Centola nudges Alibaba's arm. "I figured out that I was a 'De Coverna' and that my family has a special power" The blonde steps slightly in front of Centola, listening but still on the lookout. Centola lets him.

It is _his_ scene after all.

"A power?"

"A type of magic" Alibaba stumbles and she reaches out, though he rights himself and keeps walking. "It's called Temptation magic. I can use it, and thus, you don't have to worry about me"

"Of course I'm going to worry" He grumbles, taking her arm and navigating a throng of people in front of them, taking the first step on the bridge to the Palace "I've never seen this magic. I wish you told me" Guilt pounds through her.

"I'm sorry" She responds, checking her scarf to make sure it was still covering her head. "I didn't know how. But seriously, I'll be fine, I did a lot to achieve my strength after all. I've never had much, you know. I always relied on you and Kassim to protect me as children, and I cried a lot"

"You were a bit of a crybaby" he agrees, a smile in his voice. She laughs, turning heads. They are closer now, so she pats his hand and he lets go.

"Show time~" She whispers.

"Who are you?!" The guard yells, holding out his spear. "You do know this is the Royal Palace, don't you?!" Alibaba reaches up, grasping his head wrap. The moments it's ripped off, the guards gasp, stepping back.

Centola follows suit, but instead of tearing it off herself, she slowly unwraps it and lets it hug her shoulders.

"I am Balbadd's third Prince, Alibaba Saluja" Pride wells up, taking root in her chest as she follows the Prince's footsteps closer to the Palace. "Open this gate!"

* * *

Hana was buying food at the market. Her younger siblings had begged her to go buy them their favorite fruits since they themselves couldn't do it without getting chased away by the adults. That is, until a joyous cry called out,

"Prince Alibaba is at the Palace! Come, Come!" Her basket falls out of her hands. She's seen the third Prince before, years ago, but the idea that he's here…

She joins the crowd, anxious and excited. Rushing to the front and sending quick apologies over her shoulder, she squints her eyes and notices the figures ahead. One has blond hair and raises a dagger with an authoritative air while the other, a woman with lush strawberry blonde hair crosses her arms and seductively leans her weight onto one leg, jutting out the other hip.

Instantly Hana feels jealous of the woman, though the reason escapes her. She can't even see her face!

"Prince Alibaba and his wife!" A sailor ventures, and many others gasp in awe, going as close as they dare to watch their Prince and Princess(?)'s actions.

"I am here because there is something I need to say to Ahbmad!" The Prince announces, and his wife(?) nods, her glossy hair bouncing.

_But why would he take his wife?_

"Moral support!" Calls an elderly woman, and some mutter their agreement. Hana flinches.

_Did she just read my mind?!_

"Don't...Don't joke with us...How could we let the leader of the Fog Troop inside the Palace-" A rock sails through the air, slamming next to the guard's head. Anger ignites her insides. How dare these stupid fools try to stop the Prince! He is practically an angel sent to save Balbadd by God himself! She leans down and scrambles to pick up a stone, chucking it over her head toward the guards, careful to avoid His Highness the Prince.

"Open it!" She screeches, and others scream in agreement. "Kill the guards! End the poverty!" The poverty that forced her father to work long hours to provide food and money for their large family. The poverty that made her mother sew day and night to sell on the streets and to merchants who low balled her. They are middle class, but slipping fast and...And...

_Damn them!_

"Damn them!" The old woman croaks, and Hana looks behind her, completely confused.

_How the hell does she do that!?_

* * *

"I will stop these people if you open the gates" Alibaba states, glancing behind him to the angry citizens. "If this continues on, your lives will be in danger"

"You...you and her will be the only ones, right?" The guard grits his teeth. Alibaba nods.

"Yes. I, as a Prince of Balbadd, give you my word" The man gives the signal, and the gate is pushed open, spreading apart and welcoming him in with an ominous air. He enters, Centola behind him, and he faces the crowd.

"I'm very proud to call you my Prince" Centola whispers, her eyes glowing. He nods, back tensing slightly, and raises his dagger.

* * *

Hana sucks in a breath once she sees the gates open, the guards looking shamed as the citizens yell insults and goad Prince Alibaba with praises and cheers. The Prince faces them, face hard with resolution, and he sticks his dagger in the air and he seems to shine with the prestige that true royals like him seem to always have.

Then that breath is stuck once she sees the face of the Prince's wife. Her eyes are light green like spring grass, and reflect like mirrors that show you wonderful things. Her face is crowned by the waves of strawberry blonde that enhance the elegant slope of her high cheekbones and her full lips.

Half the crowd sighs longingly at once, and Hana's one of them.

Heat ripples in the air, and Hana is pushed back like the rest of the crowd, watching in awe as a column of flames shoots up around the Prince, and he yells,

"Everyone, please wait for my return here! From now on, I will change this country!" Warmth blossoms in her chest, and tears spring to her eyes. All around her, women holding children cry and men with sunburned faces from entire days on the sea pray. Wrinkled elderly citizens hunch over their canes, taking deep, hopeful, shuddering breaths.

"Prince Alibaba!" She screams, stepping out to the front, her eyes dripping with tears. The Prince looks over at her- actually _looks_ at her- and she has to make what she's going to say count. "We...We Believe IN YOU!"

* * *

"I suppose you're saying I should have made you the dowry?" Marrkio teases, his lips peeling apart as if cut by a knife, exposing his small teeth and large gums. "Would you have liked that?"

Asad's sure that he looks like hell. In fact, he knows. The mirror that he passed before leaving Judal's side by that stupid Ka Koubun who once again forced him to go eat had showed him something truly scary.

His eyes were pitch-black, devoid of warmth or emotion, and his face tightly drawn over his skull, giving him a serious if not frightening look. Underneath his eyes deep purple bruises highlight his lack of sleep, and around him the light is dark and consuming. He had taken a deep breath, trying to control his anger and frustration, causing ripples to flow out from his skin and light the room, giving it back it's color and vibrancy.

He felt nauseous after.

"Tch, of course not old man. I'm just stating the facts that I could have taken down those men in half the time they took, and with less of mess to boot. I can't believe you interrupted my meal to show me this" He hisses, wrinkling his nose from the stench of blood.

(Well, it's not like he was eating that meal anyway)

"Huhu, everyone of them is outstanding" The King states, leaning forward to see over his belly. His squinty eyes take in the carnage without a thought, observing each of them with approval. Asad wants to kill him then and there.

Mentally he makes a promise to beat up Badroulbadour if she doesn't stop this stupid marriage idea soon.

And Centola too.

"I'd say barbaric" He announces, shifting his sleeves and running a finger over the hilt of Hachi.

"You're methods aren't much different" Marrkio replies, motioning to his katanas. Asad snorts. "These men could be your bodyguards, Your Majesty"

"Alright, approved! Serve me well" The black haired King sneers down at all of them, making slits at Asad. "What's the commotion outside?"

"Your Majesty!" A guard rushes in, screaming. "We have a problem! There is a intruder in the Palace, but he's not a trespasser…"

Ahbmad gets himself up, and waddles over to the balcony. Asad bounds up the stairs, Marrkio right beside him as several other guards follow.

"What the hell is happening-" He stops and Asad sees why. He grins for the first time in days.

Down there, surrounded by guards with sharp, pointy spears, a blonde glares up. And beside him, hiding her lovely smile, a Temptress crosses her arms and cockes her head, locking eyes with a Shadow.

The message in her gaze is obvious to him: _You're going to like this._

_How much?_

_How much do you hate Ahbmad?_

"AHMAD!" Alibaba screeches, louder than anything he's heard in long while. "THERE'S SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL YOU! HURRY UP AND GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" Shocked, the guards all take several steps back, and Centola looks just as amused as Asad.

_You're right, I loved that._

Ahbmad throws a fit at Marrkio and the servants, telling the banker to kill 'the trash'. Marrkio turns to Entai.

Asad frowns.

_I liked Entai…_

_Really?_

_No._

Centola flips her hair over her shoulder, biting her lip not to laugh.

"Entai, go carry out the King's order"

"Yes" Entai jumps down from the Palace, greeting the suspicious Alibaba and transforming into his real form.

"What about the girl?" Asad asks, sitting on the railing and stroking the sheath of Hikaru. Hand to God if he says what he thinks he's gonna say-

"What girl?" Apparently, for once, someone totally looked over Centola. The Shadow presses his lips together tightly, holding in anything that he might say to tease the King. Or laugh at him. "You mean…" A sound like a strangled gurgle and a cough escapes the King, whose eyes is suddenly glued to the Temptress.

"Oh...You mean Lady De Coverna?" Marrkio asks, bowing his head to her. "Isn't she a sight to behold?" Asad thought Marrkio had no feelings, but a hint of admiration is shown through his tone.

"Lady De Coverna?" Ahbmad repeats as if in a trace. Asad rolls his eyes because it becomes apparent he's no longer paying attention to him. It suddenly doesn't matter that Alibaba is fighting Entai with all his might and it's totally climatic, no, let's pay attention to the pretty girl in the corner avoiding the loose rubble and flames shot at her.

Seriously?

He shoots at Centola, who casually tosses him the middle finger, disguising it as fixing her dress.

_I'm having problems over here!_

_Looks like you have a suitor~_

Ahbmad glues his eyes to her, which she suddenly notices and shutters.

Then he snaps to attention, they all do, as a massive column of flames blinds them, lighting the courtyard. Asad lowers the lights around him so that he doesn't go blind. Ahbmad and Marrkio can fend for themselves.

The battle goes on, Alibaba dodging Entai's deadly swings, soon heaving in breathes as he jumps and tires. He hits the wall and narrowly avoids another hit by the trunks of the elephant-man, gripping his flaming dagger for dear life.

Centola looks worried, almost going to help him. Asad narrows his eyes and looks to her shadow, urging it up the wall and to reach out, sharpening, and connecting with her skin…

Her eyes widen as she jumps, and Asad shakes his head, motioning for her to stay back and let him handle it himself.

That's when Alibaba gets rammed by Entai, and he lays motionless on the ground.

* * *

Every inch of him aches. His legs are lined by cuts, his torso sore and he feels the bruises forming already.

Entai comes closer, and though his eyes are closed, he peeks through his lashes and sees the bottom of his giant flat foot, inching higher and higher, preparing to fall on him and crush his bones into powder. The image of Judal after Ugo crushed him comes to mind, the jagged bones ripping apart his limbs and skin discolored and sickening.

Then it's his mother. His mother holding him when he cried like a little brat, whining about how he never gets to see her anymore. It was selfish of him, but he didn't know any better, and as much as he adored Centola, sometimes he wanted alone time with his only parent. He thought it was reasonable, but the moment he was with his mother, he started bawling because he realized the full extent of how lonely he was.

Alibaba's only and oldest friend was Centola, and when she wasn't around he felt so shy, and wasn't sure what to say or do.

"Don't cry, Alibaba!" His mother encouraged him, patting his back and beaming despite the dirt all over her face and dress.

"I'm leaving this country to you…" His father told him, once wise face wrinkled like a discarded paper crumpled and thrown away.

"This is because I feel that if it's you, you will be able to save this country!" His half-brother admitted, shamefully glancing down at his elaborate clothes and jewelry.

"Isn't it because everyone felt it? You're duty…" A King he admires, telling him something that should be admitted.

"I'm begging you, Alibaba…"

"Alibaba…!"

"Please!"

"Alibaba…"

"The country!" It's as if his throat is slit. Blood gushing out, no way to speak or call for help. He can only fall face first and accept defeat, because there's no surviving this. With the last of his strength he clenches his fist, angry at the fact that he couldn't do a thing, not even in his final moments.

"You don't have any power" His brother and friend whom he loved so very much.

_You're right, I'm powerless…_

"You don't have any resolve...You're a piece of junk of royalty" The King he wished to persuade into listening to him, the brother who he wanted to impress a long time ago with his swordsmanship.

_I don't have anything at all…_

"You are a courageous person...I know you are!" Aladdin...His eyes snap open, and with a thrust of his hand, he pierces the monster's foot, ramming deep into the flesh, uncaring about the blood that pours onto his fingers.

Ripping the dagger out and rolling out from under the howling beast he hops up, determined and renewed with strength.

_That's right...Power isn't the issue here! Haven't I decided that I'll keep moving forward, for the people I want to stand beside?!_

"I know it seems hard, but you're not alone" Eren, his new teacher.

"Sister Centola chose me because I had no where else to go" Bad, the little girl who lies and cheats but still let down her guard enough to fall asleep next to him

"Is there something stopping you from doing so?!" Morgiana, the ex-slave who encouraged him in a rough way.

"We Believe IN YOU!" The screams of his people, crying and scared.

"I want to stay by your side" Centola, his friend. His loyal, kind, oldest friend since forever.

Like hell he'll die in front of her.

The monster screeches, blubbering out insults and splitting apart his main trunk, revealing sharp fangs prepared to cut him into pieces.

He readies himself for the beast, adrenaline flowing through his chest and into his hands, pooling over the dagger that ignites. Damn it, he has to burn his arms, doesn't he? No, screw it, he'll burn his entire body if that's what's necessary!

You can beat him, stab him, torture him, but he won't die, because he has people he needs to stand by, and goddamn it he's going to keep moving toward that light shining in the distance.

_I'll burn like the flame itself!_

_"Djinn Equip!"_

Coolness covers his arms, like wearing gloves to counteract the sweltering heat of a fire. The weight of his dagger becomes light, but tilts forward, so much so that he needs to hold it with both his hands to keep it up.

And thats when he sees the sword, black and long, in the place of where his dagger was.

* * *

Centola was having a very bad time.

She knows better than to worry about Alibaba, because she knows he'll make it through in the end, but at the same time…

It's like with Shana.

Shana, who danced with her, looked after her and bent the rules just to do little things for her. Centola remembers, very well what she found when she went looking for Shana and her children, as promised.

But that was until…

Shana too...

_She heard the story from her neighbor, who had a lost gleam in his eye. The aged man had spoken the tale of the ex-dancer with a low raspy voice, speaking of the day Mrs. Gamela had died. He said that the rain had pelted down, unusual and scary to the Balbadd citizens who knew little about the harsh conditions of the rare storm._

_The bar should've been closed, but Mrs. Gamela, the old creature, had decided to keep it open, sitting in the corner writing in her little book. Mrs. Gamela's bar had always been a favorite to every Slum rat, and thus many people found comfort in the stained blue sofas and beaten down stage. And the sour gold beer calmed their nerves tremendously._

_However, in the height of the storm, a giant flash of lightning and crash of thunder had shaken the place, and Mrs. Gamela, not afraid of anything, had clutched at her chest, wrinkled mouth croaking and puckering for breath, until she fell to the floor._

_"Her heart had stopped" Muttered some._

_"God sent that storm to give her a flashy exit" Consoled others._

_And no one knew who would succeed the bar owned by the woman named Mrs. Gamela. While it was true Mrs. Gamela had a husband, he had long been dead, and no one knew the where abouts of her son- not to mention if he was even alive. __Weeks passed and there was too much confusion about the ownership. No one to give out checks to the waiters and waitresses, so they left. No one to distribute the money to the bartenders, so they left. No one to grant a weekly wage to the dancers, so they were forced to leave._

_Balbadd had always been on a decline, but it was a slow one since King Rashid's death. Businesses disappeared, one by one, but no one in that particular neighborhood ever thought that Mrs. Gamela's bar, where you could grab a drink and gamble just a tiny bit, where dancers shone and waitresses collected a nice tip, could be one of those businesses._

_It was unthinkable._

_"To us", The old man explained, "Mrs. Gamela was eternal"._

_Except she wasn't._

_And one of the dancers who had to leave, was Shana. She had sat along that very same road after a hard day of not being able to find work, and looked down at her belly. Then she had started crying._

_"What's wrong?" The old man had asked, his hardness washed away over years of pain. And no old soul as knowledgable and understanding as he could resist the sight of a maiden in tears. Shana had be reluctant, but the rare kindness showed to her made her relent._

_"I'm pregnant, but my boyfriend doesn't believe it's his" She had responded, looking away in shame. To give up her body to a man who wasn't her husband wasn't unheard of, but it was in no way accepted fully in the eyes of their society- not to mention being pregnant without a husband._

_Centola had shaken her head during that part of the story, unwilling to believe._

_"But a friend of mine told me Mrs. Gamela died just a few months ago" She argued. The storyteller had shaken his head, explaining,_

_"He probably didn't want you to know the full extent of the story" The old man continued on though, knowing this tale by heart. After that encounter, Shana had picked a place on the corner and became a prostitute. While not the most decent job, it worked until her belly became to 'unattractive' to her clients and she was forced to go look for other ways to work, spend much of her time sewing and cleaning shoes._

_When she gave birth, it was to a little girl whom she named Lilliana._

_Centola tried not to cry._

_"Long story short" The old man said solemnly, not a hint of happiness in his face, "Shana's lover found the child and saw the likeness, allowing Shana back into his home. She was overjoyed until…" His eyes are fierce._

_"Until…?" Centola asks, her stomach flopping._

_"Until she became pregnant again"_

_Shana's boyfriend had let her stay the first few weeks after the news was broken to him, but overtime he became more and more jealous, the resemblance between Lilliana and him becoming less and less visible. __And that's when he learned of her job as a prostitute during the early months of her first pregnancy. He was furious, claiming wildly that she had never stopped her job, and that she never truly cared about him but the money he brought in._

(What a joke. He was a sailor, bringing in just enough for food. They lived in a dirty stink hole that Shana scrubbed and cleaned for hours every day to make it look nice)

_Eventually Shana was back on the streets as a common whore, and then as her belly grew fat whatever jobs that she could get. No matter how dirty or disgusting they were._

_She had her second child, a little boy she named Alibaba._

_Who, three weeks later, died from starvation. It was just Lilliana and her again._

_It became hard to keep the tears at bay._

_Shana was now permanently on the streets, until a passing noble fancied her and made her his personal mistress. And for a while, it was okay. She lived a little bit off from her lover in a small, cheap house but got to keep Lilliana fed and happy, at least until she, once again, became pregnant._

_Shana's lover had gave an choice: get rid of it, or get out._

_And she couldn't get rid of it._

_There she was again, in the corner, fight gone from her. Only the thought of her now two year old daughter made her continue. The third child, who came too early and was too small to make it past the first week, was another little girl._

_Her name was Centola._

_"I never asked why she picked those names. Lilliana, Alibaba, Centola...But I knew in my heart that those names meant so much to her. That those people were very special"_

_The first tear broke the dam._

_And just a few days ago, Shana's ex-lover had returned, drunk and angry. When Shana refused to be his prostitute for the evening, he had beat her so hard that she fell unconscious._

_No one had helped her._

_Lilliana had cried so badly, though, that the man picked up a stone in frustration and hit her over the head. The cries at stopped, but the bone chilling silence drew horrified stares, and the man realized that he had just- in rock hard and subzero blood- killed his only daughter._

_"What?" Centola gasped, holding her heart._

_The man looked away, to a blackish-red stain on the ground by a nearby wall._

_"Yes...And when Shana awoke to the sight, she screamed so loud that it tore people's hearts, and they helped her"_

_"It was too late" Centola whispered._

_"It was too late...But she got her justice, young lady. Oh yes, that man paid dearly" His eyes harden, looking at the stain with such anger and violence that Centola gulped and hesitated to break his reverie._

_"Where is Shana now?" The man had barely any teeth, and his smile was crooked._

_"She slit her wrists just yesterday, my dear. I tried to stop the bleeding, but she had told me to stop, whispering that Centola was coming to see her, and that maybe she'd bring Alibaba with her. She said she could see Lilliana already, and wondered to her own amusement, if she was seeing double" The man shook his head._

_"I…"_

_"I don't know what she meant by that" He whispered._

_Ah, but Centola did, and it instantly, sobs racked her entire body._

_Before the old man could ask her what was wrong, she turn tailed and ran as fast as her feet could back to the base, until she slowed her pace, quieted her screaming heart and clearing her blurred vision._

Just like with Shana. Shana wasn't suppose to have three children and be the one to meet her on the foggy night...No...No...

It wasn't suppose to be her.

And when Centola figured it out, it was a horrifying, bone numbing thought that was repeated in her head, over and over again, like a recording blasting through earbuds so that she'd memorize what was being said. As if forgetting it was a pain worse than death itself.

This world bends and shapes around them.

Catrina, Eren, Asad and Centola are the unknown pieces of the puzzle that don't fit anywhere, but are slammed and smushed into place anyway. and because of that, the other pieces need to mold around them, try and accommodate these strange creatures in anyway they can so that the rest of the picture can be formed, no matter how distorted and mismatched it now seems.

Shana wasn't supposed to be a woman who was driven to kill herself, but rather through contact with Centola and the 'molding' of her fate around the Temptress, that is what she became.

And what if it happens to Alibaba?

What if that blonde, whose idealistic hopes and brightness made her sigh in awe was killed because of her? What if he took the fate of another unfortunate man in this world, and leaves her like everyone she loves has? She can't loose him, not after loosing all those special people that lived close in her heart. So she prays. She doesn't know to who, but she prays.

_Solomon._

If he's God of this world, then he can help her, right? Just thinking the name makes her heart lighter, knots in her shoulders slacken and relax. It's as if someone is listening to her, nodding their head to her words with understanding. The wind strokes her hair like a firm, fatherly hand, and the battle goes into slow motion. She's rooted to the spot.

_I won't be able to handle it if you take away another person who soothes the exposed heart in my chest. If I'm wrong to ask this of you, then let me have their fate. Don't...Don't..._

_"Djinn Equip!"_

_Don't steal Alibaba and Kassim from me. _

Her breath stops, and there, in the hands of her oldest friend, is a long black sword that slices through the tough skin of Entai, dividing him in half, while blood pounds from his veins and soaks the dirt until it's a deep scarlet color. Centola's face breaks out into a hopeful smile, and before she can tell what she's doing, her feet are moving, hitting the ground with force until she's right in front of Alibaba, near tears.

"Cent-"

"Ali, you..." Alibaba beams, holding up his sword in amazement.

* * *

"Ali, you..." Alibaba doesn't think he really has time to show off, but still holds his sword up higher, triumphantly, imagining how proud Centola must be. Really, he wouldn't be surprised if she told him that he looked really cool, which he _totally_ does. Puffing out his chest, he faces Centola completely until her eyes narrow and she growls out, "You idiot!"

"Ow!" He holds his arm after her hands smacks it, pins and needles stabbing his muscles as she crosses her arms and huffs.

"Seriously, you couldn't have been more careful?! I was scared to death!" He's ready to retort when he notices the mist on the mirrors. The third Prince lowers the sword and answers,

"Sorry...I promise to be safer" The scraping of nails against stone turns his attention farther away, where monkeys crawl over the wall toward them. Sucking in a breath, Centola steps behind him, wearily watching the beasts approach. Alibaba calms himself, repeats what he said to Centola in his head, and steadies Amon's sword for battle once again.

* * *

Yamu watches the clouds pass over the city. And beside her, seated on the same rock, is Yunan. His pale blue eyes watch the world with the calmness of a old man, yet once and a while he'll look over at her with such a twinkle in his eye that it almost looks like that of a young teenager experiencing his first festival. Sighing in a content way, the woman continues staring out at the pale blue sky, the brilliant sun that diminished the clouds into mere wisps, and the glittering of navy and turquoise waters.

"I can already feel the tugging" Yunan suddenly says, laying his hand on hers. The contact of his skin, so warm and velvety, makes her jump.

"The tugging?"

"The black Rukh is starting to stir. I can feel all of the hope from the Palace-" He points to said place "-But that hope remains unaffected, for now. When the party carrying all the darkness arrives, then I'm afraid that our travels come to an end"

"Does it have to?" It slips out before she can stop it. The pregnant pause makes her squirm, twist her face away and finger her shell necklace. Yunan slowly swallows her hand in his, his thumb pressing into the center of her palm.

"You...know it does. We can't continue any longer to pretend that everything is going to be fine. This is why we remembered the Other...To help Badroulbadour save everything that we have, do, and will love"

"I-I suppose you're right. Traveling really was fun though, I, uh, learned a great deal of things about the world, eh, with you" Shaking herself out of her dreams, she smiles and releases his hand, getting to her feet. "Let's go inside. I know that the sun bothers you if you stay out for too long, and I need to get together some of my important gear. And then, I guess...We'll say goodbye..."

* * *

Catrina isn't so much of a fool as she is a servant.

And as she isn't so much of a servant, she isn't so much of a fool.

Simple logic.

Yet, when she was standing beside a panic stricken Morgiana, she can't help but wonder if she is doing the right thing, sticking to the script so painstakingly made out.

Yes, everything they do is for that indescribable world she worships in her mind, but with her new Fanalis friend looking so throughly upset and confused, the words about _everything_ bubble up to her lips, begging to be released through even the smallest of gaps and be made known. But instead, she wraps an arm around the girl's shoulders, and tells her that they are going to get those knuckleheads who ran off.

And they do.

When they arrive at the Balbadd Royal Palace, the first thing observed is the mob of lower class citizens who wait and protest on the bridge to the palace gates.

"What's happening?" Morgiana asks, and Catrina shakes her head, motioning to climb faster over the wall. The stones are rough and uncomfortable under her fingertips, but she is able to scale it quite well, the years of training on the mountain near her home paying off. Jumping on the side, she gasps at the scene. Morgiana rushes to her side, and together, they witness Alibaba hack at a monster with the face of ape.

"Well...Are you ready to rumble with some monkeys?" Catrina asks cheerfully, but Morgiana is already kicking the monster's face.

* * *

The roof was hot.

Bad always felt cold all over, as if her own warmth was being sucked away by millions of hungry mouths, starved for even the tiniest sliver of heat she could produce. Too bad for them that her heart can no longer produce anything with a semblance to heat.

Still though, she cold feel the sunbaked stones under her palms and knees. The pinkette arches her back so that the length of her spine isn't burned, and sweat dribbles down her forehead. Dizzily, she gropes for Sheba, quaking as the white sun splashes her with rays of sunshine that almost feel like boiled water on her icy skin.

The bag that Bad clutches in one hand almost seems to pulse, invisible hands reaching out as if to touch her forehead, roll her to the shade.

Can't they see she doesn't care?

But the thought is nice, so she allows them to caress her face.

Some of the hands are soft, like paws of kitten, while others are large and calloused but gentle all the same. And others still are hairy and taloned yet comforting. Feminine fingers wipe the sweat from her temple, silently urging her to muster her strength and find relief in the shadows. The girl does what they say, crawling painfully over to the door, entering and collapsing while breathing deeply.

_"Why did you Fall?"_

They couldn't possibly understand what they are trying to ask.

_Because I am not supposed to be._

Bad hugs the bag close to her chest, sprawling herself around it, knees tucking themselves into the scratchy folds.

_"Why are you not supposed to be? If you are here, then you were always meant to be here. Fate decided it."_

_No, I'm...I'm the product of a super religious zealot. I'm just a monster, but I'm a monster with a meaning._

The hands are back, smoothing her hair and hugging her, as if in apology.

_"And what's that meaning, girl?"_

"That's...simple..." She whispers- croaks really. "I...'m meant to...Help Aladdin...Help him, an be 'is balance...I'll change fate, I'll protect 'im...This time," Her eyeslids slide together, sealing out any light. In the pitch-black, she can see a blue braid, and a arm wrapped around the waist of a pink haired woman. She struggles with the last words, a breathless sentence falling on the ears of any listeners. "...I'll...I'll keep that promise..."

* * *

_..._

_..._

_So that's what it is, then._

_..._

_..._

_It can't be helped. I'll have to take you as well as those two._

_..._

_..._

_I wonder what Solomon meant by giving you those staves...Did he know what it would mean? Perhaps he knew about that promise of yours. But still, those staves are..._

_..._

_..._

_It can't be helped._

_..._

_..._

* * *

Hiya folks! Chappie is up, and I feel terrible about not doing this sooner!

Seriously, this stupid arc is taking waaaaaaaay too long. I wanted to do some flashback/side character chapters after this, but I might need to either make those chappies really long or have only a few. Dang! How long have we been in Balbadd? I need some Sindria up in this ish.

**Person at the end:** First person to guess it right gets hugs and credit!

**Emotions: **Too many in the last chapters. I'm feeling like I'm writing a teenage drama, and I ain't down for that. Basically Eren+Catrina are Bad's left and right hands. And feet. And basically anything else Bad wants them to be. Centola, not so much, however they share a deep bond. Centola can't really give all her strength to Bad, but Bad, being a manipulative little demon-child, will be doing some serious mind-twisting in later chapters that will make everything seem ten times darker than it originally was. Seriously, I don't really wanna write it. Speaking of not writing, I've been debating what to do for the ending and all I can think of is depressing, bitter-sweet, wish-I-could-have-known stuff.

**Eren and Myeshia: **Best. Partnership. Eva. Actually I don't know yet I'm still working on it.

**Alexio: **Such a cutiepie. In my mind, at least...He was picked up by Zeina- however details aren't going to be revealed until I finally get to make the De Coverna arc, which will probably come before the Fanalis-Amala arc. Heck yeah those are happening! Also, did anyone catch what I wrote at the beginning? About the rest of her family? The mystery of the De Covernas starts to unravel (and Sinbad's not invited)!

**Sinbad: **Love him, but a author gotta do what a author gotta do. And in this case, it's make him a tiny bit (okay largely) divided on the inside. But that makes sense right? Because of his stupid "half-fallen" shit he got going on. Cereal, am I the only one who hates that about him? Oh, and guys, wtf is in the bag?! It's painfully obvi but...Well...

**Shana: **...Everyone is dead. This is actually sad. I don't know why I wrote that, but it sort of has something to do with making Centola increasingly desperate, which she will be. _Trust me._

NEXT CHAPTER: I will explain that seal (sort of) that Lilliana made on Centola, Alibaba and Kassim! I will make Kougyoku pissed off at everyone! And...BAD WILL FINALLY GET SOME ALONE TIME WITH HER BAE! (I don't know how but BadXAladdin is now my no. 1 ship and it's killing me on the inside bc of UGH)

BYE~~~~~~~

_PS- thinking about doing some revisions on the earlier chapters bc they ain't so good, brothers. Prob will. Prob will._


	15. Chapter 14: A Fallacy

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FOURTH ARC:** Begin Again

CHAPTER 14: A Fallacy

* * *

The pure blooded Fanalis slams her knee into the monkey's mouth, knocking out his teeth while mixed-blooded Fanalis kicks the smaller, more ferocious apes out of the way. They land beside one another, and even as Catrina smiles at them, Morgiana looks a mixed between pissed and calm, a feat only a Fanalis could perform.

Centola was not expecting Catrina to come.

It was in the plan, yes, but after their spat yesterday, she had given up hope that the Fanalis-Amala girl would actually show up and help.

But she did.

And it made Centola feel so grateful, so full of warmth that Catrina would actually pull through and help her despite the fact that they got into a fight over something very special to said mix-blood. Catrina still saved her.

A dribble of cold water trails down her spine. Out of the corner of her eye, Asad meets her gaze.

_Did she do it for you?_

The corner of her lips dip down quickly before it goes back up.

_You're cruel._

_I'm right._

Did she do it for Centola? Ah, too confusing a question. Is their bond so strong that Catrina would fight the attackers? Or is this just another order from Bad?

_Does it bother you?_

_Shut up, Asad._

Centola stands back to back to back with the others as the monkeys keep coming.

"Cent, can you use your magic?" Catrina asks, knocking another beast out of the way.

"I could, but since this isn't the target audience, I'd have to use up most of my strength"

"So you can't?" The red head clarifies, meeting the stare.

"I cannot" Catrina nods once, loops her arm around the older girl's waist, and yells at Morgiana,

"Let's get these two over the wall!"

_...WHAT?!_

Morgiana does the same with Alibaba, and on the count of three they bend their knees, bouncing up and down and preparing to throw. The head ape sneers at them, and with a racing heart Centola relaxes her hold on the Fanalis-Amala.

"ONE!

TWO!

THREE!" She's flying. That is how her brain first registers the experience of soaring through the air, Balbaddian dress flowing around her. For some reason, she can't see. Not like she closed her eyes or suddenly went blind but everything became so blurry and distorted that even though the bright blue must be the sky and black spots dancing across her vision are from looking directly at the sun, they don't match with the images in her head.

Falling is a funny feeling. Her stomach hits her back, not really touching it but making her feel like she's a hollow bowl. Twisting, she still can't see but the brown and yellow moving quickly toward her is either a wall or the ground.

She closes her eyes, and then collides with the ground.

There...There isn't any pain.

_How can that be-_

"Eren?!"

* * *

**BOOM!**

…

_What the hell is going on?!_

Kougyoku was having a pity party. Mind you, that meant she had a plate of sweets in front of her and she was barricaded in her room, but it was still a class-A party, so exclusive that only she was invited.

And even that was an iffy invite.

It was dark in the room because she had shut up all but one window, which she needed in order to re-read the pages of her diary. The page was covered in black ink, and in it Asad's words were printed in a shaky handwriting. By now she could repeat it with her eyes closed.

It was a really tormenting thing to do, but that night he said those loving, wonderful words to her, she copied them down as a memento.

But now it was a painful reminder.

The Eighth Imperial Princess of Kou was in the middle of devouring a sweet when the light amplified tenfold and a massive shaking rocked the palace. Getting to her feet and hustling to set the diary down properly and fix her hair, she looks out the window and catches a glimpse of two figures being hurled over the wall. Blinking her eyes, they are obstructed by the Palace's structure, but somehow she thinks that it isn't her imagination.

Looking down at her crinkled dressing gown, Kougyoku curses and began to change, knowing that a Princess must always look her best. Even when they are feeling their worst.

* * *

Asad has had enough. So, he slinks into the shadows and cloaks himself with their darkness, escaping the throne room unnoticed.

"I hate politics" He drawls boredly, yawning. He finds himself taking the route to Judal, and stops, remembering something from John's time.

Something happens to Judal.

He picks up the pace, lips curling into a snarl, and it isn't until a pink haired Princess rounds the corner and runs into him that he stops to steady her.

Asad looks down, into her cherry-blossom eyes, and hates himself for depriving himself of her. Her face goes pale but her cheeks flush, hands splayed across his chest to stop herself from falling.

"A-Ah...Holy Keeper…" Choking down his feelings, Asad lets go and steps away, looking over her shoulder for the familiar yellow robed form of Ka Koubun. He doesn't appear instantly, but the calls of 'Princess!' start from down the hallway. "Are you alright?"

Snapping to attention, he realizes that Kougyoku had gotten a bit closer to him, holding her fan tightly.

"S'okay" Asad responds, remembering his words to her the other night. "I have to go check up on Judal"

"But Asad-" Kougyoku starts, gripping his robe. "You don't look well! You could be ill...Or worse!" The Holy Keeper shifts his stare away, knowing that the more he focuses on all the shit they've been through together, the more he'll regret his decisions since reaching the infamous Balbadd.

He'll never regret offering a hand to that little girl, or teaching that little girl about life.

He'll never stop amusing himself with memories of how she stammered upon learning that Judal sometimes slept in Asad's bed with him, or how she'd turned carmine in anger the time Judal first pulled a prank on her.

But he will miss that tiny girl with heavy robes and the friendship they forged. How could he keep that friendship now, since she found out the depth of his feelings for her? Forgetting the years of teaching and giving her his knowledge would be physically painful if he was forced to do it.

So instead of keeping their friendship, keeping the trust and painstaking bond that took years to forge, he went and asked her to marry him.

Stupid.

Centola will laugh when he tells her, and Bad…

Bad already knows. He could tell by the solemn and calm face she had shown him when his eyes slid to Kougyoku and she caught it. Although, the pinkette had always had a way of telling these things, so she'd figure it out one way or another.

How was just another mystery added to the list of Bad-related questions.

"Asad…" What would his sister do? He may have spent a small amount of time with her, but his big sister's optimism had been extraordinary. He remembers being really, really tiny and watching her laugh and babble about anything and everything.

It's not like Asad remembers her voice, or the way her chest thumped too loudly compared to his mother's calm, soothing one, but he remembers how she'd start her sentences, always with,

"The way I'd do it…" Ah, if she was here things would make more sense.

"Asad…" Kougyoku repeats, her palm under his chin, begging forgiveness with her eyes. She's closer now...No, he just leaned down toward her. Oh, how did he take her hand and put it over his heart? When did she grow so bright, beautiful and mature? Why does he go closer, like her entire being is a magnet that keeps pulling him in, even when he tries to escape?

Her hip fits easily in his hand, her forehead almost as warm as her cheeks at such forbidden actions.

"Princess!" Snapping his head back up, he lets go of the Princess, and she herself smooths down her hair, breathing heavily and clearing her throat. Ka Koubun is right around the corner, and he quickly bows to the Princess, fisting his hand and enclosing it with his other one.

Ka Koubun catches up to them and when Asad straightens the advisor dips down and mimics his actions to the Shadow.

"Holy Keeper" He greets, a fake smile on his face. "It's nice to see you in the halls again"

_Nice to see you in the halls again._

Like Asad wouldn't catch the advisor's tone or the truth of the sarcastic and judgemental sentence. What an asshole.

"Hm. I will see you later, Princess Kougyoku" Asad steps past and once again quicken his stride, remembering what he's suppose to do.

_Save Judal._

_Judal comes first._

* * *

_Judal dreams vividly about the day he meet Asad._

_It'll definitely float away when he wakes, but the memory of the six year old who had a necklace around his throat wouldn't leave just yet, trying to remind him of something wonderful and long-past._

_Childhood dreams, so pure and bright, along with the twig of melancholy. It swims in his eyes and curls around his brain, lulling him deeper and deeper into sleep as warm arms wrap around and prepare to swoop him into the sky._

_Judal can't help but be happy that even if those arms will take him to an unusual place, they will grant him this scene once again._

_He was lonely._

_That's what stands out prominently._

_All around were men in black robes whispering secrets to one another, nodding and going about their way._

_"Today…" One whispers._

_"...The other boy?" The second responds._

_The door opens._

_It's too bright, so Judal looks away, hiding his eyes under his long bangs. Footsteps quiet the noise, though it's not as if there was much sound anyway, just an iching tingle of disturbing whispers._

_They all stop, and then one pair of footsteps near him. He doesn't look up until the light recedes as the door comes to a heavy close. The boy is taller than him, he doesn't have to stand up to now, though he doesn't glare or smirk at him._

_He studies him._

_His silver hair is the most noticeable feature about him, shiny and silky despite him being a boy, and he had tied it in a ponytail down his back. His bangs, light and feathery, cover up the most intriguing eyes._

_Black._

_So dark and depthless they are like painted stones in a pond, watery and bright._

_Onyx._

_They're onyx, not black. There's a difference, and Judal can tell that despite being such a dark shade they're filled with warmth, compassion._

_Love._

_How can that be? A boy he's never met, staring at him with all the emotions of a long lost sibling._

_"Lord Magi, this is the boy called 'Asad'. He is to be your new 'friend'. No matter what, it is his duty to lay down his life to protect you" The current him, who sits in the darker corners of this scene yet at the same time exists inside the timid child, sneers._

_If he could speak to interrupt this dream, he would use the chance to tell off the old geezers at the organization. Gloat to them that Asad didn't need to be told to protect Judal- they're brothers! Asad had always taken care of him, but it was because he loved Judal, not because those wrinkled magicians asked him to._

_Yes, he is important to Asad._

_And in turn, Asad is the most precious person to Judal._

_But he can't speak, and little Judal gets up. He stands, and shyly looks down, his long braid slipping off his shoulder._

_Asad's hand is warm, like his eyes._

_When Judal realizes that the boy had taken his hand, his shock is palpable in the room. So is the Al Thamen magicians'._

_The boy grins._

_"These old farts suck" Giggles before he can stop himself, and Asad grins wider. "Listen up, Judar!"_

_"Judal" The magi corrects shyly._

_"Judal! I'm going to be your big brother, so shut it and follow me!" The older boy sweeps him up and races to the door, and the next time it opens the light isn't as painful or stinging as it was before, instead inviting and...and fun._

_Judal sinks deeper into sweet childhood memories, blissfully forgetting all about Asad's secrets and Kougyoku's pending nuptials._

_He forgets that he's losing one friend and doesn't know much of anything about the other._

Yes_. He thinks. _Pick me up.

_But those arms, like Asads, are gone, replaced with the warmth of purple Rukh._

* * *

How Asad knew about this sort of technique is a tale for later days, but for now, it can be explained. Asad spreads his hand over his younger brother's chest, and prays.

He's not like other people.

The Holy Keeper knows this. He's not like Judal, or Kougyoku, or Bad. But he is like Catrina, Eren and Centola. So, if he can even compare to those good people, then shouldn't he too have a right to pray to a God?

_Il Illah_

Weird, isn't it? The people in this world don't even know who Solomon is, just that he was a King in the old Toran scriptures. To many different cultures, they describe a God like Solomon, but never mention his name. Does Asad know the ending to the Alma Torran arc? No. But he remembers faintly that many Djinns and Aladdin have mentioned Il Illah was a God, and the old geezers at the Organization keep bringing 'our father' up. Is it so bad to pray to him? Is it so terrible? Maybe Gyokuen is wrong. Maybe Illah is a good guy...

_Hey buddy. Remember me? No? 'Kay. I was brought here by Badroulbadour, anyway. Hey. You know this kid? Of course you do, he's loved by the Rukh. But I love him too. I'm not special...I'm bloodstained and dirty...But I won't let him fall. I love him too much to let that happen. My little...Judal._

"Judar…" From his fingers, a buzzing hums along his arms, and the chirping echoes in his ears. If he closes his eyes, he pretends he can see them, too. Purple, like his brother said, shifting from mauve to lilac and flapping about excitedly. At least, that's what Judal always told him about Asad's Rukh.

_"Yours are different! Not in a bad way...Just different"_

He imagines his Rukh running over his brother, wrapping and looping about his body until he's cocooned in a safe, strong barrier. When he opens his eyes, he plops down into a chair, taking deep breaths.

Nothings changed, but the strange white Rukh that had gathered around Judal vanishes, counteracted by Asad's intervention.

_Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but I'll protect Judal, no matter what! Because I believe…_

_In Il Illah..._

* * *

Back at the front gate, the two Fanalis stand side by side, holding their arms open to shield the gate. Catrina smiles at her new friend.

"I won't be a bother, Morgiana. I have my Amala magic, after all!" Her orange eyes shine. "I'm strong, Mor! Let's protect one another!"

Morgiana pauses, a slight smile gracing her face.

"Yeah…"

"Hey, monkey-man! Me and Morgiana won't let you past!" The beast and his minions chuckle.

"Cry all you want, children. But you're not as fast as we are!"

"Oh? You think you've seen the best we can do?" Morgiana's eyes turn dark, her entire being surrounded by an aura of don't-mess-with-me. Catrina smiles pleasantly, reaching over to her covered left arm.

Slowly she unties the ribbon, slipping it inside the hidden pocket of her dress, and then off goes the ring. She slides the pink fabric down her limb, watching as the long, jagged scar comes into view. She takes in the pink scar and bubbled, wrecked flesh, all done from the cruelty of the people she loved most.

She neatly folds her precious sleeve, smiling still at Enshin.

"When we get serious, you'll be the one crying!" She growls in a low voice unsuiting to her expression.

* * *

"Cent, are you alright?" Eren settles said girl on the ground, smiling at his two companions.

"B-but Eren…"

"You don't seem to be injured. I'd help Catrina and Morgiana, but ya know Catrina is strong, and won't let anything bad happen. So, I figured I may as well follow you two into the Palace-"

"What? No! You have to leave, Eren!" Alibaba protests, gripping his Djinn Equip tightly. "No one else can be sucked into this!"

"You're right, Alibaba. That's why I'm not staying"

"What?" Centola asks, confused. Why had Eren come all this way, if he didn't mean to stay?

"I figured I may as well follow ya into the Palace," He repeats. "And make sure y'all get in alright. I have to go find Bad"

"Find Bad?" Alibaba asks, furrowing his brow. "Where is she?" Eren hesitates, shaking his head.

"I don't know. She's gone." Cent panics. That's right, Bad was suppose to be here! Where was the little girl? Where'd she go?

"D-did you check-"

"Don't worry, Alibaba, Centola. I'm good at finding things! I'll find that idiot girl in a jiff and be back soon!" Eren turns, holding out his cuff. He yells,

_"Spirits of Justice and Balance,_

_Reside in my body,_

_Take my magoi and make me_

_Into a powerful Djinn!_

_Myeshia!"*_

And he Djinn Equips. His feet are covered with leather boots, and his hands in metal-plated leather gloves, a black armguard across his forearm. All over his body, blue Toran-style hieroglyphics appear, and a navy and gold-threaded sash is slung across his shoulders, covering his upper body along with a gold necklace holding a ring. For his lower half, a gladiator style metal-and-leather skirt covers him, and on his boots two pair of white Hermes wings pop out, fluttering. He flies into the air, holding onto his elegant black and silver bow.

His now white hair flutters in the wind.

"Be safe!" He calls to Centola and a shell-shocked Alibaba. "I'll be back in a little while with Bad, so don't worry!"

"Okay!" The Temptress agrees.

"W-wait! Eren! Don't bring Bad! Go to safety-"

"Alibaba, it'll be fine. By the time he returns, we'll have defeated Ahbmad and saved Balbadd!" Centola tells him enthusiastically. She points to the hallway, closer to the main hall. "Come on! Ali, let's save this country!"

* * *

She's floating. Every time she moves, her body bobs up and down, like she's on top of the sea, moving with each wave.

"Rest, little one" Comes a very deep, very cooing voice. "The others will be here soon. So sleep a little more, alright? We'll talk when the others arrive"

She's floating. With every breath, she's reminded of past times in the Other, before the End, during the Then. The Then, where Aladdin was always by her side and everything glittered like jewels. Where even the most simple of everyday things could make her burst into tears of joy.

She's floating. As she sinks deeper into these memories, people she's met pass by the inside of her eyelids.

A man in a golden crown, his blond hair left in a side ponytail and his adventurous, kind smile directed right at her.

A woman in a pink dress, chains on her feet and a cute yet rare grin gracing her wild, passionate features.

Another man- No, a King- tall, muscular and aging despite his obvious handsomeness. His face was sharp and calculating, yet very welcoming and awing at the same time.

The faces rush past. A magician with long blue hair, a fatherly man surrounded by Rukh, a brigade of red haired warriors and some blurred, dissipating men and women.

"Are you having a nice dream, little one?" The voice is back, amused. She almost nods, but instead curls up, head filled with the people she loved most.

_Eh?_

An older woman, about the age of the previous graying King, but so pretty, so kind. Her eyes like pond water, her hair like a raven's wing, yet-

Blackness, a sickening smile, too much makeup to hide the _TrUTh_-

**_Gyokuen._**

She's no longer floating.

Her own black and white Rukh fill the space, pounding against her, pressing her hard into the ground.

_Wake up!_

They seem to plead with her this, and a new feeling, of being stuck, trapped, tricked-

"AHHH!" She screams, even as the mysterious voice tries to calm her, her Rukh find the cracks in the walls, trying to tear the place apart. They soar up and down, thousands of them, creating chaos.

"Little one, please, stop!" The voice begs, and she tries to open her eyes, tries to get rid of the woman closing in on her with that clown like smile dripping with madness.

"Please" She whispers, holding out her hand. "Help me…"

* * *

Engi is the last of the guards.

"Ali" Centola smiles at the Prince. "Go on ahead. I will take care of this one"

"What? No. I'm stayin-"

"Alibaba" She's firmer this time. "I might not seem like much, but I'm strong. You have a battle to take care of, one that only you can fight. I believe in you, so believe in me and my magic"

Alibaba grites his teeth.

"No. Cent, I can't let you-"

"Go before I use it on you!" She commands, pointing to the doorway behind Engi, who watches them with narrowed eyes. "Engi, I will be your foe today!"

"I've always wanted to battle a Temptress. Fight me, Lady Centola De Coverna!" Alibaba looks down, and then makes his way around the two, entering the doorway.

"Cent...You better be up there soon or else I'm going to be really mad!"

"I will, Ali"

With him gone, Engi smiles widely, revealing his sharp canines.

"I'll be done with you quickly, and then hunt down that little runt of yours. Show me this Temptation magic, Lady Centola" The Temptress smiles coyly, flipping a bit of her loose hair out of her face elegantly.

"With pleasure, milord"

* * *

For starters, they kicked, punched, and slammed the monkeys around like the trash they were. And now, Catrina motions to Morgiana to get out of the way.

"I'm gonna use my family's magic now!" Morgiana nods, standing by the large door in anticipation. Catrina takes in a deep breath of air, holding up her scarred arm. The wind picks up as clouds cover the sun, as if protecting the star from the sight of her ghastly and unnatural ability.

_"Unpure monsters,_

_Come to me!"_

She plunges her hand into the earth, channeling the electricity of Necromancy into her palm and out, seeking the bones and flesh of the dead to use against the living. Something cold and rotting forms, blindly flailing for her, grabbing her hand as she pulls it up, bringing a legion of undead soldiers onto the soil.

Some don't even need her, silent monsters digging their way up and back to the living, skeletons with dirty bones and half-skinned and clothed men and women, turning empty eyesockets to their targets.

Behind her, Morgiana sucks in a deep breath.

_"Beastly demons,_

_Form!"_

Some of her soldiers band together at this call, her scarred arm pointed at their bones, her magic flinging toward them. It's bright orange, like her eyes, and covers the beasts, molding them together until they become a bulky, giant wolf, with eyes of pure red fire.

_"Destory them,_

_Your Persephone* commands you!"_

The wolf goes for the boss ape, aiming with bone sharp teeth for his throat, while the minion monkeys squeal as the skeletons run forward with sharp sticks and jagged pieces of bone as weapons.

Catrina smiles some more.

"See, Mor? I told you I'd help out! Why do you look so pale?" Morgiana shakes her head, clearing her throat.

"I-I'm just surprised, is all"

"Huh?" The gears click, and Catrina's eyes widen. "Ah! I'm sorry, I forgot that Necromancy isn't used any more! It's just because I've lived only with my family and then with Bad that it slipped my mind!" Catrina bows at the waist, forehead parallel with the ground.

"C-Catri-"

"I'm sorry, Morgiana. I really hope I didn't scare you" The pure blooded Fanalis pauses, and then shakes her head.

"It was a little scary, but now that I look closer…" The wolf made of black flesh and bone tears off Enshin's arm, and almost all the tinier monkeys are down for the count. "It's a pretty strong magic. I'm impressed"

* * *

Centola doesn't even need to try with someone like Engi.

Well, she does try, but its easy.

Engi is more humanistic than the other two, and so her magic is just right for a person like him. Her body begins to glow pink, and as the tiger-man sprints at her with a sword, she smiles amusedly and holds up a hand.

In her heart, a warmth builds, spreading up to her head and channeled into her vocal chords. She smiles, and says,

"Stop that" The Tiger-man freezes mid-stride, his muscles stiff and limbs completely still. In her mind, she begins to spin an illusion. The pink glow flows to the ground, slinking toward Engi like a mist and lifting up, like a wall, creating a single room. He's trapped, stuck inside there, and he can't move.

And suddenly he can. He hacks and whacks at the walls, finding them impenetrable, and the more he tries to make a way out, the more the walls shrink in on him. Gulping, shakily takes a step back only to find that the wall behind him is closing in.

He roars, fearful and afraid.

Of course, that's just what Engi sees. To Centola, he's merely standing there, eyes glazing over as he falls deeper and deeper into her trap.

Temptation magic...She looks down at her palm, relishing the high that comes with using her dangerous magic.

_"Centola"_

Zeina's voice reminds her of the price she paid to get this magic back.

_"Centola, your magic is blocked" Centola already knew that. Sort of. The thought that it could be blocked didn't cross her mind, but the idea that maybe she just didn't know how to channel it did._

_"Blocked? How?"_

_"Well, it seems my dear sister" The use of 'dear sister' is sugar sweet, filled with love. "Put a seal on you in order to keep your magic in check, at least until you were older. It's about...Oh, seven, eight years old? I wonder who she tied you to"_

_Zeina sits on a wooden table, inspecting the glowing mark on Centola's skin. The younger Temptress tries not to fidget as the woman squints her eyes at the flower design, her fingers tracing over the gold lines._

_"Hm. I see."_

_"What is it?"_

_"This...Isn't an ordinary seal, Cent" The strawberry blonde tilts her head, confused. "It's a seal that...Moves your magic into another vessel" The girl flinches, eyes wide._

_"How is that possible?! Mom and I didn't own any sort of pot or container that had a lid-"_

_"I mean a human vessel" Centola's shoulders drop._

_"Ah...Did my mom put my magic into herself? If so then...I don't think I can get it back" The memory of Kassim and Alibaba with shovels under a barren tree comes to mind, the way the hole grew bigger and deeper until the body covered in cloth is lowered gently into the hands of the earth, and is swallowed up by the soil._

_"No, because if she did this seal would have been broken. I think she put it into another vessel who would love you"_

_"Uh, what? Love me?"_

_"Oh, I didn't explain it, did I? Temptation magic is a magic based on illusions and hypnotism. However, only women, called Temptresses, can use this magic because of it's unusual traits. One of which is that it enhances the feminine beauty of a woman, like you and me. Another may be that Temptresses using Temptation magic only have daughters. But a third and final reason is that a man with Temptation magic instantly falls in love with whomever was closest to him at the time of activation of his power, which is unfortunate and usually one-sided. Thus, only woman are capable of using this ability. In conclusion, Temptresses came together and created us, the De Coverna family"_

_"...But...What does that have to do with the seal?" Zeina smiles, crossing her legs and going into lecture mode._

_"Like I said, a man falls in love at the time of activation of his power. And, a Temptress can rid herself of her magic if she seals it into another person" Zeina raises her eyebrows. Centola understand immediately._

_"So, a Temptress would seal it into a man, and then he'd be so devoted to her that he'd never have children and pass on the De Coverna magic. And I'm assuming that since the magic is already active, the man would fall in love with her instantly, right?"_

_"Exactly"_

_"That's...Amazing and horrifying at the same time" Zeina pulls Centola over to the table, were the girl sits beside the older woman and lays her head on her aunt's smooth shoulder._

_"Exactly" Zeina shrugs. "But sometimes it's the only way. I know of stories of our ancestors who had no choice but to seal it into another person for a short while to avoid suspicion. The Temptresses used to be a bit of a feared fairytale in Tenka"_

_"Tenk- Oh, the far east"_

_"Yes. We originated there, after all. Lilliana must have wanted to protect you from the same fate, and thus sealed it into another man. Or a boy" The womans prompts, smirking. "Who did she give your magic to, I wonder?" Centola blushes._

_"I...I'm not sure. I didn't even realize anyone loved me like that…"_

_"Did you love someone?"_

_"Auntie!"_

_"Pish posh, can't a woman pry?" Zeina shakes her head. "I'll break the seal, but I'll need to know this boy's name"_

_"...Alibaba…" Centola whispers, dropping her eyes. "I think so, at least. I, uh, used to have a crush on him"_

_"And now?"_

_"Auntie!"_

_"You're no fun!" The older Temptress laughs and lays her hand over the girl's chest. "I'll break the seal and we'll get started on your lessons! That is…"_

_"That is?"_

_"If you want me to break it" Zeina's face turns somber, her deep maroon eyes shadowed. "I could leave it, you know. I could leave you as a human, and maybe if you were to meet this Alibaba again, you'll be able to marry him and live a normal life, one with sons and daughters alike"_

_Ah, the beaconing temptation in that sweet BS._

_"I...Cannot. No matter...I don't think I could live a normal life anyway, Auntie. I'm feel like no matter what path I take, they'll all end up merging into one, some day. So...I might as well take charge and follow the one I feel is right" Zeina nods, understanding yet sad for an unexplainable reason._

_The blonde's voice is soft as she says the spell._

"Oh girl of great beauty,

And everlasting magic made by the stars themselves,

Glow with truth and happiness.

Your Alibaba has come,

Now praise the Gods,

He'll give you back,

What he took years ago"

_A tingling turned into a pulsing in her chest as the seal became unbearably bright until in a flash, it disappears. Zeina blinks, and then chuckles._

_"Looks like Alibaba was the one. Feel different?"_

_"...Yeah, a little"_

(If feeling empty inside is different)

She pulls herself out of the memory, and drops her hand where it was tracing the nonexistent outline of that flower. Engi is swaying, looking lost.

_**He's not human, you can do it.**_

_He's not human. I can do it._

_**You're strong.**_

_I'm strong._

By now, his consciousness has been crushed by her walls, leaving behind a shadow of a man- no, a monster. His mind was weak- it would take a while for him to rebuild and push her out. Her hold on him would last at least a few days, if she wished it, but that is not what Bad and her planned.

"Engi" She says in her mother's honeyed voice. Would her mother be proud? "Do me a favor and die, please" Engi focuses on her, nods, and shoves his sword right into his chest without hesitation. Centola flinches as the blood hits the ground, but moves to avoid it all the same, grimacing.

She's at the doorway by the time he falls to the floor, twitching and stilling like bug playing dead. Centola looks away and takes her time to make it to the main hall.

_He was meant to die anyway._

_**Better him than you.**_

* * *

Aladdin didn't know where he was, just that it was chaotic and swarming with Rukh.

"Aladdin!" A familiar and distant voice yells. "Calm her down, please!"

His blurry and spotted vision picks up a strange sight. Below him laying helplessly on the ground, is Badroulbadour.

_I'm dreaming._

Bad was with those Kou guys, right? What's she doing here?

Her black Rukh whip around, barely contained by the membrane of white Rukh, forming layers upon layers of rose-like flowers and thorny vines. Bad breaths heavily, her eyes squeezed shut as her chest moves up and down rapidly, forehead covered in sweat.

Aladdin gropes for his staff, finding it missing. Biting his lip, he plunges downward, narrowly avoiding the piercing vines aimed at him and stretching out his hand.

"Miss Badroulbadour! Are you okay?" His knees hit the floor, and he grabs her shoulders, unsure what to do. He pulls her onto his lap, watching as the black Rukh under her churn uneasily at his movements. "Miss Bad, it's Aladdin!"

The girl's eyes fly open, meeting his with their frightened red hue. She reaches out and grabs his vest, leaning her forehead against his shoulder.

"Please, make it stop!" The boy awkwardly pats her back, unsure of the situation's true purpose.

_This is...A really weird dream._

Aladdin blushes as Bad wraps her arms around him and burrows into his chest.

She's shivering.

The magi frowns.

"Miss Bad, are you cold?" The pinkette holds onto him tighter, lifting her face to nod at him.

"Mhm...I'm very cold…" The roses wither, falling away. The white Rukh are fluttering excitedly like they know something he doesn't. "But you're warm. Would it be alright if I stay like this for a little while?"

"Um, sure. I...don't really mind, I guess…"

"Thanks…"

* * *

Centola can't go straight to Alibaba. Despite wanting to, she has to first pay a visit to a certain assassin. Slipping into the room, she instantly notices the guards who stand talk to a silver haired old friend of hers.

"Holy Keeper" She says, putting on her most attractive smile. The guards move to stop her from coming closer but their weapons drop to the floor the moment she fixes them with her stare.

"Lady Centola. I've been expecting you" Asad turns, face still as bone. "Leave us. I will speak with Lady De Coverna now"

"O-okay…" The guards nod, going around the Temptress and out the door.

The silence is thick between them, though Centola tries to dispel it with her friendly facade. She comes close to the bed, finding the black haired magi laying on it, asleep.

"Centola, why are you here?"

"Visiting my dear old friends" Centola answers innocently. "I haven't seen you in a year!"

"...True enough. Though I am not convinced by you" Centola sighs, setting her shoulders back and crossing her arms.

"Paranoia can come from sleep deprivation, I hear" The Temtpress casually flicks into their conversation, eying the purple bags under his eyes and the waxy quality of his skin.

"Is it? I suppose hallucinations come from that as well, then? Explains Engi's behavor" The strawberry blonde wills the hidden insult and judgement to slid off her shoulders.

"Poor man. May he rest in peace" Asad stares at her, understanding what she's telling him, and then shakes his head.

"Amen"

"Would you like to join me on my way to the main hall? I seemed to have lost my way"

"No, thank you. I will stay here and look after my brother"

"I see. You'll stay with him?" Centola frowns, shifting her weight to one hip.

_You'll stay with them, Asad? After everything they've done?_

"Yes" The man lays a hand on his brother's bed.

_He is my family. I will stay with him no matter what road he picks._

"Well, I'm sure I'll be able to find the right path"

_You're a fool. Bad will not like this._

"I'm know you will"

_I'm know she won't._

On the inside, Centola feels like screaming. Of course Asad would stay here like a bloodsoaked hero to defend his brother. He's the wild card, the uncontrolled variable in their plans. Bad entrusted his actions to Centola, but what is she to do to control him?

Nodding as a goodbye, she starts toward the door.

**_I need to help you again, child? Ugh, fine. There's another way, so stop trying to seduce him._**

_Seduce?! I haven't-_

Then it comes to her. She stops as her hand touches the doorhandle, slyly batting her eyelashes and looking over her shoulder at him. His gaze was steady on the back of her head, but now looks into her eyes steely.

"Ah, Asad, did I forget to mention?" She imagines luring him in with her mirror-like eyes, capturing his interest with each word. "Kougyoku went into the main hall right? I wonder if she's greeting her 'future' husband now…" Centola giggles as the thought drags off.

Asad gulps, hard, and glares at her.

"What was that?"

"Oh, well don't you remember from the manga? She defended Ahbmad from Alibaba's verbal attacks as he cowered behind her" Centola crushes down any remorse from seeing the hurt and pain in his eyes.

"I...Don't believe so-"

"It was quiet funny how he'd grope her robe and- oh! Didn't the Mangaka make a joke about Ahbmad's pervertedness and lust despite the situation he was in?" Centola laughs, opening the door. "But anyway, I'll hope to see you again-"

"I'll escort you there. " Asad strides close, teeth practically bared, and the Temptress feels a sick satisfaction build up in her. "If talks of perverted Kings are true"

**_Hmph. Looks like you're more like me then I thought._**

_Shut. Up._

"I would be grateful to you, Lord Asad"

* * *

Before they set off, Asad tells the guards sternly to protect his brother.

"Only I or Marrkio are allowed in, understand?" The man orders, jutting his finger down the hallway. "I'll be taking the Lady Centola over to main hall to speak with King Ahbmad and Princess Kougyoku"

Despite his authority, he has softness in his eyes when speaking to the men who salute him as he walks away.

Centola notices.

"They must be worried" She comments lightly.

"About what?" It's in Asad's nature to dwelve further into people's words, despite the fact that they are usually traps, like this one now.

"About your health. I know Khadeja would be dying of worry if- God forbid- I were to grow so...Ill" Asad fingers Hachi and Hikaru, a silent warning.

"Ill?" He can't help but ask.

"I know you're not doing well, Asad" The silver haired man forces his temper down and doesn't respond. Luckily, Centola lets it go, save for one soft comment. "Just take it easy, alright? You're my stupid estranged brother…"

His hand drops on her head for an instant before he pulls away.

They say nothing more the way to the main hall.

Outside, they hear the wisps of an argument.

"I'm going to turn Balbadd into a republic with no inequality! That is my proposal to you!"

Asad pushes open the doors. In the center of the hall, where the red carpet should be rolled out to the throne is a giant crator, one of Engi, Enshin, and Entai's creations. Guards on all sides watch them wearily, and the servants along the walls clutch each other like scared children. Alibaba and his brothers stand closest to the stairway up to the throne, a pink haired easterner apparently arguing with the Princes. They stop to look at the newcomers.

"Centola?" Alibaba asks, and then more relieved, "You're alright!" She nods, breaking off from Asad to pick her way toward her ally and friend.

"A Republic? That sounds like a great idea, Alibaba" The Temptress smiles her lovely smile while nodding her head at Kougyoku. "Do you agree, Princess Kougyoku?"

Kougyoku huffs, unwilling to lose.

"Ah, Lady Centola. I haven't seen you in a year, I believe"

"Perhaps a little longer" Centola agrees, motioning to Asad. "My time in Kou was short, but made sweet by the presence of Your Highness and the Lord Holy Keeper. Please, let us remember our peace and talk with less...haughtiness" Oh, Asad remembers how Kougyoku and Centola got along.

They were friends alright, but the kind that, despite liking one another a lot, competed in almost every subject their female minds could agree on. From sewing to cooking to make-up, they went to the extreme trying to assert dominance. Asad makes his way over to Kougyoku, eyeing the fallen King with caution while stepping beside Kougyoku as her comrade (and to make sure that Ahbmad doesn't even think of touching the Princess' fine kimono-dress).

Then, on que, they're disrupted by a certain purple haired King.

"Apparently talks of a perverted King were true" He mumbles to himself, and Ka Koubun shushes him, raising an eyebrow. The De Coverna flips her hair over her shoulder.

"King Sinbad!" Centola greets, bowing slightly to him. He looks surprised to see her, and lightly bows his head in acknowledgement.

"Lady Centola, what are you doing here?" Sinbad asks, looking over his shoulder to Kougyoku and Asad, who watch their interaction carefully. "Shouldn't you be with your maidservant? She's been going ballistic I hear, and Ja'far has taken quite the beating because of it"

Centola laughs, somehow happy to hear about Khadeja's aggressive response to her actions. The Shadow almost rolls his eyes, but withholds and instead glares at the men and woman accompanying the island King.

"As amusing as that thought makes me, I'm here for another reason" She sobers up quickly. "I came to help Alibaba. He's in here now, defending our country. We are going to make Balbadd into a republic with no inequality whatsoever. At the moment, I'm also seeing if I can perhaps persuade the Holy Keeper to free Bad of her obligation to Kou and to being lenient on Balbadd" Asad stiffens. Of course that's her game plan.

_Evil bitch._

Asad sighs loudly, stroking Hachi's yellow sheath.

"Which the answer is 'no', Lady De Coverna. I am in no place to dissolve Badroulbadour's citizenship, nor duties to Kou"

"Won't, or can't?" Centola asks sweetly, smiling still.

"Won't. Frankly, I don't feel like it. She is who she is, my Lady. And for Balbadd, being lenient will do nothing but allow more space for them to fight and drag others, such as King Sinbad here, into the battle. A republic? Ha! Tell me, Prince Alibaba," He turns his dark glare onto the blonde, who doesn't flinch. "What good will that do?"

Kougyoku smiles, though it's hidden behind her draping sleeves.

"What do you mean?" The General by Alibaba's side asks. The Shadow was hoping someone would take the bait.

"Balbadd's trade rights, maritime rights, air and land rights, basically all of it's rights, belong to us, the Kou Empire as collateral for the massive debt you've assumed" Asad smirks, sweeping his stare across the soldiers and Kings alike. "To put it simply, everything Balbadd needs to function belongs to Kou. Isn't that a problem for a 'republic'?"

"I am aware of that." Kougyoku looks smug, but Asad feels the danger coming on. Quickly he begins to grasp for any other leverage to hang over the third Prince. "Balbadd transferred it's rights to you, but I would like you to nullify those terms!"

It takes a minute for those words to sink in, and all at once the chatter and shock finds it's place among the room's occupants. Alibaba goes on to explain that because the monarchy is gone, a new country has been born. A fresh slate, one that would never agree to the terms previously stated.

_That's...That's some twisted reasoning!_

* * *

After a while, Bad calms down. The vision of Gyokuen dissipates, fading like a sunrise, and she relaxes in Aladdin's warm arms.

"Miss Bad, are you feeling better now?" The magi asks softly, worry in his voice. She doesn't remember his voice being so soft, so young. In the Other, it was more mature, and calmer, surer. But that doesn't mean she doesn't like it all the same.

_I could never dislike anything about Aladdin._

"Yeah, I'm sorry...I...Had a nightmare" Aladdin helps her sit up, placing her on the floor beside him. "I didn't mean to cling to you like that…"

"That's okay" The blue haired boy says brightly. "We're friends, right?"

"Eh?" Bad blinks, blushing. "Friends? B-but-"

"Mhm! You helped out when Judal attacked the Fog Troop, and I'm very grateful to you for doing that!" The pinkette lowers her gaze.

"I...I don't think we're friends, Aladdin" The boy blinks.

"Why not?" He asks curiously. Bad scoots away, looking down at her hands.

"I just don't think that's possible"

_You need to hate me, can't you see that?_

"But why-?"

"Aladdin" A new voice interjects, the same one that had spoken to her before she freaked out. "Welcome back to the Sacred Palace" Bad whips to face the voice finding-

A head.

WITHOUT A BODY.

_HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!_

"H-Hey- W-wha, You!" Bad points to the head, eyes wide. "You don't have a body!"

The bodiless* head laughs.

"You're right little one. Sadly, my body was destroyed when I fought the Holy Keeper and Princess of the Kou Empire" Bad blushes.

"Sorry about that…" The head merely smiles at her.

"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. I was too rash"

"U-Ugo?" Bad's heart stops. This...Is Ugo? The one who raised Aladdin? "Is that you?"

"Yes, Aladdin" Ugo then looks down to the white blob-like figures beside him. "Could you roll me upright, please? I made these creatures. It was too quiet without you" Now upright, the Djinn smiles very gently at the children.

"Are you feeling better, little one?" Bad looks down shyly, nodding.

"Yes, but...Why am I here?" Now that she notices it, her body isn't fully...Done. The lines of her arms and legs are wavy, distorted almost, flickering in and out of existence. "Did we...Die?"

"Die?" Ugo asks, and Aladdin jumps in, nodding.

"Yeah, our bodies are all wiggly!" He demonstrates by moving around, showing how the colors of his outfit and hair blur together as he moves. Ugo laughs.

"You two are fine! But Aladdin, you were in danger. Your reckless behavior almost cost you your life. I wanted to bring the other magi here too, but I couldn't because of interference" Bad purses her lips.

"You mean Asad, right?" Ugo's blue eyes flicker over to her. "Don't take it personally. Asad's just an overprotective brother. I'm sure if he knew it was only you wanting to speak with him peacefully he'd let Judal through, but...Well…"

"How did his Rukh get that way?" Aladdin asks carefully.

"What?" Aladdin scratches the back of his head, alternating between looking at Ugo and looking at Bad.

"Miss Badroulbadour-"

"Just Bad is fine" The blue haired boy smiles slightly.

"Oh, uh, Bad, I've notices that all the people who are friends with you have Rukh that are...Weird"

"How so, Aladdin?" Ugo questions, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, Miss Centola for example. Her Rukh are close to white, but the more I've been around her the more I've noticed that they are pink in color. And Mister Eren, I haven't been around him much, but his Rukh are green. And Mister Holy Keeper's are purple" Ugo furrows his eyebrows.

"That's not possible- at least, the green and purple Rukh are unheard of. The Rukh around people in love generally turn pink, but you say the ones around Miss Centola are always pink?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it" Bad hums, drawing their attention.

"I see. It's not surprising you don't know about it. It's because of who they are" Aladdin tilts his head.

"Who they are?"

"Yes. They are…'Fused' with me" The magi furrows his eyebrows the same time Ugo does.

"'Fused'? What does that mean?" The Djinn asks.

"You've noticed it, haven't you? My own weird Rukh that take the shape of roses? Well, that's because of an incident when I was born years ago. You see, when I was born, I was born with an excess Rukh. This was sent off to…Oh, seven different people. Because of this, they have Rukh that are not only infused with Solomon's will, but mine as well. That, included with their own ideas and beliefs created an entirely new form of Rukh. Hence the changing of color" Ugo watches her with wide eyes.

"But you were only a baby! How could you do that at birth?"

"Ah, well, Solomon owed me one" She grins saucily.

"How-"

"I cannot tell you" Bad answers sincerely, getting to her feet. "To tell you would be absolutely impossible, unless Solomon himself allows it"

"Bad…" Aladdin whispers, standing as well. "I don't know a lot about the world, or about you, but I would like to ask you something despite my limited knowledge"

The pinkette looks away, but nods.

"Why…" He reaches out and takes her hand. "...Do you look so lonely?"

"..."

"Why is it you always seems so sad?"

"..."  
"And sometimes, you're unnecessarily cruel to the people around you to make them hate you. Why is that?"

"...I already told you, didn't I?" She snatches her hand away, glaring at the space between his eyes. "You and I are different type of people. You have friends and people who love you, and I...I have my 'servants' and my goals. I'm cold, and that's all I'll ever be"

"But little one-" Ugo's words are cut off the moment Bad's Rukh flare up, enclosing the space around her, curling up her legs. The vines tangle as they climb to her waist, but still twist over her arms and drape across her shoulders. The roses bloom, contained by the white Rukh which hold onto them tightly.

"Thank you for spending this time with me. I'm sorry again I caused a mess"

"Wait, I need to show you something!" The Rukh pause, waiting. "Please, you still have white Rukh, and a chance to come back from depravity. You and Aladdin need to go and see the truth of the world, and gain something from my Master"

Bad hesitates.

And then shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, Ugo. But…No matter what, I just can't handle any more of Solomon's words. I've had enough of them for two lifetimes" She feels really tired suddenly.

Tired of staying out of full depravity, tired of fixing and mending and changing her plans. Yes, it seems so much easier to just decline Ugo's offer and go to sleep once more.

Her Rukh, both black and white, thicken their hold around her, and Aladdin reaches out again to touch her, pull her out from her cocoon.

"Bad, let's do what Ugo says! I'm sure it's important"

"I'm sorry, Aladdin but I told you twice already. We're not friends. We'll never see eye to eye. I made sure of it, you know. And besides, my 'servants' need me"

"But I...I want to be your friend!"

"...Really? That...I think it's impossible, but I'm glad even a horrible girl like me could capture the interest of such a nice and kind person" Bad smiles widely, finding a new energy in her heart. "Thank you for making me feel special, Aladdin"

She's gone before he can answer.

And when her eyes flutter open, they are greeted by green Rukh.

* * *

Catrina sighs, watching as her skeletons sink back into the earth.

"I wonder how things are going up there…" Morgiana agrees, looking up to the Palace's largest tower.

"I hope Alibaba and Centola are okay"

* * *

"This…" Asad bites the inside of his cheek. No matter what, he can't lose, not if it means his country would fail to find a foothold in Balbadd. Asad had never really felt patriotism before, but Kou is home. The people living there, despite for his dislike of the nobles, are innocent and hardworking.

The old ladies on the corner who sell him little bits of fabric at a discount price, and the young man at the fruit stand who's trying to court a maid an entire class higher than him in secret, and who Asad helps deliver messages to from said maiden.

The perfect, orderly buildings, the elaborate gardens, the cherry trees and clean air.

Yes, Kou is _home_.

His Princess and Alibaba go back and forth, Sinbad even stepping in and stating that Balbadd is going to join the Seven Seas Coalition. Asad thrashes his teeth until the idea pops into his head.

"Ah, that's great, King Sinbad!" Asad bows his head in mock respect for the King. "However, might I say, there is one bit of trouble we have yet to settle, right my Princess?"

He could tell that the Eighth Imperial Princess had lost the fight, and was on the verge of giving up. Despite this, he knows one way to continue.

"What is this?" Alibaba asks slowly, unblinkingly.

"If this new republic is separate from the old government, as your twisted reasoning goes, the rights of this new government belongs to the people. However, the debt that was amassed was from the people, not the government!" The revelation sends ripples through the crowd. "You see, the money borrowed from Kou was in the name of economic recovery, to help the people, though I doubt it was actually used for that reason. Yes, we can present the case of nullifying our hold on the rights of Balbadd to the Emperor, but then how will you repay us, Prince Alibaba? What means do you have to settle to huge debt you the Kou Empire?!"

"Simple!" And out of no where, a pink haired child flies in through the window, being carried by a white haired man to the middle of the crowd and smiling cheekily at them all. "I'll pay it!"

"Bad!"

* * *

"Well...She seems...Nice" Ugo laughs nervously. Aladdin looks down sadly.

"Ugo, I don't understand. Why does she say we'll never see eye to eye? All I wanted to do was be her friend…"

"...Some people...Are just scared of getting close to others" The boy cocks his head. "That little one has locked up her heart to all but the ones she shares Rukh with, those 'servants'. I may not know who she is, but I've seen some of the secrets she keeps in the darkest folds of her Rukh. Scary secrets, ones that shouldn't ever see the light of day, nonetheless fall into the wrong hands. Aladdin, this may seem strange right now, but I'd stay away from her. That child has seen things no normal human can stomach"

"But…" Aladdin shakes his head. "I can't just stand by as she suffers"

"Then...Pull her toward the light"

* * *

"What?!" Asad steps back, confused. Bad winks at him, being placed on the floor by the man. Then, in a flash of blue light, the strange clothing and markings fall away and in the odd person's place stands Eren.

"You heard me, Holy Keeper. I will pay off Balbadd's debt. I've have quite a bit of savings, you know" Bad snaps her fingers, holding out her hand. Eren takes the purple bag around his neck off and hands it to her.

"Something that small couldn't possibly-" She unties the string, pulls it wider than it should be for a bag that tiny, and holds it upside down. Instantly, a thick stream of gold is poured out, from coins to crowns to necklaces- even chests fall out!

So bright that it blinds them all, the riches of Badroulbadour stream onto the main hall of the Palace, enough to buy an entire country. Before the entire bag is emptied, Bad pulls it upright again and closes it, giving it back to Eren.

"Here. That's enough, right? It's all yours, paid in full!"

"Why...Would you do that?" Asad questions, locking his jaw. Bad grins.

"Because I wanted to" Bad giggles, hugging Eren around the waist. "Now that the debt Balbadd owes Kou is dissolved, you all can leave!"

"Not so fast!" Asad shouts, fisting his hands. "This isn't from Balbadd!"

"Then give me a hat and call me a representative!" Bad growls, letting go of her older friend and motioning to all the gold mounds now covering the floor. "I paid it, it's done. Kou no longer holds anything over Balbadd. If you disagree, then go back to your country and present it to the Emperor!"

"I...Just tell me why" The Shadow straightens, pursing his lips. "I don't understand why'd you do this, Badroulbadour. In Kou, you're a-"

"Shut up. You want me to tell you why? Easy. I did it because I oppose my step-mother" The child laughs, uncaring of who listens in. "I'll always take the opposite side of her, and do whatever it takes to ensure victory. Even paying off a country's debt! I will stand against her cruelty no matter what measures it'll take to win. Right, Eren?"

"Yep. The servants of Bad will stand against that woman as long as she wishes it" Eren lifts his cuffed hand, the magic circle glowing. From the sidelines, several large bags are summoned toward them, laying on the floor as the gold is lifted into the air and loaded into them. When all of the cloth bags are filled to the brim, the corners lift up and fold themselves tightly.

"There. You have your payment, now leave Balbadd"

"Tha-"

"Alright" Kougyoku interjects, holding up a hand to stop Asad from arguing anymore. "I will let my Father, the Emperor, decide what to do on this matter. On one condition!"

Bad stands with her head held high, eyes hard.

"You, Badroulbadour, must come to Kou and present this payment yourself! And King Sinbad, if Balbadd does join the Coalition, prove it as well! You both must do this before the Emperor's eyes!"

"I promise to pay a visit" Sinbad agrees, and Bad frowns, but then grins again.

"Why of course, as long as I don't have to speak with my step-mother" Bad smiles brightly. "I hold no qualms!"

Kougyoku turns on her heel and strides out of the room, Asad frowning and then sighing deeply, moving to leave as well.

"Ah, Asad!" Stopping, he fixes his old friend with a dark expression. "When I come to Kou, I would like to have an audience with you and Judal as well. As the Holy Keeper, you keep track of the Priest's schedule and set times for meetings, no?"

The Princess and her assembly of guards wait by the door.

"...I will make arrangements. Send me the dates of when you'll be coming"

"I will do so as soon as possible"

* * *

And they leave. Simple, right? All that fighting, and then the enemies just turn around and walk away without their weapons even being drawn. Kougyoku and her party found their magic rugs and Asad went to retrieve his brother as an uneasy chatter fills the main hall. Eren chuckles quietly, opening the purple and blue bag wide and summoning the bags of gold to enter the magic item, keeping it safe until Bad and him could fulfill the promise made to the Eighth Imperial Princess.

Bad yawns, pulling on the end of his sash and holding out her arms lazily. Eren swoops down and picks her up, smiling a little as his adopted little sister lays her head on his shoulder sleepily.

"That was tiring~" Alibaba is surrounded by soldiers and Balbadd officials, all speaking at once about the new government as Sinbad thanks his comrades for coming to help.

Eren holds his younger sister close, listening to her steady breathing as she clutches the fabric of his sash between her fingers.

"Thank you for helping me, Eren" The man had found her some how, drawn to a random building where on the inside the pinkette had laid unconscious, holding onto a large misshapen bag, which he proceeded to hide away in their magic item. "I'm sorry for spending our Dungeon gold to pay off Balbadd's debt"

"That's okay" Eren shrugs, watching with amusement as the action makes her head loll. "We usually steal our necessities anyway, so it's not like we've used it for much the past four and a half years"

"Geez, hanging around me you'd think you'd be greedy. I guess you're too stupid to care"

"I'll take that as a compliment"

"Four and a half years" Bad repeats, amazed. "It's been that long?"

"Feels like an eternity with you around"

"You took the words out of my mouth"

"Oh shut up"

"Eren?" The two turn their attention to the three people behind them.

"Hey guys!" Eren greets happily, shifting Bad in his arms so she could meet their gazes head on. Centola stands beaming beside an unnaturally calm Alibaba, and Sinbad smiles at them with a hint of suspicion.

"Bad, Eren, I want to thank you" Alibaba says, his eyes intense. "Even if the circumstances behind your actions may be just to annoy the Kou Empire, I'm still thankful you did this for Balbadd. Thank you"

"Words I never thought I'd hear" Bad snarks, wiggling her eyebrows. "Look at him Eri*, the Prince-y _finally_ became a man after years of waiting in torment!"

"I'm proud of you Alibaba" Eren says, smiling widely. He purposely ignores Bad's quips. "You even were able to achieve your Djinn Weapon Equip!"

"Really?" Sinbad pipes up, eyes brightening.

"Really?" Bad groans, laying her temple on the knot of Eren's jaw. "I'll have to deal with a teenager with flames now?"

"You had to before too" The blonde glares.

"Puh-lease! Two days ago you were a wuss"

"Was not-"

"As amusing as watching you two quibble like children is," The Temptress comes between them, chasting lightly, "I believe we have a country to save. Thank you, Bad. For everything"

Bad blushes, hiding her face in Eren's shoulder.

"Well, I said I'd help you, so...Yeah, I don't mind…"

* * *

Alibaba dislikes it when Bad is biased.

He says 'thank you' with the utmost sincerity, and she uses the chance to annoy and tease him into a knotted up ball of anger.

Centola says 'thank you' and she humbly accepts it, blushing like a cute little girl holding onto her elder brother.

Of course, it's not just him. Sinbad, Kassim, Hassan heck- even Zaynab (which is strange considering Bad is usually very sweet to women) have gotten the wrong end of Bad's snaps and insults, scathing words that break apart the stones shielding their private lives and insecurities.

And then there's Eren, who agreed with him about Bad's misgivings, holding the child like a fragile bouquet of roses in his arms. And Centola, who- according to what Khadeja has let slip- doesn't get along well with Bad on everything is still allowed freedom from the child's bitter torment.

Why is Alibaba excluded?

It's like they're their own club, connected in some way that gives them free passes on Bad's lists of victims.

Totally uncool.

But he isn't going to let the brat find any other reason to bully him, and turns back to the soldiers. He's doing it. He won't let it show right now but Alibaba is elated. Finally, after years of worrying and lose he's back home.

"First we need to establish an interim government. The people will choose representatives from among themselves to form an assembly…"

And it won't stop here.

With Centola by his side, he'll go and make peace with Kassim. They'll hug, make up, and work together to make the new government. Kassim will elect people in the Slums who are trustworthy and would make good officials, giving insight on the people are suitable for government.

Centola could tell who's lying and who's not, making candidates for office only the most truthful. And, Alibaba muses to himself, it not a bad thing she's beautiful and charming. the people outside will listen to her and share her sentiments if she were the wife of an official making an announcement. Not just any government worker though- they'd have to go through Amon's sword and Kassim's black fog blade before laying a single finger on her- and even then dodge the occasional swipe at their backs.

The idea of Centola marrying- despite her having entered the age to do so- gives him a nasty headache, so he stops thinking about it and carries on with what he's saying.

"I want a full democracy in which anyone regardless of ethnicity, background or wealth can participate equally. What do you think?" Choruses of 'let's do it!' and 'alright!' give him strength in his bones.

"But will it go smoothly?"

* * *

The 'Banker', or Marrkio, steps up to chide Alibaba's idea of equality. Bad decides maybe she does want to hit him.

"Here too, someone will appear who wishes to be King. Mark my words"

But she doesn't. Alibaba rebuffs Marrkio with his steadfast ideas and signals to the guards to prepare for a proclamation. While he does that, Bad has Eren make their way to Marrkio.

"Marrkio!" Bad gushes, having been place on the ground. "How's my step-mother's right hand man?"

"Better in your presence, Milady"

"Ugh, 'Milady'? Gross. Better than you calling me by my real name." She smirks. "If you know it, that is. Eren, Centola" The two come up behind her, following as she leads the man out the doors of the main hall and down the hallway just by ordering him with a strict, "You'll be good to have a word with me"

They make it out of sight and hearing distance from Sinbad and all the Palace workers.

"Listen Marrkio" She says, in a bored tone, "I have a…Message, for Gyokuen."

"What's that?"

"Well, I'm not joining Al Thamen, for one thing. For a second? I'll make it blunt" The Banker scoffs at her word choice.

"When aren't you blunt, Milady?" The pinkette rolls her eyes.

"When I come to present the gold to Kou as a payment for Balbadd's taxes, I am coming for that reason alone. I want nothing to do with Kou"

"Why not? Your family-"

"My family" She says the word like it's acid in her mouth. "Doesn't know I exist, and that's the way it should be. I intend to become an ally of Sindria. Warn Gyokuen that she'll have to go through his army and mine if she wants to play. I'm not her puppet, I never will be, and I will never, ever, lose"

Her lips twist, sneering at the man who watches her with his all-knowing smile.

"Your Rukh already gave her the message, haven't they? Well, I don't expect a response"

"Our Lady Gyokuen will not be happy, Milady" Bad barks out a laugh, turning with Centola and Eren at her heels.

"Good. If she fits the role of 'step-mother' nicely, I'll be inclined to applaud her for following my lead"

* * *

Centola's making her way out.

And so is Bad.

"Where're we goin'?" Eren asks, tagging along for some reason. The Temptress had listened to Badroulbadour tell off Marrkio and felt a bit of admiration for the way the girl is able to face anyone- man, woman, child or adult- with ease and a confident air.

Though sometimes the child can be arrogant, Centola understands why so many powerful people have chosen to follow her.

Some might say Centola is on the verge of doing the same, but if her stupid estranged not-actually brother can save himself from Bad's enticing darkness, then she can resist it too, for what really matters.

"Kassim" Centola replies to Eren's question, the name surprisingly and heart-wrenchingly good on her lips. "We're going to help him"

"Ah, okay" Eren face shifts uncomfortably.

Centola doesn't need to ask why.

When in the courtyard, they hear Alibaba giving his speech.

"Follow me!" Bad winks at them, pointing around the side. "There's a servant's entrance around the side; Asad told me about it when he helped me escape the Palace"

"What?" Eren asks, lifting an eyebrow. "I thought he dragged you there in the first place"

"Er, I'll tell you later! We don't have time to lose!"

* * *

"So I heard Balbadd is now a republic! You say you will return the country to the people and distribute it equally among us! But that's all...Just a **scam**, isn't it?" Confusion sweeps through the minds of the citizens, who listen as Kassim speaks. A few connect the dots quickly, though hide the horror from their faces. "Return the country to the people? They built it with their own sweat and blood! It has always belonged to us!"

Out of the corner of his eye, a young woman begins to cry, wiping at her face rapidly.

"Whose incompetent government was it who crushed us and stuck us with the bill? Surely you remember the taxes that stripped everything away. The hunger...and your families...Dying" Kassim spits the word, almost imagining the frail, thin corpse he loaded onto the carriage years ago in his arms once more. Of coming home, victorious in a cruel way, to find the girl he cared most for crying hysterically over the form that was his loved sister. "A republic, you say? That won't bring back the dead! Will it erase the monarchy's sins? No, it will not! The royal family is…"

He meets the gaze of the man who was his brother firmly. The girl falls to the ground, sobbing now for no reason other than over what she's lost.

"An **enemy** for us to eradicate!" Scarlet fog seeps into the skin of the people listening, turning their hearts from supporting Alibaba to supporting Kassim, bringing forth a tangible anger to the surface.

"You're wrong!" The red fog is met with a pink mist, which plows through Zaynab's magic and disrupts the balance. Those not swayed step back from the ones who are, starting fierce arguments. Kassim meets the gaze of the girl who he cared most for.

"Centola…"

"Kassim, I don't think what you're saying is true. Nay, I can't believe it's true" The fights settle as the people turn to look upon the most beautiful woman in Balbadd, facing off against the most influential man. "You're right. King Ahbmad was cruel, and vicious. I know because I lived beside you. Did you forget that, Kassim? I was born and raised in the Slums of Balbadd, along with you, and Zaynab, and Hassan...So many people I met, so many I learned to love. But I lost most of them. My mother, my friends, my teacher. But you were always beside me, and I never thanked you for doing such kind things for me"  
Kassim bites his bottom lip hard.

"But I've come to realize that...If we hate the royalty, and blame them for all suffering and misfortune, then isn't that just an easy way out?" She turns her foggy green eyes to the silent people, who turn away from her clear words. "We fought against them with our wills. And now, through our faith that an end would come, we can all live together now, happily"

"Equality won't bring back my daughter!" A woman cries. Shouts of agreement come from all sides.

"I never said it would!" Centola roars back, straightening to a height amplified by her flashing anger. The pink mist curls around their feet, and some stumble back, falling into the arms of other Balbaddian citizens "Who ever told you it could? The past is the past, what's happened happened. But the future, one where no one else dies is possible! Why fight it? Save your family, don't wallow in misery. That's no way to live"

"Centola…" Kassim shakes his head. "Butt out of this. This isn't the place for cheap pep-talks"

"Cheap?" Centola repeats, quietly. Then, with her entire honey voice, she screams so everyone can hear, "I'M A CITIZEN OF BALBADD! I WAS BORN HERE, I LIVE HERE, AND I'LL DIE HERE. SO DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TO STAND ASIDE!"

She strides toward Kassim, eyes dark under her bangs, and he gulps once she's only five feet away.

"This is my fight too!" She says, still loudly but no longer screaming. "I refuse to be anywhere but here"

"But Centola, aren't you of noble blood as well?" He never dreamed of going this far. Centola falters in her steel gaze, the truth hanging heavily between them. A curtain of thick velvet, black as the night. "Are you defending the monarchy just because you might die as well? Or is it because Alibaba is a Prince? You're biased! It's in your blood, you'll always want to be crushing Slum rats like dogs-"

"I'm no...I'm no different!" She stutters.

He remembers when he first saw her. Her hair was to her shoulders, and her eyes gleamed brighter than they do now. Of all people, she's the one he can always see clearly in his mind. Alibaba, Mariam, even Anise have gotten blurred about the edges of his memory, but she'll always remain sharp.

It was an afternoon, he thinks. She was with Alibaba, as usual, though he didn't know that then. Centola was so tiny, sitting beside the much bigger Alibaba like a little doll. They were only a year apart, yet the girl looked smaller than she would in two years when she suddenly shot up in height as an eight and nine year old.

Her head leaned against his arm as he worked on carving a wooden stick roughly, making start-and-stop jerking motions with his hands that made her bounce up and down from where she was positioned.

He wanted to go over and tell the boy that he was hurting her. That he was being foolish, and that the girl's well-being meant much more than some stupid wood. But the most delicate laugh was emitted from the little girl, and he realized to her it was a game. She felt no pain, only a child's joy when they don't understand something but don't care either. He was glued to the spot.

He began to see those two blonde children everywhere. From junkyard street where the boy held the girl's hand and guided her through the throngs of people, to the old dead tree where the youth'd climb up and tell the maiden the safest way to follow.

He thought they were siblings, but she was too sweet and considerate for the rough-housing boy and he was too brave and quick-temptered for the fragile girl. Yet somehow, they were a perfect pair, friendly to everyone and always smiling.

For a while, Kassim hated them.

And then, when he got the courage to speak to the blonde boy, he got frustrated and nervous and ended up punching him right on the nose. They fought for a long time after that. He'd catch a little girl with hair touching the bottom of her shoulderblades hiding sometimes, biting her nails behind a wall as the boy fought him and others, but he was too shy to go say hi.

Look what happened with Alibaba last time he tried to be friendly.

So he stayed away, until the Blonde Brat (as he dubbed Alibaba in his head) was shoving his face in the dirt and was ripped off him by another person. He quickly looked up, afraid an adult had shown up, but it was just the Delicate Girl (as he dubbed Centola in his head). She was scolding Alibaba, apologizing to Kassim and offering her hand.

He didn't take it.

He's not sure why he's reminded of their days as youths, but still doesn't concede.

"How? You're a descendant of royalty from Kou, aren't you?" He's not sure if this is correct information, but doesn't care. She has some tie to that Empire, he remembers that she's spoken of it. "How can someone who has that blood speak of Balbadd's people? You're practically one of them"

"No-"

"From Kou?" Someone in the crowd whispers, anxious.

"Why is she here? They're the ones who've done all this!"

"Pretentious Royal!" Another shouts, loudly. "Get out! Kill her, Kassim!"

What?

"Yeah! Kill the easterner!"

"She has no right here!" A flash of fear appears in the Delicate Girl's eyes. She steps back from Kassim, shaking her head until her face is as blank as a board.  
"Killing…?" The sixteen year old takes a breath, keeping calm. "What have you spurred in their hearts, Kassim?"

The peculiar thing happened after she spoke those words.

That neon mist, like a shawl, lurches up and hugs the shoulders of almost every person, enveloping them despite their attempts to break away. Centola's eyes are more glassy than normal.

"Everyone, sleep for now" The girl who was crying before falls to her knees, being surrounded by the mist. She submits to Centola's will, laying down on the ground like every other person, a boy that shares her face resting his head on her stomach. It's like all the fight was absorbed into the air, mixing with the oxygen until it's completely integrated with the atmosphere.

"Hm, that's better than before. Less shouting" Comes a new voice entirely. He looks to it's source, finding the pale, bright haired girl who said she served but is controlled by no one, not even him.

"Bad" He growls, feeling fouler than he ever has.

"You should have done that from the very beginning, Centola. Your skill is undeniable. Good thing I'm on your side" Bad grins, hair flowing behind her as she walks from her hiding place with the green haired mammoth of a man and redheaded she-demon trailing behind, spectators and servants all at once.

"I failed, Badroulbadour" Centola drops her eyes from their gaze on him. "I could not...persuade them in any other way but to limit their troops. If nothing else, I suppose I'm good for that...no?"

"You play weak despite being a strong woman" The pinkette laughs, seeming older, more mature. "Look at what you've done here! Only a portion of the Fog Troop stands due to your generosity"

Centola shakes her head, sighing.

"I don't like this, Bad" Bad stops grinning, narrowing her eyes.

"Hm. Yes, I know that. You've never enjoyed this sort of thing. Don't worry, I'll handle it from here on out" The older woman shakes her head, but Bad skips to her, taking her hand. There goes the maturity.

"Hey, Kassim, you should surrender!" The girl chirps sweetly.

"Surrender? I've done nothing wrong"

"You stirred the hearts of the people, made them to want revolt. Give up and Centola will awaken your soldi- citizens. You will renounce your words, and everything will be fine"

"No" Kassim grites out, looking as sour as a freshly cut lemon.

"Ha! I knew you'd say that!" Bad laughs, shaking her head. "Just too predictable!" Centola shoots a scolding look down at the girl, who blinks innocently at her.

"Kassim, your right. You've done nothing wrong" Centola tells him, loose hair hanging around her, less lively than he remembers. "So do nothing wrong, either. What are you even fighting for?" His men are still standing, surrounded by thick layers of Zaynab's anger-filled scarlet fog, protecting against Centola's pink mist that tries to sneak in past the wall.

"What am I fighting for?" Kassim repeats, biting down on his bottom lip in thought. The gates to the palace open, and out rushes Alibaba and Sinbad. Dark thoughts begin to cloud his mind, taking over. "What I'd like to know, is what you two think you're doing"

"What I'd like to know, is what you two think you're doing" Alibaba comes up beside Centola, pushing her behind him. She stumbles to the new position, peaking out from over his shoulder.

"Us? The monarchy is finished, Kassim! Why do you seem to want bloodshed?!"

"...Equality?" He says the word like it's a sin. "No King? When have I ever said I wanted that?" Black fog drips like goo down from his sword, touching the ground and slinking through Zaynab's fog, struggling to slice through Centola's. Said woman holds her breath in concentration, pushing back against Kassim's magic.

"You...Just want…"

"Listen, do you think that royal brats should live like royalty? And Slum brats should live in the Slums? I don't" The remaining Fog Troop members hold up their black fog blades, activating them and helping out with Kassim's attempt to break the Temptress' hold. Centola gasps and retracts her mist, creating a barrier much like Zaynab's around the guards who've filed in behind them.

Alibaba mentally curses.

"We're all human" Kassim says simply, smirking slightly. He puts his sword in the air, watching with amusement as the giant ball forms. "That's why anyone has the right to be King!" He throws it at them, and the other rebels rush forward, engaging in a fight with the guards.

* * *

The third Prince is frozen by his friend's words, even as the black mass comes hurling toward him.

_Anyone can be King?_

Centola's saying something, and Bad scoffs.

_Why does he want to be King?_

Sinbad pulls several guards back by their shirts, going in to grab him as well.

_No equality?_

The Sindrian King's fingers touch his own rags.

_What kind of world...Does he want?_

Alibaba's racing forward, his sword becoming longer and surrounded by flames. He cuts the ball in two, slicing up the swords of the rebels who come to meet him. Behind him, a child's laughter is heard as he cuts up Kassim's own sword.

Then it's quiet for the blonde. The black steel of Amon's sword is pressed against his old friend's throat, and Kassim glares up at him.

"I'd rather die than submit to something I don't believe in"

"You've done all this for your own ambition" Alibaba growls. "You've endangered everyone for this stupid idea of yours that you want to be King"

"Whats wrong with my idea?" Kassim bares his teeth. "You know I came for this fight. So go on. Kill me." He stands, eye to eye with the blonde.

The dreadlocked man takes a deep breath.

"I SAID KILL ME!"

**Slap**

When did she get there?

Alibaba retracts his sword, just as shocked as Kassim by the actions of their mutual friend who stands with her hand outstretched.

"C-Cent?"

"Way to backhand him!" Bad cackles from behind.

"Again with the killing?" She asks softly, laying her palm on Kassim's cheek. "Why do you want that? Do you think that dying'll prove something? Because it won't. Once you die, that's it. You don't get to stay behind and watch your justice be served"

Kassim opens his mouth, but he makes no sentences form.

Amon's sword reverts back.

"Don't you know that if you become King, and there's no equality, we can't see each other anymore?" Alibaba moves to stand on the other side of Centola, feeling like he's intruding on a personal moment.

"That's not-"

"I understand, okay? I know"

* * *

And she does know.

She's known him better than anyone else, even when they were kids. Centola gets that things are hard, so, so hard for the Slum-folk. Getting up at the crack of dawn and thinking, 'Why me?', and going to bed thinking, 'finally', is one of the toughest things she's ever known, because she's experienced it.

Kassim and her, her and Kassim, they've gone through so much. Deaths of people they love, parties that make them feel alive for the first time in months, cleaning and working and trying so that those bills waiting at home can be paid…

It's hard.

It's painful.

It's the life they've been placed in.

And she does know why he wants this.

Not because Jane had read it, or because she knows his backstory, but because in the end, she wants it too.

Ah, Centola was too proud and ashamed to admit it, but the splendor of the royals, their beautiful light that casts the dark shadow on the Slums is just too wonderful as she and Kassim and every other mud-blooded Slummer curse themselves and die day after day.

"I know what it's like to want to be a royal" Yes, Centola was too proud and ashamed to admit it. "To see them up there, high above us...God, I can't describe it. I never understood why we got thrown to the wolves when we were born, but when I looked up and saw something that- maybe, just maybe- I could have? There was nothing more brilliant than that"

Centola lets out a shaky breath.

"But...If you become King, and get what I've always wanted, then…" Using her thumb, she strokes his rough cheek. "...Then someone else'll just take your place. In a number of years, they'll want what you have. They'll die for what you have. And it'll be a vicious cycle that no one can escape"

"But I-I always-"

"I know"

"And you-"

"Yes"

"Can it really-"

"Of course" She takes his hand. "Of course" He squeezes his eyes shut, really, really, hard and then nods.

"Okay"

"Really?" Alibaba asks, eyes wide. Kassim ignores him.

"Everyone, stand down!" He yells, and all the fighting stops. The mist and fog sinks into the ground, evaporating, and Centola smiles widely. She drops her hand from his face as he is looked at by every member of his Fog Troop.

"Maybe a republic is what Balbadd needs. Besides, this way we'll be able to change it directly if it goes in the wrong direction from what we want it to" From the sidelines, people groan and yawn as they awaken, stretching their arms in confusion.

"Kassim…" The blonde by her side looks hopeful, happy. Centola takes his hand as well, squeezing it.

"We did it" She whispers to him.

* * *

Bad snickers.

"Idiots"

"You say that lovingly~" Teases Eren, who rubs her back. "You're glad things ended up this way!"

"Am not"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"R2-D2?" Catrina asks, giggling

"Ha-ha" Eren replies, rolling his eyes. Then he pauses. "Wait, R2 was the, uh, gold dude right?"

"...Yeeeeees?"

"No he's the rolly...Blue and gray...Cylinder guy. That somehow has a brain…? I didn't really understand it when I caught sight of it during my look into your lives" The pinkette scrunches her face up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. 'Look into our lives'? What'd you see" The girl blinks, and then grins wickedly.

"Oh, all sorts of things Eri!"

The oldest wraps his arms around the two younger girls.

"Idiots" He whispers, kissing the tops of their heads. "Stupid idiots"

"Double negative" Bad murmurs back, hugging the muscled arm around her. Catrina does the same, tilting her head back to see Eren's face as he processes what his annoying younger sister said.

"Oh shut up" And together, they watch the happy ending.

* * *

It doesn't last long.

* * *

Cause you see, there's something they forgot. Something, that unfortunately, _he_ didn't forget. So _he_ made sure, a while ago, that everything went as _he_ wanted it to.

The safety net. The back-up plan. The next step.

In case, just in case, his chosen warrior failed. And it did fail. It left him with no choice, and he decided to unleash his last trick on the crowd of newly awakened and rejoicing citizens.

"Curse you" He says, looking down at every person in the square. "You, Sinbad. You, Alibaba Saluja. You, Centola De Coverna!"

He raises his staff.

"And you too, Badroulbadour, though that's not your real name. I will have my final say in this matter. My final mark on Balbadd! There's no way Al Thamen will lose, not to any of Solomon's chosen lot!" The magician points his staff at the carrier of his back-up plan, grinning widely. "Yes, even if you don't curse your own fate, I do! This world, this country will Fall! Curse you, Kassim!"

* * *

_"Mister Kassim" Flickering his eyes upward, he meets with the weapons dealer. His dark eyes are shadowed by his wild hair, and the man speaks with a smirk. "May I interest you in some new items?"_

_Kassim sneers at the man._

_"I'm not in the mood to make deals" He turns away, but the man talks again._

_"Are you sure? Trust me, this is interesti__ng"_

_Kassim hesitates._

_"What is it?"_

_"These are special pills" The weapons dealer opens his hand, and three black pills. Kassim squints at them, and the man chuckles in his bartone. "Take one and you'll gain im__mense power"_

_"...what do y__ou mean?"_

_"Each one contains a special magic elixir in concentrated form. I learned of this formula from a friend of mine, but I made some adjustments, of course. One pill will increase your magoi and stamina tenfold" Kassim looks at the shiny pills, and then back at the dealer. There are many shady things he's willing to do, but this is a bit…_

_"Hand it over"_

* * *

That was a mistake he should have never made.

Kassim doesn't start to feel nauseous until Alibaba starts to explain that Kassim and him have come to a peaceful agreement, and even then it was just a tiny bit of nervousness that was fluttering in his stomach.

And he doesn't have to fight to keep himself calm and not gasping for breath by the time everyone started cheering.

But then Centola notices.

"Kassim? Are you alright?" The girl who had been by his side the whole time asks in concern, putting a hand to his forehead. "Did you use up too much magoi with your weapon? Maybe you should rest-"

"I'm fine" He utters hoarsely, clutching his stomach. His vision doesn't go dark, but there are spots of light dancing in his eyes, distorting the world around him. His lips feel too clammy, his body feels too tight, his brain overloaded with sensations until the noise of Centola calling for Alibaba becomes muddy and loud.

He coughs.

And then all he sees is red. Literally.

Hot liquid flows thickly from his mouth and nose, and from his eyes spew forth blood as well, coating his face until there's barely any skin he feels that touches the air.

Centola lets out a small shriek, and Kassim falls to his knees, pain exploding in every pore of his body.

Agony races through his veins, tearing at his brain and blockading aid or anything to ease the constant churning of his guts. His muscles seem to expand outward, but Kassim doesn't feel it. What he does feel, numbly, is the straps to his Fog Sword snapping off, breaking into even smaller pieces than before as his skin turns a deep, tar black.

_What?_

He looks again. Yes, his brain says between letting out shrieks of pain that his physical self mirrors, That's you.

_It can't be._

The shiny hands- no, claws, seem to gleam like polished metal, and he almost aches to warm them in the blood of that girl over there-

He gags.

W-what?

H-he doesn't want to kill anyone-

_**Of course you do.**_

Kassim doesn't feel himself start to lose consciousness, but it's a battle he can't win.

_**You're me. You're a monster.**_

* * *

"O-oh dear" Bad manages, watching as Kassim transforms into a beast unlike any other. "T-that...I don't know what to say"

"U-um, how about we...Stop it?" Catrina whimpers, clutching onto Eren's own shaking arm. "L-let's get…Going…"

"We...Can't just stand here" Eren adds, gulping in breaths as he tries to process what in God's name is happening to the poor boy.

Bad connects the dots quickly.

"Yeah, let's kick Marrkio's ass" She growls angrily, but her legs shake when she takes the first step toward what was Kassim and is now a Dark Djinn.

"I never knew anything could be so terrifying" Catrina whispers, following Bad closely.

"Things still scare you after my training?" Bad tries to joke weakly, but Catrina can't tear her eyes off of the Djinn.

"...I will never be scared of normal things again" She squeaks, holding onto her scar. "And this is nowhere near normal"

Bad takes a single, loud breath, and takes Sheba from Eren.

"Let's go! Eren, go to Alibaba. Catrina, help the citizens" She looks up, feeling herself being pulled toward an unknown sources of similar darkness. "I'll deal with the Banker"

* * *

"Quit being so slow!" Khadeja yells at Ja'far, smacking his arm. Ja'far holds in a hiss of pain after she once again inflicts pain on the same exact place she's hit a hundred times in the past hour. "We need to get to the Palace!"

"You…" He forces his words down, instead growling deeply.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have to be so mean if you'd stop stopping to triple check every friggin' thing!" Ja'far blinks. Did she just-

"No I didn't read your mind, stupid" She deadpans, rolling her eyes. "What are you, twelve?"

"Okay, you know what-!"

"...Ja'far" Masrur starts in his baritone.

"No, I'm done with this violent-"

"Ja'far"

"-Disrespectful-"

"Ja'far"

"-Self-proclaimed servant! And another thing-" Masrur lays his giant hand on Ja'far's head, twisting it until his neck snaps toward the Palace. "What- Wait...What is that?!"

And then, upon realization that it's definitely not human and completely a monster, the screaming reaches them.

"Goddamnit" Khadeja shouts, pushing past Ja'far to get a better look. She cusses. "Fine, Masrur, Ja'far, let's clear the city! Evacuation is number one priority"

"What about Centola and the others?" Ja'far asks, and Khadeja's fist clench.

"We'll...Just have to trust in them. God I hate this!" She squeezes her eyes shut. "This is one of Centola's stupid rules!"

They say nothing, but Khadeja still tells them, as if she needs to explain.

"Centola always says...If there's trouble, save the helpless first…"

* * *

Aladdin awakens to the sounds of screaming.

He doesn't moan from the throbbing of his head, he doesn't move from his position. Instead, he takes a few seconds to recall the way he was before he collapsed. He didn't know anything.

And now, he knows everything.

_So what?_

That's what a part of him says.

_You're still you._

But is that true? He's no longer just 'Aladdin'. No, he's now...Aladdin. Son of the most powerful magician-King to have ever existed. Son of God. A Prince known only by Djinns, an heir to a Kingdom that was destroyed.

Not to mention...He's the son of a gentle and loving mother. Son of a Queen who shouldered the burden of an entire world and almost, almost succeeded. He's a little boy without a family, without a home.

_That's not true!_

...That's right. He sits up, scanning the empty room, and holds onto Ugo tightly. Why is he having these thoughts? He's not alone! He has Alibaba, and Mor, and all his friends! There's no reason he should be depressed about the past. He couldn't change it even if he wanted to, so the only option is to accept that it happened and forgive the world that it happened.

He stands, takes off his magic turban, and runs toward the open window.

* * *

Have you ever had a nightmare, and then woken up at the second before the monster attacks? And, you know the feeling after, where you knew it was a dream and it didn't really happen but you're still scared? Well, Alibaba does.

And he knows that the reason he would still be scared despite this knowledge is because that monster does exist in your head. So you stay awake. You calm yourself, but the lingering claws of that demon are scratching the back of your min, and you're too afraid to sleep once more.

Alibaba wishes this was like that.

Selfishly, he prays that this is a nightmare. He'd give up everything- his Djinn, the government he just fought for, meeting all his new friends- if this would just be a terror his mind came up with, and Kassim and Mariam and him are cuddling in the dark by his mother's warm side. That he's a little boy in the Slums, owning nothing else but the clothes on his back.

He'd give up everything, if Kassim wasn't the monster he sees before him.

How did this happen?!

"K-Kassim?" Centola asks shakily, stepping back in fear. She falls on her bottom, looking upward with the most fearful expression he's ever seen on her face. And then she screams.

The monster raises his hand.

Alibaba lunges, wrapping an arm around Centola and shielding her with his back to the incoming slash of the thing that was their friend. Until, roughly, they're swooped up by two pairs of surprisingly thin arms. The blonde is torn from Centola as a result, and his head snaps up to make sure she's alright.

Centola stopped screaming, but in Catrina's arms she hyperventilates, taking too many shallow breaths.

"Morgiana!" Alibaba greets thankfully, calming his racing heart. "Thank God!"

"Alibaba, do something!" She yells, coughing up dust. "He'll kill everyone-" She's interrupted by what appears to be a black ball aimed toward several guards. Instantly Catrina and Morgiana are off, shooting across the length between the guards and where they were like lightning bolts, and gathering up men like sacks of flour.

"He's aiming for the Palace!" Someone screams.

Flipping over, Alibaba races for the gate, running inside and looking for a latter, or a staircase that could bring him ontop of the gate to somehow stop Kas- the Djinn.

Speaking of which-

When did the ball get that big?!

Choking down his fear, he gives a startled cry as the Djinn prepares to launch the darkness toward the Palace.

That's when he hears someone shout,

_"Balance the scales, Myeshia!"_

A blur of blue and black and there Eren is, in all his Djinn Equip glory, using his bow as a median to push back the black Djinn. The Djinn roars, pushing forward with his black ball as Eren does the same, the wings on his sandals flapping furiously as the two forces create a forcefield of pressure.

"Alibaba!" Eren yells, struggling against his opponent, "Do it now! Your friend has been possessed by a dark will! Someone-"

He coughs, blood splattering on his chin.

"-Has planned a seed of blackness in his heart. If we don't stop him now, he'll kill everyone! Finish him off!" Alibaba is horrified. Finish him off? The friend who he cared most for? How can anyone expect him to be able to do that?

"Only your sword can" The familiar voice does nothing to calm him. It's small, soft, but guile. "I know he's your friend, but there is no other way but this. If you don't, I will"

"Bad…"

"Do it" She doesn't yell, doesn't cry, just lays out the facts. Do it, or don't.

It's not as though he couldn't, though.

"Ready!" Eren probably meant it as a question, but it doesn't come out that way. Using his strength, the Dungeon Capturer overpowers the Djinn and swats the black orb into the sky, pointing his hand downwards and commanding,

"Down"

The monster screeches hideously as it hits the ground.

He screams as he launches toward the Djinn, sword poised with flames.

* * *

"You did it"

He did it.

But it didn't go through. The black Rukh blocked him, forcing him to go through a burst of magic just to see the root of the Djinn: Kassim. Alibaba falters, and is thrown into a wall. Bad sighs, irritated.

"I'll let fate have it's way. For now" She launches up into the air, scanning the skyline for black Rukh. Where is he-

"Hi shorty. How's it hangin'?"

"Just peachy~" She sings, twirling around to face the magi.

Judal snorts.

"What're you doing with these losers anyway?"

"I could ask the same" She smirks. "Why hang around with Marrkio and Asad? Marrkio is just trying to control you, and Asad's a murderer"

"Don't you dare say that" He hisses, taking a swipe at her with his wand. She spins out of the way, pointing Sheba at the magi.

"Don't speak the truth? Don't tell you about the horrible, despicable things he's done?" Bad laughs, feeling a rush of power flow through her. "You know what? I won't say anything about Asad. But as for Marrkio, I intend to kill him. So, pick a side. Al Thamen, or me"

"You're no different from them, Bad" That's a low blow, though he doesn't know it. "Their Rukh are black like the night, but yours are darker. Even if you are hanging by a single thread of goodness, how do I know you won't snap and kill everyone?"

"Because that goodness is the only thing keeping me alive" She answers honestly. "If I lose it, I won't kill anyone, I won't become filled with anger. No, I'll just hate myself, and, if I'm being truthful, I will commit suicide"

He jerks back as though she'd burned him.

"I know I probably seem insane" She states, holding Sheba to her chest, sighing contently at the reassuring buzz it emits. "I can't give up. I...Winning is my only path!" She twirls her stave in her fingers, pointing it at Judal once again.

"I don't understand" He states, his eyes glittering. "But what I do know, is that you're a pretty interesting girl, Badroulbadour!"

"My Oracle- oh, and Milady" Marrkio appears, cloth draped over his face. "May I join the conversation?"

"No" Bad states happily, launching herself into Judal's waiting arms. She loops her elbows around his neck and kisses his cheek, grinning at the Banker. "But we have a new topic we'd like to discuss!"

He snakes one arm around her waist to hold her and uses the other to point his wand at his old teacher.

_"Ice spears!"_

* * *

There are times in a man's life when they need to make a decision. Coming out to one of the many balconies and seeing his brother fighting against their oppressor? That's one of those times.

What's the decision, you ask?

Whether or not to help. Cause you see, it's not just Judal Asad has been protecting for all these years. No, it's been Judal and Kougyoku.

Which plants an idea in Asad's head.

Which makes him feel like the world's ending.

The decision is not whether or not to help, he realizes. It's which side should he pick.

And, as he takes a minute to compose himself, he motions to Bad, who notices from over Judal's shoulder.

He mouths four words followed by five more, and then turns on his heel, going to grab the spare magic carpet to ride back to Kou on. Judal and Marrkio won't be needing it.

_I'll take his place._

_Until you can save me._

* * *

Bad doesn't sigh, but smirks.

Just as she planned.

_"Hey Gyo~Ku~En!"_

_"I would like to cash in that favor you owe me"_

_"Leave Asad alone, please...and don't hurt my dear friends"_

_"Hm? My friends? Catrina, Centola, Eren, Kougyoku and Asad, of course!"_

What?

Did you think she'd leave Judal out and not save him? She's cruel, but she's not stupid. Not helping Judal out would fuck things up royally, and she's doesn't really feel that's the way things should be.

So she planned. She worked the situation and planted subliminal messages in Asad's mind, so that when she turned Judal to her side, Asad would still work with Al Thamen and help with the kinks.

Yeah, she'll let Asad handle Kou. Snuggling up into the black haired magi's embrace, she silently grins and watches Marrkio scream as the ice tears through him.

_You're mine now, Judal~!_

* * *

The fight rages on.

Morgiana prepares to throw Alibaba up to Kassim for the second time, her hand in position beneath Alibaba's shoe.

And Centola can no longer stand in shock.

"Alibaba" She says, coming up to them. Catrina had gone to evacuate the fighting and chaotic citizens, and had left the Temptress alone with only her friendly smile as a goodbye.

"Cent- get behind me!" He commands, holding up his broken sword, panting heavily. But you know, there's only so much hiding a person can do before they need to come out. She bends down and touches the warm metal, uncaring that Alibaba is telling her something- she blocks it out.

She takes a deep breath, and then, sinking out from her pores a pink mist unravels like a curled up ribbon. It slithers its way up Alibaba's leg and arm, running circles over the black edges of Amon's sword.

"Here. I'll give you some of my magic and magoi" Centola's voice cracks for the first time since she can remember. "Just...Just do it qu-ick, okay? I...I've always stood behind you, but that's not an acceptable place now. I have to learn to face things with my own two eyes, not glance at them over a shoulder...No matter how scary such a concept is…" Alibaba's staring at her, an unreadable sad feeling in his eyes. He takes her hand, kisses it and nods in acceptance, looking grave.

"You don't got to stand behind me...Just be safe, alright?" Centola nods, releasing him and stepping off to the side.

She grasps her hands together, watching as Alibaba is thrown into the air like a slingshot, mentally memorizing the picture.

_Kassim…_

Tears escape her, falling onto her cheeks. Behind her, a large hand lands on her shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Centola" Eren hushes her, comforting and reassuring. "Trust in Bad. She'll give you the world, if you ask it"

* * *

"Hm"

"So how does it feel?" Judal plays with the wooden doll in one hand, in the other hold the child.

"I don't really feel anything. I know he's not really dead but...I don't think I'd feel anything either way" Bad laughs, nuzzling him.

"You're too cute~ Well, come now, let's go see whether or not Alibaba's dead" Judal pouts, not moving an inch from where he floats.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes"

"Uuuuuugh" He groans, shifting his weight and flying slowly toward the sounds of chaos. "This sucks"

"You dug your own pit"

"Don't mean I gotta claim it!" He retaliates, landing on the wall. Then he whistles, eyes wide. "Damn, what is that thing?"

"A dark Djinn" Bad replies, waving a hand toward the monster as its swipes Alibaba out of the air and moves to squash him into the ground. "It used to be a friend of mine"

"...And?"

"And what?"

"What do you want me to do?" Judal deadpans, rolling his eyes. "That's probably why we're here"

"There's nothing I want you to do. I can handle this on my own" Bad states. "I am not Al Thamen. Now that you're with me, you're free to do as you please. Just don't be too troublesome, 'kay?" He blinks.

_She...Doesn't need my help?_

"Then why'd you ask me to join you in the first place?"

"Because you're strong. And you're easy for me to get along with. And if I let Al Thamen win by manipulating people, I'll never forgive myself" She let's go of him, and in turn he does the same.

"I don't really get it" Judal says truthfully, scratching the back of his head with his wand. "But you don't have to explain. I'll understand, soon"

"I hope so" She responds, pointing her staffat the Djinn. "Let's see if I can-"

They're interrupted by a flash of white light.

"Ah! He's here!" Bad giggles, pointing her staff toward the center of the light. "The white magi!"

* * *

Bad can't help but watch him as Aladdin offers his hand to Alibaba.

"What a nice guy~" She coos, hugging Sheba to her chest. Behind her, Judal huffs.

"Yeah, if you like short guys" She pokes him teasingly with the end of her stave.

"Jealous?"

"You wish!"

So they watch as Sinbad asks Aladdin to summon Ugo and as Aladdin relates to them that Ugo is gone.

Bad sighs.

"Do you have a thing for nerds or something?" Judal asks cooly, and Bad pokes him harder until he hisses.

Then they watch him summon a heat giant.

They watch him push back the dark Djinn.

And they watch him activate Solomon's Wisdom.

"Goddamn!" Judal exclaims, laughing nervously. "What the hell is that?"

"The pathway to truth" Bad explains, turning her head to face the magi."Now, Judal, go ask Aladdin to use it on you"

"What?" He asks, staring at her with his red-ringed eyes. "Why?"

"Because if you do this, he'll be able to show you the truth aboutyourself, and where you come from"

"No-" Bad grabs Judal's wrist, roughly glaring at him.

"You'll be able to understand everything Asad's done for you!" She shouts. "Come on!" She pulls him toward the edge, letting go and jumping off.

She lands slowly with Sheba's help, and silently too. Aladdin whips his head in her direction.

"Bad!" He calls and said girl lowers her head in acknowledgement.

"Aladdin" The name is too familiar to her, so she clears her throat and tries again. "You don't have to use Solomon's Wisdom on Kassim. I think there's another way"

"What?" He asks, and Alibaba is up in a second.

"We can save Kassim?" Bad shrugs.

"Possibly. Here, Aladdin. Let me show you my wisdom!" She lifts Sheba in the air, satisfied with the way it glows a bright yellow. "Centola, Alibaba, come to me!"  
In her mind's eye, she can see the Rukh gather to her. She can see Centola fall to the floor, her spirit being carried over to Sheba's light, as Alibaba does the same.

_Thank God Aladdin taught me this in the Other._

Speaking of the boy, he catches onto what she's doing, helping by urging the Rukh to go faster.

Throwing Sheba down, she launches the mixed Rukh of Centola and Alibaba toward Kassim, satisfied with the way it hits the Djinn and throws it backwards, stomach becoming a swirling mess of black and white birds.

Bad feels dizzy suddenly, and falls to her knees. Judal's there in a second, gripping her elbow and glaring at Aladdin.

"Oi, shorty, you okay?" He asks, kneeling to her height.

"Judal!" Aladdin yells in surprise, and everyone else is staring at the magi. He gives a shit-eating grin and scoops Bad up, though it's mainly because the girl no longer has the strength to move.

"God I'm weak" She grumbles.

"Yo, chibi! How's it hangin'? See you got yourself into a messy situation with a Djinn" He cackles. Bad would roll her eyes if she didn't feel so drained from handling so much Rukh at one time.

_He's never good with people he doesn't know._

"Put Bad down" Aladdin tells him calmly, inching forward. Judal glances down at the girl he carries.

"What, she your girlfriend?" He gets wicked then, putting his face close to hers. "Jealous, chibi~?"

"She's my friend" Bad's heart stops then in there in happiness.

"Bo-ring"

"Give it a...Rest, Judar"

"Judal"

"Whatever" The magi sighs amusedly.

"Fine, only because you asked so nicely" He places her on the ground again, still steadying her as she stumbles. "Jeez, don't get so loopy on me!"

"Aladdin" She says again, liking his name too much. "I have a favor to ask you"

"And that would be?"

"Show Judal the truth"

* * *

First, Judal sees a town. Then, he sees a woman with black hair, a man with black hair, and two children with black hair. They look so happy, staring into his baby face, kissing his cheeks and telling him they love him. Then there is blood. His parent's blood. And his sibling's blood. And fire, the fire of his town- of his family.

There's nothing left.

Until, of course, the scene shifts, and he's looking into another happy family's house. A father with strong features, a mother as gentle as mothers are. A daughter, with soft brown hair touching her fat cheeks and sparkling blue eyes. She holds onto a baby, humming a little melody she takes out of a bird's mouth.

She slips a black locket from her neck to his, adjusting it in size so it fits him right.

Next thing you know, she and the baby are standing outside of a doorway, peeking through as men with cloth over their faces speak with the two parents. There's more blood, and the girl holds the baby close, trying to escape except for the men blocking the way.

More blood as the daughter and sister cries,

"Asad, Asad!"

"Welcome to your new family, Asad"

Why's he seeing this? Asad- this- this isn't his Rukh-

A purple Rukh flutters in front of him.

He wants to cry.

The baby grows, and grows, and grows, until the child is older, rougher. He glares from under his brown eyebrows at the hooded men, who say,

"Give it a shot, Asad" The boy licks his lips and does, face contorted as the light ripples, bends- and snaps at him, knocking the boy to the floor as he starts to scream.

"What's wrong-"

"-His body rejected it-"

"-He'll die if he doesn't conform to the magic" The child flops like a fish on the floor, his brown hair changing, soaking up an old silver. The blue of his eyes leak out, and are replaced by black, an onyx that still holds the sparkle of his family, but lacks joy. His even his eyebrows turn dark.

The scene is replaced by a new one, but he closes his eyes to it, sucking in a ragged breath.

"No more!" He screams. "No more, please!"

* * *

When Centola wakes up, she wakes up with her head in someone's lap.

In Kassim's lap.

His eyes are looking up at the darkness, hands absentmindedly stroking her hair.

"Kassim-"

"Alibaba's fighting half of me" He tells her, looking down at her with his brown eyes. "He's fighting the half of me that hates him. The half that only knows suffering. I don't know if he'll be able to win or not"

"And what half am I fighting?" He smiles crookedly.

"You're not fighting anyone. I'm me. I'm...The half of me that loves you" She swallows the lump in her throat. She sits up, taking his hand.

"Please tell me you'll live"

"Maybe" Kassim says sadly, squeezing her hand. "But what life will I have once I go back? Will things really go back to normal?"

"Of course" She says, and it scares her to know that she really believes what she's saying. "It'll all be fine"

"Centola, I love you" He sighs, biting his lip. "Not like a sister. Like a lover. I have always loved you, always. I can't imagine being somewhere where you're not"

"Kassim, don't-"

"I'll say it!" He yells suddenly, passion gripping him. "I love you! I'm not afraid to say that maybe I love you too much! All my life I've denied it because why should a fair and lovely maiden like you have to get stuck with a worthless mug like me? I'm dirty blooded and fowl and no where near as wonderful and beautiful as you- but, but, I still do! And...And all of this was for you"

"What?"

"All of this! The fighting, the Kingdom" He urges, eyes wild. "All of it. Like you said, we in the Slums have all wanted to be King. I just figured if I made that a reality, Icould make you happy. I could abolish the monarchy that treated the Slum rats like dirt and then...Make you my Queen"

"Kassim, stop" She pleads breathlessly, trying to take her hands away. His grip is pure iron.

"But then Alibaba got there first" He spits. "He got there first and did what I was meant to do. He was better than me, just like always. That's why you love him more than me, right?"

"I don't-"

"RIGHT?!" She flinches at his tone, and struggles against his bruising hold. "Yeah, right! He's always been better, sooo much better! And what am I? Nothing, that's what. You and him were meant for each other- same kind mothers, same stainless spirit! I bet you wish I was never around-"

"No!" She yells back, pulling him forward by his hands. "I never wished for that! I love you too, Kassim!"

It's quiet, painfully so.

"You're lying"

"No, I'm not" She blushes bitterly, water obstructing her view. "I have always loved you. But you know what? I love Alibaba too. I don't know why, but I do an- and I wish things could go back to before, when we all lived so happily together. I miss that…"

_**You know…**_

_Let me be selfish, just for a minute._

She kisses him. She tastes the smoke and familiarity of home and likes it, and he kisses her back. A pain flickers in her stomach. A physical, pulling pain.

_"Give me back,_

_What you took years ago"_

Kassim lurches back, and under his robe a mark begins to glow. Centola starts to cry.

"You're the liar" She says hoarsly. "You're the liar!" He blinks, and then falls into her lap.

Centola leans down and kisses him, for the final time.

"My God…" She breathes, shaking her head. Her face contorts, wrinkles forming on her forehead as her jaw locks. Tears sprint madly to her eyes. "I love you. I love you so, so much"

He's asleep in her arms, all love and obsession disappearing from his heart as her magic leaks back into her body.

* * *

Alibaba won his fight. But he didn't say goodbye to Kassim. Instead, the part of Kassim that hated him lead him through levels of the Djinn's body and to the one where Centola sits with the real Kassim in her lap.

"Centola!" She looks to him, eyes red with tears.

"A-Ali!" He hugs her, and then shakes Kassim's shoulder.

"Kass, you okay?" There's no response, but a heart beats under his hand. "Is he alright?"

"I don't know" The Kassim that lead Alibaba to them lays his hands on their shoulders.

"Kassim-" Centola starts, but the phantom just smiles.

"I'm sorry" He says. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything!" Alibaba replies, but Centola looks down.

"We...We're…"

"Yeah" Centola says, squeezing her eyes shut. "You, Alibaba and I. We're a team" The brightness is so intense that Alibaba doesn't know if the sun was even like this.

"I...I'm so happy!"

* * *

When the Djinn broke up into a milion pieces, Bad whooped and laughed.

When Alibaba and Centola dragged Kassim out from the carnage of black Rukh, Bad jumped on Aladdin and hugged him senseless.

When Aladdin activated Solomon's Wisdom again and allowed the dead Balbaddian citizens to return and say their goodbyes, she let go and gave him space, choosing to settle in her place in the shadows with Eren, who holds a shivering Judal.

When Kassim woke up, she almost started to cry.

But she didn't cry, because that's not who she is.

* * *

"It was never real" Bad confirms, voice sad. "I'm...Sorry, Centola. I really, really am"

"You know what sucks?" Her voice is tiny, defeated and feather soft. But that doesn't mean it isn't slurred all the same. Alibaba, Kassim and Centola had had a reunion unlike any other. Kassim gave Alibaba his earring as remembrance, and the two now wear matching ones. But Centola was putting her aunt's training about keeping your feelings in check to good use the entire day, and when she came into Bad's room at the Palace later that night, she opened a bottle of wine and took startling quaffs.

"What?" Bad asks.

"I love Kassim. That sucks. But what's worse...Is that I'm almost relieved he didn't love me in the same way"

"Cent…"

"He can move on. Forget this as a childhood obsession with a girl that gave a damn, and never know that if he'd ask it, I'd marry him on the spot" The strawberry lowers her head in her hands, croaking out the rest of her drunken speech. "Nope! It's all fine. He'll look forward, and not back. Not to the days under the hot sun together, sharing the pain of losing two mothers and two siblings. Not to the day he killed his father in order to protect me. Not to the night he danced with me under the moon and by the desert flowers that I really, really fell in love without admitting it. He'll marry, have kids, move on...And I'll be here, a cursed De Coverna, moving endlessly from place to place"

"Centola, please-"

"No. No...Why didn't I tell him how much I loved him? If I stayed with him the day before I met you- told him about these traitorous feelings, I might have my own little Kassim in my arms right now- or in my belly, at least. Alibaba might have returned to a Fog Troop that really were chivalrous and to a nephew" She's sobbing now, clutching at the little girl who, frightened, can only stare at the beautiful woman becoming a mess in her lap. So sad, she's dreaming of a life she could've had. So drunk, she's forgotten Temptresses can only have daughters. "Why did it have to be this way?"

Here it is.

Her chance.

"Because of fate"

"...Wha?"

"Because of all the awful people in the world who wish harm to people different than them. Asad, Kouha, Koumei, Muu, Sinbad, K-Kouen, Gyokuen" Bad stares into those mirror-like eyes, making herself serene, truthful. She strokes the strawberry waves gently, like a mother. "All those horrible, evil people who stand against us"

"Stand...Against us?"

"Yes!" Bad pats her head, like she's a dog who correctly performed a command. "Let me in, Centola. I'll show you- truely- the world I've experienced"

"...Y-yeah…" Bad smiles wider, and then floods Centola's senses with black Rukh filled with memories.

"Take her to my bed. She can sleep here tonight" Bad tells Eren, who complies, plucking Centola off the ground. The Bird sits on the chair the Temptress had occupied, biting her lip.

"So you showed her?"

"Centola refused for the longest time to work with me, but now I think she'll be more willing now that she knows the whole truth- the one I told to you and Eren" Bad grins, sipping her water.

"...I will never go against you, Bad" Curiously, those red eyes stare at her. "I doubt you sometimes, but I trust that you love us and hate the Other too much to want anything other than peace in the future"

"Of course I do" Bad whispers. "That's why I cursed my fate, except for the parts gave me happiness. I'll do whatever it takes to cure this world of it's sicknesses"

"Meaning Gyokuen"

"Meaning every bit of evil. Al Thamen, Gyokuen, Asad and Judal- if need be- every bit of darkness. I will not tolerate anyone who thinks it's alright to have Il Illah's black Rukh. And if Sinbad doesn't change, well, I've always wanted to smack him around a bit"

Eren comes to them on the balcony, shivering at the night air.

"Ya idiots, come inside. And Bad, I get it. This world is effed up, and it's our duty to change it. That's why we're here...that's why we're different from everyone else" Eren shakes his head, managing a slight grin. "Now no more angst. Let's live happily together from now on" Catrina brightens at the statement, taking her friend's hands. Eren and Bad look to her as she giggles with sincerity.

"A family. Siblings united under the shared prospect of a shiny, white-Rukh world" The Fanalis-Amala looks to the skies. "It's a promise, like the one we made years ago!"

Eren snorts.

"Yep. So basically we got a muscular and dimwitted man, a friendly (they can be nice?) Fanalis, an assassin with a soft spot for his little brother, and a incredibly beautiful girl who hates violence. And they're all being lead by an insane ten year old. Tell me again how they are going to save the world?"

* * *

I'M ALIVE. HOLY SHIT.

Yo minna! I finally posted this! The past month has been _torture_. Studying, play practice, soccer practice, studying, homework, Finals this week...

I should go to bed.

***Catrina's Chant:** Persephone is the Greek Goddess of flowers that is kidnapped by Hades, the Greek God of the Underworld, to be his wife. In essence, when Catrina calls herself 'Persephone', she is also calling herself the Queen of the Dead.

***Eren's Chants:** I've noticed that many Dungeon Capturers use different chants, so I've decided that this will be Eren's Djinn Equip chant and the other one in the last chapter will be for his Djinn Weapon Equip.

*****Bodiless is a word. You learn new things everyday.

*****Eri is Eren's nickname.

**Clarification for Judal:** For those who are confused, Bad told Gyokuen her list of friends, and left out Judal. This is so that Gyokuen would then target Judal instead of Asad in order to save the Shadow from darkness and also to make Judal attack the Fog Troope that night in Balbadd. Which went as she planned, at the price of Judal learning Asad's profession and creating a rift between the brothers. Of course, Bad being bad, doesn't care that much.

**Kassim: **I DID IT. GOD HELP ME. Honestly though, he was gonna die. I was gonna kill him off so brutally- but then I thought wait. What if his feelings of revolution were only based off of Centola's magic that was sealed into him, and thus making his depravity...Well, false? AND SO KASSIM IS ALIVE. Just to clarify, Centola's influence really did help Kassim. He didn't fall, it was just the pills given to him that made him change into a Djinn. And, he had Centola's magic within him. It's just that Centola was able to realize this and break it the seal, thus sort of calming him and 'defeating' the half that she was 'fighting'. Plus, I figured since in AoS Ja'far turned into a dark Djinn and survived, why couldn't Kassim?

MORE CLARITY AND EXPLANATIONS COMING IN NEXT CHAPTER!

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~

**PS: **Who's your favorite character? And your favorite ship? Just wanna know


	16. Chapter 15: When it's Not Fair

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIFTH ARC:** Sindrian Days

CHAPTER 15: When it's Not Fair

* * *

How did Kassim survive?

Because he didn't curse his fate.

Someone else inflicted such a curse on him, and forced him into the position he was in. The metal vessel didn't make him into a Djinn, a man-made poison did. The dark bombarded him with all the reasons he shouldn't accept the world he was placed in, and let go of everything he's known.

And then, he was saved.

He was shown that Alibaba and him weren't all that different.

He was told that the woman he loved loves him too.

But his obsession wouldn't have let him live, the chains of insanity tight around his feet. So Centola erased it. And together, they escaped the dark prison.

* * *

Aladdin wish he could say he saw the dark Djinn's defeat, but truth be told he was having a hard time seeing anything except that ecstatic smile on Bad's face. Especially when she whooped loudly and hugged him, jumping up and down in excitement.

Her arms wrapped around him so tightly he thought maybe she was trying to strangle him, but then she was laughing and waving at Centola and Alibaba who pull Kassim from the mess of black Rukh and he realized she was happy.

It looked different from what he thought it would.

And nicer, too.

She meets his gaze and presses her cheek against his, giggling.

"Nice teamwork~!" She jokes, and Aladdin laughs.

"Yeah, thanks Bad!" Then she lets go, her cheeks pink.

"Um, hey, maybe you should put that wisdom of yours to work" She suggests quietly, twirling her hair. "It can talk to people's Rukh, right? Maybe that's what Balbadd needs…"

Aladdin blinks, and nods, making a mental list to watch Bad, especially since she holds-

_Sheba's stave…_

Aladdin's eyes widen as Bad strokes his mother's staff, polishing the long handle with a gentle hand.

_But...Arba was the one who had it last…_

The magi smiles weakly.

"Yeah, I'll do that right now!"

_Could it be that she is really…?_

* * *

Eren held Judal in his arms, looking at him with concern. The poor shivering magi was whimpering in his nightmarish sleep, tugging at the older man's sash with clawed hands. Gently Eren rocks him, letting his inner father out to calm the teen.

The Chandlen watches how Bad practically pounces on Aladdin and has a total girl-moment, and then she steps away, ghosting toward him with her long straight hair caught in the wind's fingers.

"Whelp" She starts, cracking her neck, "Look like things are about to get gushy!"

"Gushy?"

"Got a better word?"

"Well-"

"A-Asad…" Judal mutters, his eyes flickering open. Bad motions to Eren, and the man leans the teen in his arms down to her level.

"Hey there, wuss" Bad coos, brushing the hair out of his eyes. "Take a rest, alright? It'll be better in the morning" Judal barely looks at her, turning in the Chandlen's arms until he goes back to sleep.

"Poor kid" Eren tisks.

"Don't worry about him. I've already made arrangements"

"Bless your foresight" The girl snickers, watching the white Rukh spirits dance in the air toward their loved ones. "Do ya think we'll be seein' anyone?"

"Maybe my mother, but I doubt it. I don't believe she ever really loved me"

"What? That can't be true-"

"Then she wouldn't have died!" Bad snaps, and the green haired man winces.

It gets quiet.

"Besides, I don't want her to come" Eren watches the way her eyes flicker back and forth across the courtyard, watching for something.

"You don't?"

"Will you be seeing anyone?" She changes the topic. Eren shrugs.

"Don't think so. Unless someone in my family- well, I hope not" Bad smirks.

"You think we'll see Centola's mom?" The green haired man chokes.

"Probably? God you're so- so-"

"So what?"

"You don't just ask if we'll be seeing someone's dead mother!" He hisses.

* * *

What was she thinking when she held his hand in hers, and he suddenly squeezed it?

Joy.

And then, when his eyes fluttered open and he took a breath so deep and alive?

Love.

And when she realized he wouldn't ever feel the same again?

Despair.

Feelings cutting her so deep that water leaks through her lashes and lands on his face, waking him up faster.

"Cent?" He asks dizzily, fingers twitching as if realizing it's cupped in hers. "Ohm...Wha happened…?"

"Kassim!" Alibaba exclaims, sitting him up, inflicting a hiss of pain from the oldest. "S-sorry…"

"Oh God" The man moans, squeezing his eyes shut. "Did I die?"

"No, no, Kassim" Centola cries. "You're not dead"

Then she saw her dead mother.

There, in front of her, glowing all white and beautiful. God, her mother was beautiful. But it wasn't the physical beauty Centola and Zeina have. No, it was a brightness that illuminated her surrounds, just like it does now.

Her hair shines such a lively brown, her eyes the same kind Centola has. Lilliana smiles, so motherly and happy, and she bends down to cup her child's face.

It feels cold, but in a good way, and Centola can't help but smile.

"Mama?" She chokes out, Kassim's and Alibaba's eyes pop out of their sockets.

"Auntie?"

"A-Auntie?" The mother and aunt seems to laugh, but no sound hits their ears.

Then, in a flash of white light, two more figures appear.

One is regal and blonde, and the other kind and shining.

"Mother! And Fa- er, the previous King of Balbadd?" Alibaba looks like he's about to cry. "Um, why are you here?"

"These Rukh are of your parents, but now they are part of a greater flow!" Aladdin explains, coming forward.

"A flow?" Kassim asks confusedly.

"People who die don't disappear, they just join the Rukh!"

* * *

_"They're all connected, and envelope the world"_

* * *

The ones who appear to Catrina are three.

One is tall.

One is long-haired.

One is a woman

And of these three they have different emotions.

The tall one is worried.

The long-haired one is guilty.

The woman is angry.

Catrina knows what they'd say if they were alive.

_"Is your mother alright?"_

_"I...I'm sorry"_

_"This is your fault!"_

And she shakes her head.

"Go away" The Fanalis-Amala says, sighing deeply. She addresses each of the spirits in turn. "I won't tell you about her. I can't forgive you. It's not my fault. You brought this suffering on yourself. And while I killed you…"

She looks to the sky, hoping that maybe her mother and father and family is looking there too and thinking about her.

"...I can't continue thinking that all this is my doing"

She can see the women wrinkle her face in fury.

So Catrina smiles at her, and shows her the scar on her arm.

"But I'll never forgive myself for letting it happen. And I'll never forget that it did. So be happy! You're mark is forever on my skin, reminding me of the homeland I miss"

They disappear, and Catrina is left with an empty feeling in her chest.

"Forever reminding me of the homeland I miss" She repeats, clutching her chest. "Forever and ever"

* * *

_"They flow and never cease to be on our side"_

* * *

Mrs. Gamela is on her left, patting her shoulder with her old wrinkled hand. Lilliana is in front, stroking her cheeks. Shana is on the right with her daughter and babies, showing their faces to the Temptress.

Centola starts to cry- bawl, really. All the people she's loved and lost, there again, consoling her and letting her remember that no matter what, they love her too. No matter how hard things are, they're on her side.

Someone has _always_ been on her side.

* * *

_"It's sad when people die, but we don't say goodbye forever"_

* * *

Bad knew her mother would show up.

But she tried to not react.

"Whoa" Eren blinks. "She's…"

"Don't say it" Two more figures appear, one that rests his hands on her mother's shoulder and another that takes her free hand.

"Who're they?"

"That's my mother's husband, that's my mother's daughter with him, oh, and they're the reason she killed herself!" Eren jumps back like she slapped him. "Hi not-my-dad! Hello half-sister!"

Her mother reaches out, a sad expression on her face, like she wants to touch her.

Bad curls away, waving her hand to ward off the ghostly spirit.

"We're not family" She growls harshly, blinking hard. "You _left_ me"

She spits it, pure hatred in her voice.

* * *

_They are always watching what you do and how you live._

* * *

"You _left_ me alone there, like some piece of garbage you didn't give a **_shit_** about" Bad's sister flinches, as if she wasn't dead. "All because you couldn't live without them!"

Bad's mother looks worse than slapped. She looks like she was punched and kicked and beaten all over. She opens her mouth as if to speak, or explain, but Bad isn't having any of it.

"I will **never** forgive you for what you've done to me" She states, her voice high pitched and cracked like a broken mirror. "You did this to me. I'll never, ever forgive you for leaving me like that! You gave up on me and...It's _not_ **_fair_**"

All three spirits look down sadly. Bad's step-father takes Bad's mother's hand and pulls her back toward the white path the leaving spirits use.

Inside, Bad knew this would happen.

Her mother left her once, and she'll leave her again.

_All for them-_

Something cold wraps around her, but she doesn't feel it at first, until she sees the white glow.

Her sister.

Her sister is hugging her.

* * *

_They are always watching over you._

* * *

"It's not...Why? Why did she love you and not me?" Bad asks hollowly, looking into her sister's face. The girl tries to smile, but it's too hard for her to do this usually simple action. So Bad does it for her. "It's because she loved your father. She didn't love mine, so why would she even consider caring about me? Ah...Yeah...That's it, isn't it?"

Her sister shakes her head furiously.

_No._

Her sister mouths the words.

_I love you._

Bad just looks at her. She's older, but looks younger than her, maybe six, probably five, with the same straight cleanly cut hair that Bad has, although while Bad's is silky and pink, her sister's is the bright color that their mother's is. Her eyes are like their mother's too, something Bad wishes she had, although the only thing she seems to have inherited from her mother is smooth skin and straight hair.

Everything else, the pink hair, the paleness of her skin color, the surprisingly big almond-y eyes for someone of her descent, is from her father.

That pompous bastard.

She doesn't respond to her sister, but droops her gaze to the floor and lets the girl keep hugging her.*

* * *

"Kassim?"

"...Cent?"

"You okay?"

"No"

"Neither am I"

"...Why're you sad?"

"Because...I'll tell you if you tell me"

"...What that guy- Aladdin- said…Ya know, about...People dying, and always watching you...Well, when we saw Mariam I just figured...She couldn't have been proud"

"...Yeah. I felt the same, sort of"

"Really?"

"Mhm. But uh...She's Mari. Our little sister. She'll love us no matter what, right?"

"..."

"I guess so"

"Of course I'm right!"

"Heh. Thanks, Cent. You're like a sister to me, you know that?"

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing! If I'm your sister, than you're my favorite brother~"

"You bet I am!"

* * *

"It's _not **fair**_"

* * *

She kept it in all day, and all night. From the minute they cleaned their wounds and Alibaba and Kassim decided to celebrate to the moment they shut their doors to go to sleep, she kept it all in.

Between drinks and reminiscing and lying about what happened between her and Kassim in the Djinn that he _somehow_ forgot, and through the ordeal of them wanting her to go sing for a gathered crowd to really spice up the celebrating and cheerful Balbaddian party, she kept every little emotion bottled up in a vial so tiny buried miles below the surface that everything she did and said felt like a lie.

Like she was living a play, with the words and motions already planned out, only needing a good actress to fill the role.

And fill it she did.

Alibaba got Kassim's earing and put it through his ear, visibly swallowing the pain as the needle is forced through his cartilage.

"You don't got to do it" Kassim complains, flicking his forehead. Alibaba narrows his eyes and manages,

"I'm a man!" Which just makes Centola laugh (but it's fake, and she knows it).

When she walks the boys to their room and pretends to enter hers, she sneaks out.

And she goes to the only person who could possibly understand.

Bad.

Drinking all that wine was stupid, but it made her feel so much better, and Bad sympathized, and told her that she was innocent in all this!

(Funny. She thought that because she was the one who made Kassim love her, that it was all her fault. But Bad said it wasn't)

Bad was kind.

(Bad was kind)

Bad was gentle.

(Bad was gentle)

Bad told her the truth.

(Bad told her the terrible, burning, _achingly_ **miserable** truth)

But it was the truth.

That's more than what she's gotten from anyone else lately.

* * *

It's under the gaze of a winking moon that Eren sneaks out of the Palace.

Of course, since he needs to leave fast, he uses his Djinn equip to go, flying silently toward the outskirts of the city, the 'package' in hands.

Once he makes it to the rocky cliffs of Balbadd, he smiles down at the man he meets, nodding his head in acknowledgment.

"Yunan!"

"Eren!" They share a good laugh, and then Yunan leads Eren inside his house. "Put your load on the couch" He does as the magi says, and then looks around.

"Where...Where's Yamu?"

Yunan coughs, as if not expecting that question to be asked.

"She, uh, left. To complete her part of the plan"

"Oh. I forgot" Eren sheepishly scratches the back of his head. "Hey, can ya really handle this? Bad says you can but...Well…"

"Don't worry about it, I can handle this with ease"

"Well, good luck. Speaking of which, I'm lucky Sinbad momentarily forgot I had Judal or else things would have been tricky"

"He forgot?"

"Well, maybe fate clouded him. Judal was suppose to be carried off by Marrkio or somethin', so it ain't surprising he didn't realize I had Judal in my possession. Plus he seemed busy dealing with political stuff, so I bet come tomorrow he'll be bustin' down my door"

Yunan chuckles.

"Have fun with that"

* * *

The next morning, Sinbad doesn't have time to bust down Eren's door.

Because Bad snuck into his.

The first thing Sinbad sees is his advisor twirling his blades around in a dangerously close manner, looking a mix between pissed and frustrated.

"Stay still!" He roars, aiming for-

_Khadeja_?

"Not until you promise to stop swinging those things around!" She retaliates, using her knives to block his moves. In her arms, a certain pinkette latches onto her neck, giggling about the absurdity of the situation.

"Fine, I promise!" He aims for Khadeja's arm, but she deflects it skillfully.

"I don't believe you!"

"What is going on?!" Sinbad questions furiously, causing Ja'far to pause in his attacks.

"I walked in here this morning to wake you up, and this one-" He points to Bad with his blade, "Was pulling some prank on you!"

"Wha-?" He tries to get up, but once again his sheets are tied around his ankles, causing himto fall on the floor. "AGAIN?!"

"This is happened more than once?!" Ja'far concludes, jaw dropping.

"Ja'far, then what happened?" Sinbad undoes the sheets with a struggle, grateful he's actually wearing clothing.

"Well, I told her to leave when she-" He points to Khadeja. "Came in looking for me, saw me with Bad and through a hissy fit!"

"_Hissy fit_!?" Khadeja repeats shrilly. "It was not a_ hissy fit_!"

"Thanks for saving me from the mean man, Khadeja!" Bad chirps, being set on the floor.

"Anytime, Bad" She glares at Ja'far. "Especially when your attacker is a man like _him_"

"WH-"

"Ja'far" Sinbad commands, standing up. He sighs slightly and then smiles, going over to the two females. He wasn't expecting having to be charming so early in the morning, but he still takes Khadeja's and Bad's hands, smiling at each girl.

"I humbly apologize for the actions of my advisor. Although, I must ask you don't pull pranks on me anymore, Badroulbadour"

"No promises!" The girl giggles. "But I would like to speak with you, Uncle Sinbad!"

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

He's nOT OlD ENOugH TO Be AN UNCL-

Ahem.

"Alright" He agrees smoothly, motioning to the table and chairs set up by the window in his room. "Let's talk"

Bad picks something up from near the door, lugging it over to the chair closest to her and sitting down, laying her long gold staff in the crook of her elbow.

He wants to ask whats in the bag, oh he wants to ask **badly**, but stops himself.

"What is it you'd like to talk about, Bad?"

"My proposition, of course! This is the time I specified to you, and I'd rather like it if we were able to speak to one another reasonably about certain parts of said proposition and, of course, whether or not you will accept my deal" Sinbad pursues his lips and crosses his legs, leaning back.

"Well, I'd need you to reinstate this deal first, before I make any long-lasting decisions"

"Fair" Bad says, crossing her ankles and leaning forward. He doesn't like the way her eyes glitter. "I would like it immensely if you were to grant me and my colleagues protection in Sindria for a period of time. I am fully aware of your rules about guests, and am willing to offer my services to Sindria during my stay"

"Protection?" Ja'far asks, and Bad smiles coyly.

"I have a tendency of getting on people's bad side" She pauses. "Oh, I made a pun!" Khadeja snorts in an unladylike fashion.

"As I've told you before, I cannot-"

"I told you to consider your options" Bad interjects, straightening and somehow looking years older than she is. "Trust me, King Sinbad, I am not a person you can easily say 'no' to. I have offered you information, services, and even my promise that I would stay on my best behavior while in your country. However, I have much more than that, and I'm sure you'll want to know what it is"

Sinbad bristles, narrowing his eyes at the child.

Sinbad has had a lot of things happen to him, but being talked down upon by a child is not something the High King of the Seven Seas will let happen.

"And I refused you, Badroulbadour"

"So you don't want your metal vessels back?"

"No- **What**?" Bad grins, holding up the bag.

"I was kind enough to go search for them for you, so I just assumed you'd want them. Oh well, maybe I can sell them to Kou-"

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Are you going to accept?" Then he realizes the situation he's in. A magician with an unknown amount of power sits with all his weapons is threatening him, with a skilled servant that can fight off his only current ally standing beside her with her knives already out.

So what's a King to do?

"Now that I consider your bargain, I believe it would be best to agree" He states fluidly, stomping down his bruised ego.

"Glad to do business, Uncle Sinbad!"

* * *

"That girl will be nothing but trouble" Ja'far crows, hands in sleeves. His face is slightly red, probably still upset over the turn of events that had occurred a half hour earlier. Masrur stands impassively beside Ja'far, his eyes watching Sinbad pace silently.

"There's nothing I can do" Sinbad glares at his advisor, lips barely spread apart when he speaks. "I made a deal with the devil"

"You could go against it" Ja'far offers. "You have the metal vessels back"

Sinbad shakes his head.

"No, that won't do. I gave her my word, not to mention that if she goes, Eren and Centola will all go with her, and they're special people I want on my side. Just give me a while, I'll think of something to do with her"

"She's hiding something" Comes Masrur's baritone voice.

"Yeah, I see how all her comrades act around us. Like they know something they're willing to guard for the rest of their lives. But Bad, she doesn't act like that" Ja'far nods.

"It's as though she's an open door. But it's a trick, because she won't tell you what she knows unless you ask it in the specific way she's looking for" The advisor huffs.

"It's not like you to dislike a child" Sinbad raises an eyebrow. "Care to enlighten us?"

"It's Khadeja" Masrur supplies.

"Oh-ho-ho!" The King laughs. "Woman problems, eh?"

"NO!" Ja'far says too loudly. "I don't have a problem with that self-righteous pain-in-my-ass self-proclaimed servant!"

"Oh you poor bastard" The King chuckles. "She's the one"

"...What in that sentence made you think she'd be '_the one_'" The way his keffiyeh shifts to the side of his head doesn't spell good things for the Sindrian King.

"You're gonna marry her" Sinbad says solemnly. "You're gonna end up with that woman and have about ten kids and diapers everywhere"

"Don't jinx me!" The advisor shrieks, sprinting to the wooden table and knocking on the wood rapidly.

"Oh my god she's gonna be bitching at you everyday and pushing you around!" The purple haired man laughs, trying not to get drowned out by Ja'far's loud slamming on the poor table.

"STOP!"

"Mrs. Ja'far!"

**CRACK**

Silence crowds the room. Ja'far stares at the splintered table, and Sinbad siddles up to him slowly.

"Khadeja isn't gonna be happy about that" Sinbad sings.

* * *

"Well?"

"..." Centola sits up in bed. The world seems different now.

"Centola?" Bad asks, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Bad?

_B-But…_

Where is the fire? Where is the destruction, and the pain, and the men in black robes? Where is the chains around a child's feet and constant pressure to be perfect? Where did all the beatings go, and the relief when the black haired and blue eyed woman entered and gave her a loving smile?

How could it all be gone?

And...Aladdin.

Oh, she understands now. She understands more than anyone else ever could about Bad and the terrible, terrible life she had lived in the Other. Some parts were black and blurred, but a partial truth lit the candle in Centola's head and now she knows.

She opens her arms, and Bad crawls into them. They sit there for a while, cuddling in the sheets, pretending not to be thinking about what Centola was shown, but they are, and it's pointless to even say anything.

"I'm sorry" Centola apologizes, yet not in the way most would think she is. She's more than just sorry about the torture Bad experienced. She's sorry for not realizing sooner that Bad was in constant pain. She's sorry about not hiding her feelings as well as the pinkette. She's sorry for always opposing her when she didn't know how easy it was to be on the not-quite magician's side.

And those deep feelings of remorse and grief overshadow all else for those few, achingly tender moments that they stay like that, hugging, on a balbaddian bed.

Neither cries. Neither speaks. Neither resolves to talk it through or have a healthy conversation about Bad's scars and Centola's broken heart.

Because they both know they have to keep everything in.

It's the only way.

Keep everything in.

("It's _not **fair**_")

("Life's _not **fair**_")

* * *

"Say, was the price worth paying, Cent?"

"...Are you asking if I'd do it again?"

"Yes"

"Then yes"

"But was it worth it?"

"What about you? Was doing everything over again worth it?"

"...No. But just because it wasn't worth it doesn't mean I'd never to it again"

* * *

"Hey Bad?" Eren pokes his head in, frowning.

"The Kou fleet has arrived, eh?" Bad asks, cracking her back. Eren nods, coming in. The bed is made, probably from Bad's strangely consistent cleaning routine, and Centola sits looking out at the harbor filled with large brown ships.

"Military boats" Centola shakes her head. "They...They're gonna take Balbadd and change it to-to _Kou_"

"Hey, I'm from Kou~! Don't knock it till ya tried it~!" Bad tries to lighten the mood, though her statement does nothing the cheer the somber Temptress.

"My home..." She sighs, fiddling her with her Balbaddian dress. "My home will be..."

"I-I'm sorry, Cent" Eren apologizes, fiddling with his cuff. "But uh, 'sea currents'* can only push boats of that size ten miles out to sea *yawn* so many times before they're noticed"

The Temptress gives a breathy laugh meant to reassure them.

"Yes, well, I'll gather my things. Is everyone ready?" She puts on a brave face, hands on hips. "Bad, Eren, Khadeja, Catrina?"

"Yup!" Bad points to Eren's purple and blue bag around his neck. "All packed away! We're ready, and Sinbad is alerting Alibaba, Aladdin and Kassim, so we have to meet them-"

"Oh" Eren interjects, wincing. "I...Have something I have to tell you about that"

"What is it?" Bad asks, huffing.

"Kassim...Isn't coming to Sindria"

"_What__?!_" Both girls exclaim at once. Bad bites her lip in thought while Centola rushes up to Eren.

"Where is he? I need to see him!" Eren shakes his head.

"Down by the front gate. You need to be fast, Cent, the Kou forces'll march onto the Palace within the next few hours, and we need to be on a boat out of the harbor by then"

Oh does Centola run. She runs down the velvet hallways, her shoes threatening to slip off her heal, and speeds down the stairs. Her dress tangles between her ankles, so she lifts it up and charges with her knees, getting to the front gate in a record time. She calls out to the arguing Alibaba and Kassim, and tackles them in a hug.

"You idiot!" She cries, shifting her attention to Kassim. "Why aren't you coming with us?"

"...I'm not much of royalty, Cent. And I don't got any special talents I can offer Sinbad, unless you include thievery" Kassim shakes his head, patting her shoulder. "This isn't a last minute decision. I've been thinking about it ever since we went out last night, and now that Kou's here, I know I can't stay"

"Why not?" Alibaba asks dejectedly, eyes glassy. "Where'll you go?"

"I have to leave Balbadd. Last night I was thinking that I'd start over, maybe fix up and run Mrs. Gamela's bar, but now I know that if I stay..."

"What?" Centola questions, confused.

"I've become a symbol of revolution, of revolt. I'm afraid that if I don't leave, I'll cause Balbadd to plunge back into war. I...I realize now that I can't do that to my friends" The thief looks down, avoiding their gaze. "I'm going to go on a journey, just until everything blows over"

"Kassim..."

"Alibaba I...I need some time" He says it confidently, squeezing both of their shoulders. "We'll all meet again, but for now I have to go"

"Ka-"

"Okay"

"What?" The boys say, and Centola smiles slightly, brushing her hair back.

"I...I understand Kassim"

"Cent...Thank you" He gives her a hug, and she uses the chance to remember the way his arms feel, and the smell of smoke and hard work. Was the price worth paying? She wonders over Bad's words, pushing down her snarling, teary eyed emotions. She understands what Bad meant by what she said, _'just because it wasn't worth it doesn't mean I'd never to it again'_. Necessities are things that a person has to have in order to survive. So, if she uses that sense, her pain and heartbreak was a plausible price, a worthy price in order for Kassim's survival.

Right?

And yet...

Centola knows Kassim the best. That's why she'll let him go. But Kassim doesn't know Centola the best. That's why he'll leave.

* * *

His eyes flicker open, but they don't register anything right away. Instead all he sees is black robes, fires, and a sad, angry truth.

So he continues to lay there, uncaring of anything.

"Are you alright?" His eyes flicker to the voice, and he wishes he could be shocked about who he sees. "Need some tea?"

"How'd I get here?" He asks in a monotone. The person chuckles, leaving the room. A second later, the telltale splash of water into a cup is heard.

"Do you actually care, or are you asking because it's usually called for in this sort of situation?"

"The second one" Judal shifts to his side, eyes watching the lines of his hair as it makes a messy attempt to stay in it's hairstyle. "I...Why'd he do it? Why'd he do all that for me?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I'd assume that if someone did something for you, then they must have loved you"

"Love" He laughs bitterly. "Love made him do it?"

"Don't knock love" The person mock warns him, eyes glittering. "You would've done the same out of love"

The magi gets quiet.

"Yeah. I would've." He curls in on himself. "But it's _not **fair**_! He's...He had to protect me for years, all so I could be a whiny brat who thought he was just too lazy to be going out having fun with me. He's twenty. He spent his childhood and teen years doing all of those horrible things because I couldn't..."

"You're right, it's not fair. But do you know what happens when something isn't fair?" Red eyes flicker up to meet blue. "Then it's a person's decision on what's right and what's wrong"

"Yeah?"

"Yes. That person decides whether or not to do something. I guess I don't know who you're talking about, but I know to them, even if it was a biased decision made by love, doing what they did to protect you was right. It was the path they decided to walk down, because it would get them- and you- to the place they wanted to go to"

"You're such a stupid old man" Judal whispers, and the man sets a hot cup of herbal tea down on the table in front of him. The magi reaches out and pulls on the man's boots, meeting his gaze as he looks down at the nonverbal call. "Thanks though...Yunan"

Yunan shakes his head, sipping his own tea.

"Magis have to look out for one another, eh?"

* * *

**Tales To Know**

Jabari = Valiant

His name is Jabari.

He is dead.

When he was alive, he lived in Visurbis, the main city in the Amala tribe's vast expanse of land, known to everyone as Jabari, a good fellow.

He knows now that he was not so much of a good fellow. But after death, things such as former ideals and beliefs sort of disappear, and a certain truth becomes evident that replaces and explains all that you may have questioned.

And he had many questions.

One of which, which had often escaped his lips was,

"Why did Aishia have a child with a monster?" It was a growl, and usually followed by a steadfast agreement by his group of friends.

Then a snort would penetrate his ears.

"Couldn't even keep yer bride from fuckin' someone else, eh?" It was one of his many rivals, who often challenged him to title matches* and lost after he used his wit and skill to defeat him.

"_Quiet_" He'd command, but the sneer was all too prideful at getting a reaction.

"Of course, Aishia always hated it here. When it was announced you two were engaged, she was off like a rocket!" He cackles dryly, only stopped by Jabari's fist in his face.

Yes, Jabari, a good fellow, always thought that he was right.

Until he was wrong.

And the night he was killed by the monster's daughter, he realized she was also the love of his life's daughter, too.

For the first time he felt hurt instead of angry at that fact.

Because watching her, through the curtains as she sprinted along the barrier's length at a speed faster than even the best Alphas* and lift objects several times her weight, he felt such an intense anger at the monster who dared to touch _his_ Aishia that he wanted to point an arrow and let it fly.

But now it just hurt.

He knows Catrina now. He knows her pain. He knows her fate. And he knows her struggle. So he keeps his peace with who Catrina is, and takes to worrying over the women he loved too much.

_"Is your mother alright?"_

* * *

Faraji = Consolation

His name is Faraji.

He is dead.

When he was alive, people always made fun of Faraji.

"Long hair, long hair!" The other Omega children screeched. "Stupid ugly long hair!" And Faraji had always curled into a tiny ball and waited for the teacher to come back from break and stop them. It was easy to be a coward.

Omegas didn't fight, after all.

But that didn't stop the looks. Some boys refused to play to him. Some girls compared their hair lengths to his. But no one was ever his real friend.

Until Jabari.

Jabari accidentally stepped on his floor length hair and apologized.

Honest to God looked him in the eye and asked him if he was alright.

From then on, the two children were friends. And it worked out great, especially since Jabari was an Alpha, and none of the other Omegas wanted to pick a fight with one of the trained fighters.

It was perfect.

Even more so when Aishia came into their lives. She was from farther away from the the central city, out in the Omega farmlands near one of the tinier towns that sprinkled the edges of the barriers. But apparently she was a talented Alpha, and was sent to Visurbis to train with the main division force.

Truth was, Faraji had a bit of a crush on Aishia, who was a very pretty Alpha, but Jabari had confessed to him first that he liked the girl. So Faraji stepped back and encouraged Jabari to go for her, ignoring the painful sting in his chest.

Things seemed to go well.

Then Jabari went behind Aishia's back and asked her father for her hand in marriage. When the father said yes without even an engagement match, Jabari was thrilled. He invited Aishia and both their families and all his friends to a huge party where Aishia's father announced his decision to everyone.

Everyone seemed happy.

Except Aishia.

The bride always looked longingly to the sky, Faraji knew. He wondered if it was because she wanted to fly up there and touch the sky inside the barrier. He asked her, in fact.

"You know…" He shyly played with his hair, naturally intimidated by the Alpha. "Our tribe's name means…"

"Means…?" She prompted gently, and Faraji moved his hair out from under his bottom and over his shoulders, where it made large circles on the grass and in his lap.

"Well, 'Amala' means bird" Aishia looked at him blankly. "Bird like...Like a bird flying away into the sky and out of reach"

The Omega didn't reply, but her silence was thoughtful.

And Faraji knew other things too. Like how Aishia only liked Jabari as a friend, not a lover like he wanted her to.

"He treats me like a-" She had stopped, blushing.

"Like an Omega?" Faraji supplied, smiling. "It's okay. It's true."

She sighed.

"Yeah. Like an Omega. Like if he pressures me hard enough to say yes to his proposal then I'll crack and stay at home and take care of all his children and have a garden full of fresh fruits!"

"You don't want that?"

"No!" She said a bit too loudly. Then she had sat down, covering her face with her hands. "I want...I want to be free" She looked at him longingly.

_Free to be with me?_

He turned red, stuttering.

"Free like an Amala. Free like a bird flying away into the sky and out of reach" He turned cold.

"...Ai?"

"What? Oh, nothing. Nevermind"

A part of him knew she'd run after Jabari finally got what he wanted.

But a bigger part of him wanted her to run away. Because the part that knew respected and cared about Jabari. But the part that wanted her to run loved Aishia.

She wasn't suppose to come back.

She was suppose to run amongst the grass and with the birds he didn't know the names of, swim in clear lakes and make friends with the outsiders.

And maybe she did, but before Jabari and him could ask, she called her family together and said she had an announcement. Jabari had been summoned to her father's meeting room, and Faraji had forced his way in too, a bit unsettling to others for an Omega like him.

Before Jabari could go to the front of the room where her entire family watched Aishia like a hawk and (as Jabari had boasted to his friends beforehand) kissed her and proclaimed they'd be married as soon as possible, Aishia started to speak.

She said she had traveled a great distance in the outside world. She explained that she had made her way to many places until she reached a country called Reim. She stated she met a mysterious sort of race there that could run at a speed faster than even the best Alphas and lift objects several times their weight.

And she told them she became pregnant with a man of this races' child, and intended to keep the baby growing inside her.

Faraji doesn't like to think about what happened after that.

Aishia didn't want to have Jabari's kids and have a cottage and raise the little Alphas. Instead, she had an outsider's child and had a cottage and raised the little Alpha who helped her weed the garden of fresh fruits and veggies.

But she was happy, because she obviously loved her daughter(Catrina, although saying her name was taboo)'s father, and she never loved Jabari.

Which was almost good enough for Faraji.

Although, Jabari had a way of convincing people.

And so, he convinced Faraji that it was only right to get rid of the monster's spawn. No one liked her, hell, even Aishia seemed miserable with that little demon!

Faraji should have known better. Because Jabari had a glint in his eye, and only now did long haired Faraji realize that the tall Alpha wanted to clip their friend's wings.

And he died trying to do that.

So now, he's guilty.

_"I...I'm sorry"_

* * *

Dalila = Delicate

Her name is Dalila

She is dead.

When she was alive, Aishia was her nemesis. They competed in swordsmanship, they competed in martial arts, and they competed in magic. Aishia always won.

Dalila hated it.

Even when Dalila tried to flirt with handsome Jabari who _would_ flirt back, Aishia would prance into the room and everything would shift to her.

Competition was everything.

When Aishia left, Dalila wanted to throw a party. She squeezed her way into Jabari's life and made her place known to everyone in Visurbis. She flaunted her position as Jabari's girlfriend, and took Aishia's spot as head female Alpha.

Everything seemed great.

Dalila knew that Jabari still loved Aishia. She knew and yet she stubbornly and smugly let Jabari go to Aishia's father's meeting to welcome the missing Alpha back.

There, he learned Aishia was pregnant.

Then, Dalila learned she was pregnant.

The first time she tried to tell Jabari? He wouldn't let her talk, instead blabbering on about vulgar outsiders and their need to have sex before marriage.

(She tried not to point out that they did the same)

The second time she tried to tell Jabari? He was drunk as a lord, curled up in their bed and refusing to let her in, which forced the woman to sleep outside the room on the floor.

When she told Jabari? He looked more pained than he was about Aishia. He looked like his life was over, like he was going to be tied to a tree and cut in half with it.

(Dalila was happy, but not anymore)

They married.

They had a son.

Jabari asked her to help kill her nemesis' only daughter.

She agreed.

(Dalila knew something more about this plan of her husband's, however. She knew he was going to kill the brat and then kill Dalila, all so he could marry Aishia, like he always wanted to. What a monster he was. So she thought to herself and decided she'd kill Catrina and her mother. Two birds with one stone.)

But then they died. Both of them, all by Catrina's hand. And Dalila couldn't help but think that maybe she was a bit smarter, and a lot less selfish, her son wouldn't be parentless right now.

Yet she wasn't, and now, the Alpha is angry.

_"This is your fault!"_

* * *

Desert Palaces

Her name is Zeina.

Zeina is charming.

People always say it. To their friends, to their families, all with a glazed look in their eyes. But while mothers would nod saying, 'that's nice', fathers would snort and shake their head in disbelief.

Its human nature to first deny.

To brothers, this would seem like the perfect chance to be sly with their words, and sisters would tease uncaringly of the fact their parents sit across from them at the table.

Then they'd meet Zeina.

And you know when you meet someone very talkative and pretty, and there's this weird feeling is in your stomach and you can't stop smiling? That's what it is like with Zeina. Except, I know, you don't believe it.

But it's true.

Zeina is the kind of woman who would focus on you and you only, and for the few minutes she spends with you, it's like you have a best friend who you could tell all your secrets to and never feel bad about sharing them.

When you depart from the visit with this charming lass, the sisters would gush about her blond curls and the brothers would have hearts in their eyes, fathers lifting their head to the sun like a young lad once again. And mothers would beam and say, 'she's nice!'. But that's a lie.

Because Zeina isn't nice, she's charming.

There's a difference, you see.

* * *

His name is Sinbad.

Sinbad's charming.

People always say it. To their friends, to their families, all with a glazed look in their eyes. It was like this that King Rashid Saluja described the sailor. But even if a King said it, Zeina did not believe it one bit.

Its human nature to first deny.

To Zeina, this was a perfect chance to make fun of her old friend, to roll her eyes as he tried to explain the reason he helped the boy in his endeavors.

Then she met Sinbad.

And it went a little bit like this:

**13 Years Ago...**

Annoying.

That's what Zeina thinks of Sinbad when she first meet him, a snot nosed brat who honestly doesn't have what it takes to be a decent sailor. He's what, sixteen? Hmm, good-looking, she supposes, though he looks at her like she's a glass of water and he's in the middle of the desert.

Creepy.

That's a much better word. King Rashid Saluja introduces them, Rashid giving her a look that obviously says, 'be nice', and she shoots back, 'no promises'. Giving a sigh noted only by a slight dip in her shoulders, Zeina gives in and flashes Sinbad a big, bright smile and waves her fingers.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Zeina De Coverna"

"Uh, yes, nice to meet you. I'm Sinbad the sailor" He doesn't blush, but grins stupidly and, while it deserves a eye roll, Rashid is a friend and Zeina doesn't have a lot of those.

Zeina wants to be polite for a little while and then show her true, devious colors, but a King is a King, and if Rashid wants her to become this boy's company during his stay, then she'll do it.

* * *

"How old are you?" Sinbad can't shut up. He peppers her with questions, his teenage eyes glittering like jewels whenever she gives an answer. But God does he have a lot.

"De Coverna? That's a cool last name!"

"Thank you"

"Do you have siblings?"

"Yes"

"How many?"

"A few"

"Are you guys close?"

"I suppose"

"How do you know my teacher?"

"King Rashid and I are old friends" Harmless questions, but she keeps her answers vague and short, avoiding things that could prove useful to him in the future. Sinbad the sailor seemed to be quite curious, but asking a woman about her age? Not a good idea.

"I'd rather not say" She opens her fan, relishing the cool wind on her face. Balbadd was too hot, really. Tch, why did Rashid have to introduce her to a little brat like Sinbad? How troublesome.

"Why not? You look my age. Maybe a bit younger" Yes, that was a perk of being a Temptress. The magic can keep your appearance youthful looking despite your real age, and through certain tricks her mother learned, it can maintain your body for a longer period of time than normal people. Still, the thought of being younger than Sinbad is amusing.

"I'm older than you, I assure you"

"How old?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because it's a simple question and I want to know"

Snobbish.

Hm, Zeina should make a list of words that describes Sinbad. Sighing, Zeina looks him straight in his tawny eyes and answers simply,

"Curiosity killed the cat" Sinbad gulps.

* * *

Sinbad just had to gloat. King Rashid was hosting a party to celebrate a Kou official and his posse of nobles coming to Balbadd, so he invited his friends to come see the girl whom also became his friend. They enter the ballroom, and greet the King ("Teacher!" "Don't be rude Sin!").

"Hey Teacher, do you know where Zeina is?" Rashid chuckles, his smile very large.

"Ah, you're looking for that lovely miss again? She's over there" Sinbad instantly searches for her, his eyes skimming across white clothed nobles and over dark haired servants.

Then he finds her.

Zeina really is more than lovely, with long blonde curls and a gentle spray of barely there freckles on her nose, with a milky but not too pale complexion and a blooming orange flower tucked behind her ear. Then her eyes, deep maroon, meets his and she gives him a once over as a greeting, turning her attention to the conversation she is having at hand.

Sinbad sticks his tongue out at his friends, and points her out.

"There she is! Her name is Zeina De Coverna, and she's a friend of mine!"

The jaws dropped upon seeing the beauty make Sinbad's day, and he offers to introduce them personally, eyebrows wiggling. Ja'far raises his hand, eyes glazed over, and says in a low, soft tone,

"I would like to meet her"

Laughing, Sinbad leads the way.

* * *

Meeting little Ja'far wasn't much of a big deal. The twelve year old blushes, a very noticeable feature on his pale skin, and Zeina leans down, offering him her hand.

"Hello, I'm Zeina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ja'far!" Ja'far smiles a little bit.

"Nice to meet you"

"Funny, we both have freckles! I bet you get sunburned easily, right? I'll make sure to teach you some tricks to stop that" The Temptress assures him, squeezing the hand in hers.

Meeting big Hinahoho wasn't much of a big deal either. The older man tries to keep his face still in a slight smile, but once she turns her gaze on him he blushes just like the child did. She gives him her hand as well, and he cups is faintly, as if afraid he might crush her knuckles in his grip.

"Pleasure to meet you as well. Hinahoho, correct? A creative name! Say, it is Imuchakk, right-" Sinbad clears his throat, giving her a look that says, 'what about me?' she sighs, more obvious this time, and tells him,

"Hello Sinbad" In a bored tone. His jaw drops.

"What's with that greeting?! I thought we were friends!" Did he forget…? Zeina cocks her head to the side, frowning.

"Yesterday you asked a bunch of weird and personal questions. I wouldn't call that friendship" Hinahoho, once again by his side snorts with laughter as Sinbad turns on his puppy dog eyes, looking like she just kicked him in the stomach.

"But Zeina~!" He pouts tremendously well, but to Zeina it's odd since he's sixteen.

"Yes, well, I'm going to go give my greetings to Rashid" The Temptress smooths down Ja'far's hair and beams at his blush. Then she quickly speeds away, heading toward the King of Balbadd, the sailor crying out behind her to 'stop being mean'.

* * *

"What do I think? Sinbad is...Well…" Rashid smiles at her, looking over the balcony with gentle eyes.

"So you don't like him, then?" Zeina bites her lip, resting her chin on her palm.

"No, it's not that, it's just he...He's persistent" The King of Balbadd raises an eyebrow, motioning to her to explain. So she does. "Ever since the party you threw where I told him we weren't friends, he has been coming around, asking me to go to the city with him and talk. It's just a bit weird, is all. I've never known someone so intent on becoming my...Friend"

Rashid laughs, looking into the sunset that plays on the horizon. It's a sloppy one, red gushing out everywhere like a egg cracked on a counter, and the sky turns a fiery orange. Zeina shakes her head, knowing that he wouldn't get the troubles of a Temptress.

"Sinbad likes you, Zeina! And I introduced you two so you would become friends. Sinbad has some, but they're either older than him or younger, not one his age"

"I'm way older than him" The Temptress deadpans, hopping up onto the railing of the balcony, sitting on it so that the red light hits her back. "You know that"

"Yes, but you look sixteen" He regards her fondly, capturing one of her blond curls. "You've looked young ever since I first met you, given a few years. How is it that I grew old and grey and you still look as lovely as a flower?"

The woman whom is much older than she looks laughs bitterly.

"It's my magic, Rashid. It keeps my body young and pretty. But it's also a curse" The King raises an eyebrow.

"How so?"

"The people around me will never truly trust me"

"I trust you" Zeina looks sadly into her palms.

"No, you too fall under the category of those blinded by my magic. Even if you know the true me, my magic will keep you from seeing the problems in what I do" Zeina gazes out over Balbadd. "I don't want that. I want to be able to marry a man who'll trust and love me, and have children who will never know the sadness of having only followers and enemies"

"So why don't you change it?" The Temptress meets the King's eyes, which are full of determination. "A woman told me years ago, 'nothing is impossible, not when you're friends with fate'. I think she was right, do you?"

It's slow at first, but then smiling, Zeina De Coverna nods.

"She sounds like the kind of person who is always right!"

* * *

"Zeina, Zeina, Zeina, Zeina-" A sigh is heard, one much like an adult except that it's emitted from a youthful teenage girl, who puts down the book she had been reading. The Royal Library of Balbadd is quite large, why'd he have to decide to stand right in front of her?

"What is it this time, Sinbad?" A cheshire cat smile crosses over said teen's face.

"Let's be friends!"

"Oh God not again" This is fifth time the two had had this conversation, and to the girl it's getting older by the second.

"Please? I've been nothing but nice to you, and I think that we'd make a good team!" Sinbad pouts, as if she'd be fazed by such an action.

"Team?"

"Mhm! I want you to go to Sasan with me!"

"Sasan?!" She throws her book down on the nearby table, standing and shaking her head as she moves to walk away. He follows her.

"Yep. I'm apart of my very own Merchant Company, and I would like your help to make it strong" He stops her, and cockiness, goodnatured but self assured, settles into the boy's shoulders, eyes shining in a way that mesmerizes most people in a second. Zeina is not amused.

"Help? Strength? Why does a merchant need these sort of things?"

Sinbad takes her hands, looks down intently into her face, and says with seriousness beyond what Zeina's seen from him before,

"To create a country"

* * *

The ship is medium length, and Zeina surveys it with detachment, a bored expression glued to her face as Sinbad boards the ship.

While carrying Zeina.

Princess style.

*Sigh* (She's been doing a lot of that since she's met him).

But Zeina doesn't struggle, instead latching onto Sinbad's neck and looking up at the blue sky, pale with the rosy dawn in the east. When Sinbad comes triumphantly onto the deck, Zeina lightly rests her head on his shoulder, sleepy from having to wake up so early. On Sinbad's back, he carries her pack, filled with her vials of concoctions and crushed herbs. And a spare dress, of course. Ja'far, who was pacing nervously, springs into action once he sees Sinbad, beginning to scold him until his eyes land on Zeina, who, despite her best efforts, looks irritated.

"Z-Zeina?!" The pale boy exclaims, black eyes wide.

*Sigh*

"Yes. Sinbad has decided," She motions to the purple-haired teen, "To kidnap me and take me with you all. So here I am."

Sinbad nods along with this assessment of the situation.

"Yep! I've kidnapped Zeina, so let's get going!" Ja'far stutters, and calls for the other on the ship. When Hinahoho arrives, Sinbad gives him the run down.

"So...Is everybody ready to go?" Hinahoho blinks slowly, and then shrugs.

"Eh, why not. Set sail!" Sin does the same. And, in the end, Ja'far is the only one who protests against the entire situation. Sinbad doesn't let her go though, and she's fine with that, especially since it makes her feel light for him to have held her for so long.

"B-but kidnapping isn't-!"

"Ah, give it a rest Ja'far~" Hinahoho sings, preparing the boat's sails. "She's not exactly putting up a fight, is she? Might as well add a new crew member, eh?"

"It's not that..." She yawns, giving in and resting her entire head on the crook of the sailor's neck. "I'm just too tired. If he came later in the day, I probably would've said no"

Sinbad laughs his annoying laugh.

"Why'd you think I came at the crack of dawn then?"

Stupid.

Another one to add to the list.

So that's how, without even trying, Zeina became part of Sinbad the sailor's adventures.

* * *

Nightmare Nightingale

Sometimes she doesn't mean it.

But when she was young, if she so much as disliked someone, or thought about them too much, then she'd use her magic on them.

The five year old would shut her eyes for a second, just a second, and off she'd go, flying into a dream filled with darkness and stabbing knives. The one she disliked would screech as the girl watched from the corners as the scene enveloped the poor thing into terror.

Then when the sun flicked her eyes, she'd cry and cry at what she had done.

So she became the little homeless girl crying in the corner, often stealing food and sneaking into houses.

One night, she snuck into a room above a bar.

It was an old bedroom that no one ever used, so she figured it would be a fine thing to do. She snuck in the bar and avoided attention, skillfully tiptoeing up the stairs and opening the door.

There was a light.

Such a lovely light, reflecting off a candle onto golden curls that were crisp and round, highlighting a heart shaped face and big maroon eyes that glowed in the dark. She was more than beautiful, she was a goddess in human clothing.

The woman was reading a thick scroll, her eyes flickering up to see the child.

And, in surprise, the girl didn't move an inch.

The woman smiled.

"Hello little one. Are you here to keep me company?"

"N-no Ma'am"

"Are you sure? I'm quite lonely"

"I-I couldn't, Ma'am"

"Come here" Her voice is so carefree, and light too, like the thinness of a flower petal, strong yet so delicate and blooming. The girl goes to the woman, sitting on the floor by her feet. The woman reads.

"My name is Zeina De Coverna" She states, never lifting her eyes from the lines of the paper. "What is yours?"

"Kalapini" She responds, tucking her knees under herself.

"Kalapini. That means nightingale, did you know that?"

"No Ma'am"

"Zeina. And if you don't wish to call me that, 'Lady' Zeina or Mistress will do just fine" Zeina's fingers don't wrinkle or crease the paper she holds, and she sits up straighter in the chair that she is seated on.

"L-Lady Zeina" She says it, just to try it out. Silence swallows the room. "Um...Mistress?"

"Yes?"

"I...I snuck in here to sleep"

"I would hope so, it's freezing outside" The beauty rolls the paper up. "There's an extra cot in the corner, you will sleep here tonight. Try to steal my money and I'll throw you to the dogs, though I doubt such a cute nightingale would do that to me"

"Really?"

"I try my best to be kind to children" Zeina replies, bading her to unroll the cot and make up the sheets. "I love children. There was a little Angel of mine that I took care of...But I can't see him anymore"

"An Angel?"

"I give children I like nicknames. This boy was as pale as snow and smart. But he wasn't much of an angel because of his past. Nonetheless, he was my little Angel"

"Do you put 'little' in front of the nickname?"

"I do. Smart girl" The woman sheds her outer robe, turning down her own covers. "Anyway, I can no longer watch that little Angel grow. Nor can I hug my little Gladiator, or chaste my little Snake Charmer...Or even the little Spear who blushes whenever I'm around. Drakon can't argue with me about military plans, and Rurumu and Hinahoho won't be able to go to be me for names for their children. I...I can't wake up tomorrow and see that stupid sailor I've grown fond of"

"Stupid sailor?" She blinks, as if forgetting she was talking to Kalapini. Zeina shakes her head.

"No, it's nothing" The woman blows the candle out, submerging the room into darkness. "Good night, Kalapini"

And off she goes, flying into a dream.

Zeina was there, in the darkness. Her maroon eyes flicker open, and she sits up, alarmed. Then her shoulders relax into their usual elegancy and she boredly scans the place she's in.

Her eyes bore into Kalapini's.

"Yoohoo, nightingale, what on Earth are you doing?" She laughs, standing. Her hands dance over her nightgown, turning it into a gown of pure white silk. The black, goopy floor turns to lively green grass, and silver light from a mysterious white moon lights the meadow.

Kalapini falls down, realizing she's now physically in the dream.

"U-Uh- I-it's not...I'm sorry!" Kalapini begins to cry, hiding her face in her hands. "I-I didn't (hiccup) mean t-t-to bu-ut it hap(sob)pens!"

She doesn't look up, but between a crack in her fingers she sees a slender foot patting toward her. A rustle of silk quiets her, and smooth fingers unlock her hands from their positions. Her tears are wiped, and a blanket of white mist surrounds her.

"Silly girl" Zeina whispers. "You think I blame you? You couldn't even make yourself a physical presence, I doubt you could control the setting"

"Y-You're not...mad?"

"Not at all you silly little Dreamer!" The woman giggles, a sound like far away chimes on a windy day. "Now, let's wake up, alright?"

Zeina promised to help her. And over the course of a year, the beauty did. Kalapini learned about her magic, and about Zeina, and about the world, traveling from place to place either on foot or by wagon or on big, steady ships.

It was wonderful. All the people she met, all the things she never even thought existed came to her, vivid and ten times grander than she was used to.

Everything was perfect, even when Zeina left her in the care of her sister in the De Coverna clan's newly made village, surrounded by people who also called Zeina 'mother'.

And Zeina took to calling her Dream, short for little Dreamer.

Dream was never so happy in her entire life.

* * *

***Bad's family: **You may not see it now, but I've been dropping hints since chapter 4 about Bad's family. Just connect the dots- You may not be wrong! By the by, I mean _both _sides of the tree. Mama is as much of a twist/secret as papa is! First person to guess **both **right gets brownie points, a shoutout in the next chapter, and an explanation of how-did-this-happen! Hurray! (Next chapter: MORE HINTS WILL BE DROPPED)

***Sea currents: **Eren spent the rest of his night and most of the morning that wasn't delivering Judal to Yunan at the harbor pushing the Kou forces out to sea in order to gain time for Bad to negotiate with Sinbad and for Centola to have some closure with the lose of her home. Eri's just that kind of nice guy!

**Jabari** actually means valiant. Funny because Jabari's a pompous jerk.

**Faraji **means consolation. I guess his name is ironic because he was so sorry about what he did to poor Catrina and Aishia, but no consolation was offered to him (Well, he died, but it's still a valid point).

**Dalila** means delicate or gentle. Yep, Aishia's nemesis(though it's mainly one-sided)' name means the opposite her personality. Of course, you gotta feel bad for her, no matter how much of an arrogant buttonhole she was.

***Title matches and ****Alphas:** **:** It's an Amala thing that I'll get into later, when it becomes prominent- and I'll also describe engagement matches as well. Alphas are another Amala thing to be explained, along with Omegas and Betas.

**Sindria: **Sindria! We are getting there, people! Next chappie, Bad and the gang are on their way to the Kingdom ran by my favorite first class singularity, and they all find out that boat travel comes with it's ups and downs. Ups? Fluff, friendship, and tales around the fire! Downs? Alibaba gets depressed, Centola and Bad get serious, and Khadeja and Ja'far get really pissed at one another. So...Emotions!

Oh, and Aladdin tries to get to know Bad, which causes said girl to get incredibly embarrassed and cute. Yay! Of course, then we're traveling to Kou to meet up with my current favorite heart twister: Asad and Kougyoku! There we will learn a bit about how the Kou empire is doing and the dysfunctional family that rules it.

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	17. Chapter 16: Ships, Palaces

**Starry Skies **

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIFTH ARC: **Sindrian Days

CHAPTER 16: Ships in the Sea, Palaces in the Dirt

* * *

"She _ditched _me?" He asks incredulously. "Me?"

"Don't get arrogant" Yunan chastes, shifting the pack on his back to a more comfortable position.

"But..._Why_?"

"Has Bad ever told you about her greatest fears?" There's a pause, and the blonde magi watches the stretching road in front of them. Judal had made a fuss since he had told him they couldn't use a magic carpet to travel and instead would go on foot, but through a little bit of persuasion (and threatening to leave the other behind), the teen had relented.

"No" Comes the low yet curious answer. "I didn't know she had any"

"Well, she's only human" Ah, but is she? Bad is a being unlike anyone else, yet her heart does pump red blood. "And she has fears. One of which is being controlled"

Another pause deepens the air, but breaths from the boy fall on his ears.

"Being controlled?" The black haired boy echos, reaching up to shift the scarf around hisface. "Is that why she told me I could do whatever I want?"

"Yeah. That's sort of Bad's style, you see. She'll let you do whatever you want and somehow that makes you want to help her even more" Yunan chuckles, thinking of his adopted daughter. "But I guess that's why, when she looked at you with Al Thamen...She didn't think it was right. She wanted to help free you from those controlling priests" But then again, that's more like she saw Judal with Al Thamen and saw herself. Bad is more than okay with controlling others, just as long as they don't get manipulated by anyone else.

"She did?" Judal brightens, though he tries to stifle it. Yunan smiles. Truth was, he wasn't sure how Judal would react to his, 'I'm-taking-you-on-a-magis-only-one-on-one-trip', but the teen seemed much too occupied with his own thoughts to object, and now it seemed as though fate was flowing the way he had hoped it would.

(Toward a light that illuminates a good future, and away from the one that blinds)

"Yes. My daughter is the best, ne?"

"DAUGHTER?!"

*Sigh*

_One thing at a time, I guess._

* * *

Ask.

Go on, do it.

She'll answer you in the exact time.

Just ask, "How long has it been since you've left Balbadd?"

And she'll say, "Three days, two hours, and five minutes"

Then you'll probably follow it up with (because you're curious, you know it), "You've been counting?"

Centola will respond with, "It's been quiet in Alibaba's room"

It has been.

With nothing but silence to comfort them, two teenagers and a child sit on a lumpy, hard bed.

"..." They haven't spoken since that morning, when they told the nice cook they weren't hungry, and only the mixed breathing makes noise in the bed room. Centola had long given up on studying the bottom of the upper bunk on the bunkbed, and chooses instead to close her eyes and just breath, counting as the boat gently rocks along the waves.

Three days, two hours, and six minutes.

"Why're you so upset?" She asks, probably an insensitive question. The Temptress doesn't have to open her eyes to tell Alibaba had dropped his sightless stare on her shoulders.

"Why?" He ghosts back a reply, and Aladdin lets out a breath. "We lost Balbadd"

"Did we?" she lazily falls to the side, until their shoulders touch. He's very quiet, like someone watching a scene of a tragedy. "We...May have left, yes, but we didn't lose Balbadd"

"Kou's taken over" He says with annoyance. She opens her eyes quickly, giving him a sharp stare, which he sees and avoids.

"That doesn't make it not Balbadd"

Three days, two hours, and seven minutes.

"Then what is Balbadd?" He's snapping now, but she doesn't get angry with him. Instead, she smiles into her lap and allows the warmth of her homeland fill her.

"Is it the place, or is it the people that make it a country? Is it a trading post, or is it the home we've lived in for years on end? Balbadd lives on inside the people, no matter what the pompous nobles and thieving lower class may do to one another. In our blood runs the heat of the desert and the rush of the dusty street crowded with friends and foes, the salt of the sea is continuously on our tongues. In our noses we smell spices from the bazar, in our hearts the costly beer that we spend all our money trying to get" She takes his hand, happy to see his face glowing with memories. "_That's_ Balbadd. Not _what_ it is, but _who_ it is"

Alibaba bites his lip.

"But…"

"We didn't lose Balbadd. We just don't feel it under our feet, that's all" Aladdin blinks his eyes at her, watching with curious features. Then, slowly, a smile spreads across his cherubic face.

"Wow! Big Sister, I've never knew anyone could be so optimistic and beautiful! Really Miss Centola, you're wonderful!" Said girl blushes, and shakes her head.

"Oh no, I'm not, really-"

"You definitely are!" He launches toward her, looping his arms around her neck until his face is buried into her chest. "You're the best, Miss Centola" She giggles and hugs him, kissing the top of his head.

"Aw, what a sweetheart" She coos, until a hand takes a fistfull of Aladdin's vest and begins to pull him out of their embrace.

"Let go of her, you pervert!"

"Big Sister, he's hurting me!" Aladdin cries, and Centola's eyes widen.

"Pervert? What was he doing wrong, Alibaba?"

"He was touching your c-chest!" The blonde accuses the magi, succeeding in separating them. "You better not take advantage of Cent again!"

The Temptress knits her eyebrows.

"He was? I didn't even feel it…"

"He's a master!" Alibaba points at the bluenette, who stands innocently in front of the bed. "He has manly interests!"

Go on, ask her.

Of course, she'd have to tell you an educated guess.

Because she lost track of her count.

* * *

There is a sort of dining room in the ship, but it's more like a glorified mess hall than anything else. In fact, it seems a bit like a high school cafeteria, but that might just be Eren's imagination speaking, especially since it's no where near that big and the cliques are three strong. By that, he means Sinbad and his posse, Bad and her tiny group, and the sailors who man the ship.

There are four tables. The fine, large one where Sinbad tries to explain to Ja'far why he shouldn't be doing paper work, the one ajoined to the King's were Masrur eats a huge fish he caught himself, and the long, thin one with benches were a few sailors mumble to one another about the ship's course. Then there's Bad's table, small and round with four occupants.

"Then what happened?" Morgiana asks curiously.

"Oh my God" Eren groans, shaking his head. "This is the worst part" Catrina laughs and Bad grins like a deadly snake.

"So this woman stole our watermelon, right?" She takes a deep breath, as if preparing herself. "And Eren decides it would be best to go find out where she lives and steal it back!" Catrina bust out laughing, pointing to the Chandlen who glares. Morgiana smiles, a pleasing feature on her serious face.

"Y-you…" Catrina gasps out.

"Snuck into a woman's house in the middle of the night to steal back a _watermelon_?" Bad starts to giggle, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Okay, in my defense-"

"She was hot and pretended to be flirting with you?"

Catrina laughs harder.

"What happened next?" The full-blooded Fanalis' eyes glitter.

"Okay, okay we don't need to-"

"She found him in her home and slapped him!" Those two just loooooooove to make fun of him, don't they?

"Hey, aren't I your big brother?" He asks angrily, crossing his arms. "I have carried you two through deserts, taught you how to catch your own food, and saved your asses more times than I can count and yet you still don't respect me!"

"We respect you" Catrina smiles, wiping the water from her eyes. "But that doesn't mean we can tease you every now and then" The Fanalis-Amala hugs the man's arm, who relaxes and gives a sigh.

"Well...After she slapped me I grabbed the watermelon and ran away" And there goes the laughter again.

"What's so funny?" Comes a honey voice. Instantly the table's occupants look to it and brighten.

"Centola!" Bad cries out in joy, running up to the Temptress and throwing her arms around her waist. The pretty girl responds by leaning down to pat the girl's head, smiling widely. "You're here!"

"Just in time for dinner" Eren adds, winking. Centola's shoulders shake with her gentle laugh.

"Have space for three more?" She asks, and immediately the group noticed the two behind her, a braided boy and a nervously shifting blonde.

"Three? We have space for four!" Eren pulls over two chairs, and Morgiana gets the third.

They sit around the small, squished space, chatting about whatever comes to mind.

Eren and Alibaba discuss Djinn Equips and Morgiana and Catrina fill Centola in on what was dubbed the 'Watermelon Situation', while Aladdin and Bad sit quietly, listening as everyone talks and smiles.

"Hey Bad?" The pinkette's eyes flicker to him, though she wishes she could be a little more like her usual self. "Isn't this nice?"

Ah. He's trying to do that thing again, isn't he? The thing he always does...When others are having fun, he contents himself by sitting back and watching, amused and lighthearted at how they interact with one another so freely. And he thinks he's different, more mature than her. So he'll get her to speak with their friends and become white again, instead of Falling even more. But the thing is that Bad and Aladdin aren't as different as the magi seems to think they are.

"Yeah, it's nice" She hugs her stave, feeling it tingle under her skin. It gets quiet. He watches her.

He smiles.

"Hey, did you know that Sindria is an island? I knew it was a country over the sea, but I didn't know it was an island country!" Bad nods.

"Mhm! It's really pretty there...At least, from what I've heard about it. Sinbad's a nice King"

"You think so?"

"...'Nice' doesn't always mean 'good', you know"

* * *

For the past three days since Centola and her two cabin boys had gotten out of their funk, Bad avoided Aladdin like the plague.

Because she noticed how he'd see her and open his mouth as if to call out, and a scared little voice screamed, '_RUN AWAY!_'

Funny, in the Other, that voice would have told her not to move an inch, lest he actually meant to call to her. She can imagine it now.

She, by another name, sitting beside soldiers and warriors and generals and royals, all speaking to one another at once. Then, at the open door, strolls in a blue haired angel. She always noticed him. Always. But to others, it was normal for a magi to walk in to speak with his King Candidate.

To her, it was fate.

It was always fate, because he was Aladdin. Handsome, gentle, kind Aladdin. Everything he did was perfect, at least to her. And every smile he let show was more captivating than the last. And he looked at her.

_Her. _

The twitching of his lips, along with a spark of friendliness, would prompt him to open his mouth.

Would he call her name, ask her to speak with him?

No. There was someone behind her, wasn't there? It's not as though he ever call out to her- she's too timid and shy and…

Well, freakish. But Aladdin was always understanding, she knows because he was the one who saved her from her prison, who cradled her like she was fragile and precious. God, how lucky was she that someone like him, who _shines, _rescued her from-

"Bad!" Blinking, she looks to the door that gives one passage to the deck. And standing in it is that same blue haired angel that makes her heart pulse all to rapidly.

"Hi" She responds, turning her back on him and praying for him to just go away. She leans over the rail, watching the waves lap against the boat. Her hair is caught in the wind, making desperate attempts to get a good grip midair and float but failing and instead flopping up and down against her shoulders and back.

"Um...Hi" The pinkette tries to ignore him, but she inclines her head toward the boyish voice, turning her eyes toward him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure" She says softly, wiggling her toes inside of her shoes.

"How...How do you have that staff?" She comes _this _close to correcting him that Sheba is a 'she' and not an 'it', but stops herself a second before she does.

"I've always had...it" Bad shifts away from him, looking at his beautiful, beautiful eyes. Drops of azure sky on a youthful face. "I was born with it, actually"

The not-quite magician rests her chin on her forearm. It gets quiet.

"Can I ask another question?"

"Yeah" No matter how hard she tries, it proves difficult not to say yes to everything he asks of her.

"Those questions I asked in the Sacred Palace...What you said wasn't true, was it?"

"..."

"_...I already told you, didn't I? You and I are different types of people. You have friends and people who love you, and I...I have my 'servants' and my goals. I'm cold, and that's all I'll ever be" _

"Because...If you really, really thought that way then you would have turned all of your Rukh black a long time ago-"

"Why didn't you?" Aladdin pauses, furrowing his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"Why didn't you fall? You and I are both different from everyone else in this world" He moves his mouth, as if to question her, but she's too quick with her words. "We are the same, Aladdin. So why have I become black and you haven't? What was different between us?"

"I-I don't know" The waves pound against the hull, the slapping sound heard despite the distance.

"We _are_ the same" She repeats "But we've chosen different paths. And that's why we can never _think_ the same"

"I don't believe that!" The magi argues, stifling his frown. Bad watches him lazily, a slight smile on her face.

"You get so worked up" She giggles, stepping away from the rail and lifting her face to the blue sky. "Like a chick who's lost his way"

"What?" Aladdin asks in confusion, blinking hard. "We were just talking about-"

"And now we're not!" She twirls around to face him, a grin on her face. "What I stated was fact Al, and thus I see no reason to continue the conversation"

"But Bad-"

She sighs, poking his forehead. He stumbles back in surprise, hands lifting up to touch where she had inflicted a shock. The tingle in her fingertip doesn't go unnoticed.

"I'll make you a deal" She says lightly, stroking her stave. "If my white Rukh disappear and I come close to dying, I'll let you talk to me all you want about the flow of fate and white Rukh and anything else that'll make me come back to the light"

"...You will?"

"Yep. But until then, we don't talk about this staff, or our feelings, or the reasons we are alike and different. You have to promise me this"

"...I don't know if I can make such a promise" Aladdin stands taller. "It's my mission to save this world"

"Hah!" Bad shakes her head. "Would you look at that, another similarity!"

"Won't you let me show you-"

"No" She shakes her head, a slight smile on her lips. "But I will let you play games with me. It gets so boring!"

"Bad…"

"Hush, it's a beautiful day" She claps her hands together. "I wonder if they have cards!"

* * *

"_**Hello**_" Catrina whispers in Centola's ear, and the Temptress giggles.

"S-stop"

"_**Me gusta tu vestido**_" The girls start laughing.

"How do you know spanish?" Centola asks, and Catrina shrugs.

"_**Alice watched a **_**lot **_**of soap operas**_" Eren hears them and comes over.

"Are y'all..."

"_**Talking in english?**_" They answer at the same time, and Eren puts his finger to his lips, looking around him.

"Dear lordie, it sounds like gibberish" He chuckles, shaking his head. "Say, 'Eren is handsome'"

"_**Eren is fine as hell**_" Catrina says, inducing a laugh from Centola. Eren blushes and punches the girl's arm, though her Fanalis strength keeps her from moving an inch.

"_**Daaaaaaamn straight!**_" He adds, and they all burst into hysterics.

"_**Yolo**_!"

"_**Eri, you're sooo bae~**_" By the end they're all on the ground, wiping tears from their eyes.

"N-never again" Eren gasps out, his shoulders heaving with silent laughter.

"_**You're n-not my mother**_!" Centola responds, and Catrina curls up into a ball, hugging her aching stomach. "Ookay, I'm done now…"

"_**Or are-**_?"Eren starts, his eyebrows wiggling.

"What're you guys doing?" All heads snap to Alibaba, who wrinkles his forehead as he looks to Eren.

"_**O-or are…?**_" He tries, a heavily accented english. Centola giggles and stands, wiping the invisible dust off her dress and flashing a supermodel smile.

"We're just being stupid, that's all" She laughs again, and Eren and Catrina join her.

"Gibberish!" The Fanalis-Amala echos the old statement, standing with her friends.

"What were you sayin-"

"Eri, aren't you going tostart Alibaba's training?" The Chandlen looks to Alibaba and smiles darkly.

"Oh...That sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

_What happened to his accent?!*_

* * *

"Um, go fish!" Aladdin says, smiling. Bad pouts and draws a card from the deck, her eyes glittering as she lays down another pair.

"Eights!" Bad shakes her head.

"Go fish. Nines"

"Darn!" Aladdin hands them over, and Bad laughs evilly.

"Just one more pair~"

"Not if I can help it! Sevens!"

"Incorrect, go fish!" Bad lets out a cackle and Aladdin grabs yet another card, pouting.

"Aces!"

"How'd you guess that?!" Aladdin whines as he hands over the card, watching miserably as the pinkette lays down the final pair and does a victory dance while still sitting cross legged.

"You did have half the deck in your hand, Al!" She teases, pointing to his large assortment of cards. "You had to have it somewhere!"

"What're you guys playing?" Centola asks, coming over to the kids sitting on the deck. "Go fish?"

"Yep! Bad taught me how to play" Centola smiles slightly.

"I love that game! Can I play too?"

"Sure sis!" The children say at the same time, and while Bad blushes scarlet Aladdin giggles.

Centola gulps.

_Is this alright? _

She wants to ask Bad, but refrains. Bad deals a new deck, shooting her a look.

_Please don't say anything_

The girl seems to plead. Taken aback by the girl's vulnerability, she ignores Jane in the back of her head who whispers that Bad shouldn't be falling prey to fate's tricks.

_**It's just gonna lead to problems.**_

_So what? She's a kid. Let her have some friends. _

_**Bad's in love, she's not lonely. **_

_She misses him. _

"Tens" She murmurs half there, and Aladdin pouts.

"Aw…" He hands over his card, and Bad bites her lip.

"Fives!"

"Aw…!" Aladdin whines again as Bad takes his other card. "Um, Centola, jacks!"

"Nope"

"Aw!"

* * *

It's only midday, and Alibaba lays against the wood of the deck, motionless. Over him and watching curiously is Eren and Catrina, who take turns nudging him with their feet.

"Is he dead?" Catrina muses more than asks, her friendly smile still attached to her face.

"He's still sweating" Eren states amusedly, hands on hips.

"You could've gone easy on him. It was the first day" Catrina pokes the Chandlen's arm, and Eren rolls his eyes at the Fanalis-Amala.

"If I'd gone easy on him, he'd have no respect for me" The redhead giggles.

"You're quoting what Bad said on our first day of training!" She teases, and Eren chuckles.

"Still, we both completed our first day of Bad's-personalized-training-from-hell, didn't we? He didn't make it until break time" The green haired man scoffs, jabbing Alibaba's side with his toe. "To think I'm training such a weakling..."

It's Catrina's turn to roll her eyes.

"'Survived' is a better word than 'completed', brother" For retribution, the Fanalis-Amala jabs the muscle-man's side, inflicting a hiss from the older. "And Alibaba's not weak, just tired from all that happened in Balbadd. I know Centola isn't okay..." Eren flickers his eyes to the younger.

"What do you mean? She doesn't seem that way" The fourteen year old looks sad, her smile drooping.

"She just...To cheery, you know? Centola's too good a hiding things away, and that's why her acting normal is what enables us to catch her true feelings. I have a feeling she packed those feelings of hurt and anger and...Betrayal and just pushed them deep, deep down so that she won't endanger anyone with her actions" Catrina sighs. "It's like she's not going to even talk about what happened in the Djinn with Kassim"

* * *

"-Centola isn't okay..." Those are the words that stirred Alibaba from sleep. Every inch of his body is more than on fire, its ignited and aware of the splinters of the wood jabbing him, amplifying viciously cruel nerves that twitch and jump and put stone over his lungs so he can't move them without a constricting pressure bringing salty, stinging tears to his eyes. He holds back moans, especially when he sees the feet of his newly christened master and Morgiana's new Fanalis friend.

Those words come to him once more, and he stills even his heartbeat. Is she hurt somehow? Did Eren force her to do the five sets of one hundred push-ups too?

"What do you mean? She doesn't seem that way" He wants to nod along with his master, if his neck isn't as stiff as a proper courtesan's back.

"She just...To cheery, you know? Centola's too good a hiding things away, and that's why her acting normal is what enables us to catch her true feelings. I have a feeling she packed those feelings of hurt and anger and...Betrayal and just pushed them deep, deep down so that she won't endanger anyone with her actions" Catrina sighs. "It's like she's not going to even talk about what happened in the Djinn with Kassim" His heart breaks starts beating hard against the rocks along his lungs, pounding to find weakness in it, to find a way out.

He followed her that night in Balbadd.

He won't confess to her about it, because it's too embarrassing and things between him and his two balbaddian friends will never be the same, but he followed her the night that Sahbmad came to the Fog Troop to tell of Ahbmad's decision to sell the people of Balbadd as slaves.

He watched her walk faster and faster, around corners chasing something until she starts to run and he jogs to catch up. Then she called out 'Kassim!' and there they were, the team, except it was only two and the third was hiding behind a corner.

Alibaba had watched them argue about Balbadd, and when Kassim kissed Centola, the blonde was shocked. He never knew that Kassim felt that way about the strawberry blonde, because if he did then he'd definitely wouldn't have been intruding on his confession now.

But what shocked Alibaba more was when Centola kissed Kassim back. For some reason, a reason that made him feel guilty and ashamed, he never thought that Centola would consider Kassim like that. Since they were together even after Alibaba left, the Prince just assumed that they were like closely bonded siblings, at least to Centola. Apparently they weren't, and Alibaba was both embarrassed and...

_Hurt?_

As strange as it was, he was hurt by the action. Maybe he had a slight idea why, but knew that it was not the time to be thinking about such things. He stayed just long enough to see Kassim run away and then left as well, ignoring the voice in his head that told him that leaving her in the cold wasn't something a member of a team would do. He replied that forming a partnership wasn't something two in a trio would do, either.

Justification that he's not proud of.

But what did Catrina mean about what happened in the dark Djinn? Centola said that she had a battle much like Kassim and his, minus the punching and screaming, and more about girly things like _talking through their __feelings in a calm manner. _

They both cried, though, which made Alibaba jest that since both halves of Kassim were wusses, he must be a woman.

Centola was not amused by that comment.

"Leave it be, Catrina" Eren solemnly replies. "Centola is her own sort of person. If she doesn't want to talk about something, she won't"

Something hard and rock-like pokes his ribs and he gives a gurgled cry.

"OOOOooooOOwowwwwww" He rolls over and at the more physical pain inflicted by the simple action his cries escalate to shouts.

"Hey, Prince-y's awake!"

"Even you're calling him that, Catrina?"

"It's catchy"

* * *

"Where did your brother go, Asad?"

A simple question.

An annoyingly simple and infuriating question.

"I don't know" He responds calmly, his knuckles hidden away in the sleeves of his kimono clenched tightly. "If I did know, I would be with him right now"

The man across from him chuckles.

"No...You wouldn't have gone with him, Asad" He hates how they always say his name. Like it's a torturous device they can hold against him.

'_We own your name_' They're saying. '_We own you_'

"Believe it or not, you don't control me" Of course, Ithan is right. Asad wouldn't have left, and thus he didn't. But a rebellious streak won't be stopped just for that reason.

"Oh ho ho?"

"..." Asad looks up, studying the ceiling. Then he puts his feet up on the table, just like always.

"You never fail to surprise, Asad" Asad, Asad, Asad. Always saying his name. "Even at birth, you were- what's the word, 'special'. You are peculiar. And in fact, you are associated with many people who are peculiar. Like Lady De Coverna, Eren the Dungeon Capturer, and that strange Fanalis that controls the dead"

Asad tells himself to bite his tongue. Al Thamen have pushed and pushed and pushed all this darkness at him, but he's survived.

Is it because of his purple Rukh that they think is close enough to black?

Is it because they wanted to play with him, see how far he'll go? Because he's gone very, very far for them.

"In fact, you seem to have a deep tie with Milady...Or, Badroulbadour, as she calls herself. Does she know where Judal is?"

"I've told you, I don't know"

"He's looked up to you for years Asad." Ithan is growling now, patience spent. "Why would he jump to leave you-"

"Because you pushed him to it" He snaps, feet on the floor and hand gripping Hachi's blade. "Marrkio and you, and everyone else at this fucking organization have tried again and again to get him to conform. But guess what? I'll never let you touch my brother. I'm glad he left. I'm glad I don't know where he is. Because now, I'm the only one who you can harass"

"We aren't trying to harass you, Asad" Ithan speaks as if talking to a child. "But Our Father-"

"Our Father would never do this to us!" The Shadow shouts. "He loves us, doesn't he? That's why he gave us life! So what that the greedy Solomon has taken him away, we're still alive! Even on this earth, people who Our Father love survive and Solomon's arrogant creatures have died!"

"They did not die out" Ithan argues, slamming his hands on the table. "Solomon's Djinns protect and his will encases this world. We cannot allow him to ruin any more lives!"

The silver haired man grinds his teeth and then shakes his head.

"Judal's gone on a pilgrimage" He walks to and pushes open the door. "We done here?"

Ithan's fingers clench, his tongue delivering a snake's reply.

"Yes"

* * *

The Kou Palace is big and glorified. Paintings hang artfully along the walls and regal tapestries illuminate the large assembly room, where Lady Gyokuen stands at attention, her throne slightly smaller than that of her absent husband.

"Holy Keeper" Gyokuen asks, and the congregation of nobles watches on both sides. Seated in the first row of the right, the Princes sit. At least, the present one, Kouha with his three attendants. In the second row, the Princesses sit. At least, the present one, Kougyoku with Ka Koubun and her guards. "Please rise"

Asad himself kowtows in front of the stairway to the dias, feeling the smallest sliver of hate and annoyance bubble in his throat. He agrees to his Lady's command, lifting himself up so he stands with his hands behind his back.

"Do you have something you wish to ask, Holy Keeper?" Gyokuen asks with amusement, her apple red lips glistening in the light.

He clears his throat.

"Your Highness, I have been called here today for some unexplainable reason. May I ask for the cause that you need my presence?" His Queen sits forward, still smiling.

"Lord Asad, you have been called here in order to tell us why the Oracle, Judal, has taken a religious journey, as you've said he has" Asad doesn't change his facial expression, but he does incline his head.

_She doesn't buy it, does she?_

There are just so many lies you can tell before you're dragged in front of hundreds of royals and your ex-best friend who may or may not be in love with and accused of lying to a Queen of a large and military based Empire who has the right (and the determination) to kill you or have you kill yourself.

Of course, that might just be him.

"Your Highness, it is as I have said. My brother, the Oracle of the Kou Empire, has had a revelation"

"A revelation?" The Queen repeats, and nobles with sharp eyes glare at him. He smiles, turning on the charm.

"He had awakened from a deep sleep and said, 'Brother, I realize I know little of this world and it's hidden beauty' and I asked, 'What do you mean?'. He had gotten a bizarre look, as if I had told him pigs could fly" A rustle of laughter in the back tickles his ears. "He proceeded to tell me that he had a vision, one of a voice telling him to travel about the land and learn more about the places that will soon become part of the great and prospering Kou Empire. When I questioned his sanity, as any good brother should, he repeated himself that he had to leave"

"So you allowed him to go" Asks Gyokuen, her black hair gleaming as if rubbed with scented oils, which it probably was.

"Well, by that time rebels had broken into the Palace, heading to the throne chamber where King was. What sort of religious representative of Kou would I be if I didn't go and try to keep the peace? As I was gone, my brother had left, and I returned to Rakushou as ordered" He shakes his head. "Forgive me, my Queen. I sincerely have no idea where he has gone"

Gyokuen looks so kind sometimes.

It reminds him of when he was a child, before he met Judal, and was summoned to the Queen's private sitting room, and the beauty had watched him with blue marble eyes.

"Little Asad" She had cooed, patting his head. "What a cute little thing you are" Asad was not stupid. Of course he knew she was a bad guy, but had to keep up the appearance of an innocent child.

"Thank you, Milady"

"Oh, so polite!" She had laughed daintily, and opened her arms for him. "Come sit on my lap, little Asad!"

Standing, the young boy had waddled over to the Queen and- with hesitation- sat on her robed lap. Her arms wrapped around him so tightly, like an octopus, that he had thought she was trying to strangle him.

"Little Asad" She had whispered in his ear, rocking him back and forth. "I'm terribly sorry for the...Accident that caused your physical problems" Asad went rigid, but tried to relax himself, watching a strand of his silver hair fall over his shoulder.

"It's alright, Milady"

"Is it? Oh you poor dear, no parents or siblings, all alone in the world! It's a good thing we found you when we did, or I wonder where you'd be"

_You killed my family._

He didn't feel bad about the hatred in his heart anymore.

"Thank you very much, Milady"

She had smiled very sweetly, contrasting with her true purposes. He had grinned back at her, pretending to fall for her deception.

Now, he looks up at her and wonders how anyone could think she's a good person.

"I see. Holy Keeper, it is your duty to keep track of the Oracle. Because of your negligence, he has left"

_He has escaped, you twisted bitch._

"Please forgive me, Your Highness" The Queen sighs and then nods.

"You will take on all of the Oracle's duties until he returns. Be certain to keep a look out for Judal as well"

Asad bows.

"Thank you, Your Highness" She waves her hand to dismiss him. He's about to leave when-

The doors open, and the announcer booms,

"His Majesty, the Third Emperor of the Kou Empire, Koutoku Ren!" Asad instantly gets off to the side and kowtows, as does every other noble and servant in the room. The pounding of feet signals to him that the Emperor is making his way up the aisle with his entourage of bodyguards.

The Emperor climbs the stairs and sits on his throne, greeting his wife with a huff.

"What is so important that I was called here?" Koutoku asks, his eyes narrowed. Gyokuen looks over to Asad, finding a good excuse.

"The Holy Keeper was just about to inform about Balbadd"

_So close._

It wasn't as though Asad hated the Emperor, but he completely despised him from the scratchy rough floor of his heart. How could such a improper alcoholic become the leader of his Kou? His beautiful, hardworking and polished Kou?

"Yes Your Majesty" He kowtows once more, just for the heck of it (and to make sure Koutoku doesn't arrest him like he did to the last guy). "I was saving the most important matters for your presence"

A part of him that believes in democracy, anti-slavery and the meaning of the word _**America **_protests completely to his ass-kissing.

The rest of him, the part that thinks a monarchy is fine, the slave system is necessary and the word _**America **_is a fantasy crushes the resistance, muttering about how it doesn't like it either.

"What news comes from Balbadd?" Koutoku asks, belly protruding from his robes. Asad forces his revoltion for such an obvious abuse of power to the back of his mind, but not before questioning how this man could be Kougyoku's _father_. He's…

He's no where near as innocent and naive and sweet and dumbly happy as she is, and that almost, _almost_ makes him sneer.

Asad smiles.

"The first Imperial Prince has taken control of Balbadd along with his brother, the second Prince. I believe the reformation is going well, at least from the reports" Gyokuen replies happily, knitting her fingers together. Asad swallows.

"True, your highness. Although, that is not what I was told to inform you about today"

"Oh?" Koutoku asks, feet planted on the ground while the rest of his body relaxes lazily. No wonder no one thought Koutoku would be Emperor, he doesn't even know not to slouch in front of hundreds of people. Vaguely he hears Kouha sigh.

"I believe that you've heard that High King Sinbad has put Balbadd in the Seven Seas coalition, yes? Well, the King has stated he wishes to come to Kou to present Balbadd's case before Your Majesty's eyes and ask if Balbadd may be considered an independent country" Murmurs rush through the crowd of nobles. Believe it or not, while some nobles are idiots, most have had training in politics and the art of warcraft.

"Balbadd belongs to Kou" Kouha points out, raising an eyebrow."All their rights have been transfered to us"

Asad bows his head.

"Through negotiation and partial force, the rebels in Balbadd have found a way out of that argument" A louder wave of complaints and speculation rushes through the white-robed spectators.

"How?" An fifty or so old man in the front asks, his eyes glued to Asad. Asad barely gives him a look, choosing to ignore the man. He answers as if Koutoku had asked the question.

"The third Prince of Balbadd declared that Balbadd would henceforth be a republic, and as a new country, would not keep the terms declared by the old. He also took away all of the King's power so that even if King Ahbmad signed over the people's own rights, it wouldn't be legitimate" The older man smiles crookedly as if Asad _was _answering his question, crossing his arms and looking at Asad from under furry eyebrows.

"Hm. I see" Koutoku grips the edge of his throne, tapping his foot with thought. The bags under his eyes almost seem to take up his entire face. How could a man who gets the best rest in the country and leaves practically everything to his sons not get enough sleep?

Asad swallows.

"That's not all, sire"

"There's more?" The older man asks, amused. Asad shoots him a look and he chuckles silently.

"King Sinbad will be bringing along a representative from Balbadd-"

"The Prince?" Kouha asks, smirking. "That would be pretty stupid of him to show his face here" Asad shakes his head.

"No, a….'Volunteer' who has offered to pay off Balbadd's debts" A gasp arises in the throat of the room. He pauses for dramatic effect. "In gold"

The room wakes up so fast at the room that suddenly everyone is speaking at once, and it's all 'how could someone have that much?' and 'who could it be?'

"Who is this representative?" Koutoku asks, suddenly interested. The Shadow feels like he's killing someone he loves.

(He'd say just killing someone, but he's already done that)

_Sorry Bad, you're on your own for now._

"The representative is a young lady named Badroulbadour" The Emperor furrows his eyebrows.

"A woman?"

_What's so bad about that?_

"Yes, sire. Of course, the lady wasn't raised as a royal. The gold was procured by her older caretaker, a man named Eren Chandlen when they captured a Dungeon"

"A Dungeon Capturer?" Kouha asks, eyes wide. "I've never heard of Eren Chandlen, is he the King Candidate?"

"Yes. Badroulbadour is a magician, or I believe the Djinn would've chosen her"

"Dungeon gold?" Koutoku asks, his eyes glittering in a reflection of the piles of riches he'll soon receive.

"And Dungeon items, I believe" Asad's not very sure about this one, but wants badly for the Emperor to be good to Badroulbadour. "She's a very refined young girl, if I might say. Eastern born, if my memory serves correct"

"From Kou?" Kougyoku asks, hiding her face behind her hands. When Asad meets her gaze, she blushes and lifts her sleeves higher.

"Father from Kou, mother with ancient ancestors from early Tenka" Koutoku scratches his beard.

"Interesting" Gyokuen smiles, observing Asad.

"Very so" She agrees with her husband, smoothing down the wrinkles in her gown.

"Although, can we really accept the gold?" Kouha asks, crossing his arms. Koutoku glares at his son, but the boy speaks as though he doesn't see it. "That gold is to pay _off _Balbadd's debts. Accepting it is the equivalent to selling the land to her"

A hush falls over the crowd as the Emperor pauses to think. Then, he smirks greedily.

"The gold is to settle a payment. Like a rent due to a landowner, the land still belongs to us but now with a clean slate" He triumphantly looks around the room, and murmurs of agreement reach Asad's ears.

Sighing that everything's gone well, Asad bows and excuses himself from the meeting.

_Damn, royals are _so _annoying_

* * *

The footsteps pound against the floor, and gasping for breath someone shouts,

"Sixth generation head of the twin sword spin style, Asad!" Sighing, Asad pauses as he walks toward his quarters, looking behind him at the panting caller of his name.

One of two swords are unsheathed, and held up in a skillful manner.

"I challenge you to a match!" Onyx eyes look to the ceiling, and he pivots toward the voice, taking measures to avoid the sword's edges.

"Fine, let's go to the training grounds" Triumphantly, the challenger follows him, her sword being resheathed.

When they arrive there, the old man who witnessed his audience with the king and a young girl stand waiting.

"Hi Asad!" The girl chirps, her lilac pigtails bouncing, and the old man wiggles his furry eyebrows.

"Hello brat" Asad grunts as a response to the two, taking a peek behind him.

"You called them here beforehand?"

"Of course" The Shadow groans.

"Let's get this finished. Hakuryuu, move over or get off" The Prince pauses in his training, raising an eyebrow.

"Got challenged again?" But nonetheless, Hakuryuu moves off the dirt ground, joining the older man.

"Hello, Prince Hakuryuu"

"Good day, Xia Kaidu" The teen greets. Asad sighs.

"Be careful with her, Asad" Hakuryuu calls, eyeing his female opponent. Asad smirks, amused by the Prince's words.

"Don't worry, Dao-chan won't get hurt so easily"

"It's Xia Daoqing to you, swine!" Daoqing yells, drawing her swords once more.

"Ah-ah-ah~!" He wiggles his finger at her. "It's rude to make fun of your superior, isn't it~?" Daoqing goes crimson.

Xia Kaidu clears his throat.

"Let the match begin!" He calls, and Daoqing is off in a second. Asad doesn't draw his sword, amusing himself with dodging her slashes despite the carelessness of the action. When she moves to twist her wrist and spin the sword in her hand, he draws Hachi and Hikaru, moving in to stop the motion with the counter-clockwise circle he makes with Hachi. Hikaru blocks Daoqing's other sword, and he moves to disable her weapons only to find her jump backwards and cross the swords.

Hachi, the white blade with the blue ribbons faces off against his purple haired opponent's sword with pink ribbons painted on, and Hikaru, the black blade with yellow ribbons clangs against the other sword with purple ribbons.

The twin sword spin style- a sword art that goes back six whole generations in it's art, developed from and connecting off of the well-known Xia family. Two swords held in each hand, spinning in all directions to create clean slashes, and several maneuvers that knock an opponent off their balance.

It's like this that the two users of this style fight, swords moving in arcs ending in **clangs **that means the other had blocked, and pushing each other back and forth with surges of power. Asad huffs, annoyed with the purple haired warrior he fights.

"Dao-chan, you could at least try to be continuous in your movements like I am. You're not doing the positionings right either!"

The woman spits and continues her assault, rushing forward only to be repelled again and again by Asad's smooth cuts. Bored, Asad presses forward, going into offense. As good as Daoqing is at offense, her defense is basically a wreck, and Asad pressures her intensely, the swooping circles of his swords almost looking like black and white spheres as he pounds against her poor swords. She trips, back hitting the floor and she lets her guard down in a bout of fear as he knocks her weapons away.

She squeezes her eyes shut, as if thinking he would then cut her down, but instead he resheaths his swords and leans down to pick the fallen girl up by the hand. Her lilac eyes snap open.

"Boring as usual, Dao-chan" Asad sighs. "Same old tricks" The purple haired woman snatches her hand back, black kimono rustling.

"I...I can't believe- Father!" Daoqing turns to Kaidu, who watches his daughter critically. "How could you train this man to take over our sword style? Such a brute-"

"Daoqing" Kaidu interrupts the eighteen year old, patting the swords at his hip. "Our sword style doesn't need shared blood to be mastered. Asad here has proven to you again and again that he is, in fact, a master of the twin sword spin style"

"But he's not a Xia-"

"Fine then! One of you can marry him!" Asad snorts. "Daoqing, since you're so against him being the head without sharing blood, then become his wife!" The purple haired girl stutters over her words, eyes flashing to him quickly before her cheeks fill with blood.

"F-Father I couldn't possibly-"

"Oh please, he's probably the only man that would have you, considering every suitor that's ever come to me has been chased away by your swords! And look at the way you dress!" Self-consciously, Daoqing pulls on her to-the-knees black kimono, the silver petal designs on the bottom portion lengthening with her pulls and silver obi shifting crookedly. Asad looks over to her ashamed face, her hair back in a low ponytail and the same length as his, and the ribbons on her swords so like his own.

Asad shakes his head.

"I don't think Dao-chan would like to be with a man like me" He amusedly eyes her once again. "I might make her into a copy of myself" She stiffens, and sheaths her swords after quickly snatching them up.

"Fine then, what about you, Chabi?" The grey haired man asks his youngest daughter, who blushes all the way up to her lilac pigtail roots.

"O-oh well that's a decision t-that I couldn't possibly make myself" Chabi answers, hiding her face in her kimono sleeves. Asad chuckles, drawing attention to himself.

"Thanks for the offer, old man, but I'm not interested in your daughters" He pauses. "Well, daughter. Chabi would be a nice wife, too bad fourteen is too young for my tastes" The younger daughter looks faint, her eyes glazed over while her older sister fumes.

"A n-nice wife?" Chabi asks dreamily, as if only hearing that one part. Kaidu sighs as Hakuryuu coughs in embarrassment.

"I would make a perfect wife, you idiotic man!" Daoqing shouts, but the sixth generation head is already walking down the path toward his quarters, shaking his head.

"I'll believe it when I see you behaving in a white floor-length wedding dress!" He yells back, not bothering to look over his shoulder.

"I'll send documents for a marriage to you!" Kaidu teases, only half-serious.

_He really wants to marry Dao-chan off, doesn't he?_

* * *

Kougyoku is not spying on him.

She's not.

She's just...Hiding in the bushes a little bit.

Yes, that's all.

She can't really tell what he's talking about with _that woman_, but the talk of marriage echoes over to her and she wants nothing more than to jump out, scream 'surprise bitch!' and use her extreme magic on the woman's purple-haired arse.

It's bad enough for her to be drawing attention to her knee-length kimono, but to be blushing as Asad looks her up and down? She's caught between wanting to slug the wench and digging a grave to die in.

Of course, that's not something a Princess would do, and despite everything, those annoying lessons that Ka Koubun and Asad put her through are buried into her thoughts.

Huffing, the teenager adjusts her sitting position, getting cramped and glaring at Asad and _Xia_ _Daoqing's _(even the name is infuriating) annoying…

_Date._

NOPE.

It's not a date.

It's _not _a date.

It can't be- They're just _sparing_, it doesn't matter gossip has it that Xia Kaidu wants to marry _Xia Daoqing_ (Ugh, pretentious girl!) off to the Holy Keeper-

…

She grits her teeth together.

_It's not a date._

* * *

"Holy Keeper"

Stiff, stiff. Very, very stiff.

"Princess Kougyoku"

Ah, ice cold- worse than her own voice.

"Having a good day?"

Jealousy? Is that's what's tinged in her tone?

"Yes, I am in fact. Oh, what's this?"

Ka Koubun and her servants all give choked protests as Asad's hand disappears under her neck and ghosts through her hair.

_Ba-bump, babump- ba-bumpbabumpbabump_

A twig, with fresh green leaves still attached, appears in his palm.

He smirks.

"Oh, a stick. Probably came off in the bushes"

The thumps of his steps are barely audible to her as he leaves.

_HE KNEW I WAS THERE?!_

* * *

"**Life sucks**" _Asad groans in english, and a feminine laugh tickles his ear._

"_I may not know your strange language, but I have a feeling I know what you're saying" Hakuei teases, smoothing her kimono dress down as she sits beside him on the ledge. She wore a simple one of white and pink, not unlike her usual one but more comfortable. _

"_Oh really?" He raises an eyebrow, smirking._

"_Something along the lines of, 'I have no friends', right?" Asad scoffs. _

"_I have friends"_

"_The servants don't count"_

_"Still have friends"  
_

_"Judal doesn't count"_

_"I have...A friend"  
_

_"Not if you're pining after her!" The Princess sings, nudging him. _

"_..." He pouts and then lights up. "You're my friend" Hakuei giggles. _

"_Yes, yes, I'm your friend" The tea steams between them, and Asad takes a sip, relishing the hot water sliced with mint._

"_So, Kouen courting you?" Hakuei chokes on her tea, going into a coughing fit. "Whoa, you okay 'Kuei?" _

"_N-no" She manages, clearing her throat. "Kouen is definitely not courting me" Asad wiggles his eyebrows. _

"_I thought you guys had a thing for each other"_

"_I-In…In the Other I might have liked him but I didn't marry him. Kouen and I...I haven't been very friendly to him, I must admit" The Shadow pauses, and then nods._

"_You married that other man, right?" He states solemnly, and the Feather strokes her fan, giving a bittersweet smile. _

"_And had a child, yes" _

"_...You're free now" Asad grins suddenly, taking her hand. "You're free to live life as you choose it, Hakuei"_

_Hakuei looks partially offended. _

"_I'm free?" She repeats, narrowing her eyes. "Are you saying my son held me down?" The silverhaired man blinks, registering what she said, and then shaking his head furiously. _

"_N-no, I just mean that you can do whatever you like now- y-you can even have your son again, if you'd want…" He quiets down, embarrassed. "Ignore me, I'm just a fool…"_

_Hakuei sighs. _

"_No, I'm just...It's not your fault. I know what you meant. But I...Could not have my son again. My past husband is- well, he's not the kind of man I'd choose marry"_

"_Not your type?"_

"_Yes, actually" Hakuei laughs. "I prefer straightforward men"_

"_Like Kouen"_

"_Exact- WOULD YOU STOP THAT"_

"**I guess life is okay**"

Asad fiddles with his quill, thoughts drifting over the documents he's suppose to read and the schedules Gyokuen sent to him to put in order. He wishes Hakuei was here now and not in the Kouga Plains, he misses the woman. While Asad may push people away, Hakuei has always been a silent guardian behind him, always there to give advice and talk with cups of tea if he wanted to see her or got bored.

Without her around, it feels a bit lonely, especially since Kougyoku probably hates him and Judal's off in...

Sindria? He prays to Illah it's Sindria. Anywhere else and he's afraid they'll find him. And Asad's not certain he won't kill every Priest he can get his hands on if they recapture Judal and bring him back to the snake pit they dug underneath his beautiful Kou.

He closes his eyes, feeling around mentally for his Rukh. He finds it, like a passage, and trails along the invisible string connecting him to his brother. His head droops, but his mind is awake, unseeing but knowing. Suddenly two heart beats echoes in his ear, strong and steady, and he wants to smile.

_Judal is safe-_

"GET BACK TO WORK!" His head snaps up, just as a foot connects with his temple. "MEI KICK!"

He flies out of the chair, landing painfully on his back. He groans, reaching up to apply pressure on his throbbing temple. A bump already forms under his hand.

"Ting Mei, what that hell?" He hisses, but then winces at the high pitch sound. Ting Mei, the woman who kicked him stands with narrowed eyes over him, her elaborate and layered pink kimono and large white obi undisturbed despite her actions she inflicted on the Holy Keeper. Likewise, her sharp gray eyes survey him for any other damage, and once she's satisfied with what she sees she responds.

"I have been assigned by His Majesty the Emperor to oversee you in your work" Asad raises an eyebrow.

"The Emperor sent you? I thought he couldn't give two shits" Ting Mei disregards his foul language, offering her dainty hand. He takes it and is surprised by her iron grip, how she pulls him up all by herself. A headache stretches across his forehead.

"I suppose it's your reward for bringing the news of- oh, what was her name...Lady Badroulbadour's impending visit with the King of Sindria" She sniffs. "To be honest, I don't suppose he meant for me to work for you like I worked for Koumei but to become your wife"

"Why are people so obsessed with that?" Asad comments aloud, but Ting Mei ignores him.

"But a lady such as I, with my skill in accounting, battle strategy and other areas of study, would be of better use as your assistant instead"

"Even the Emperor cares about my love-life"

"Thus, through persuasion and my recommendation through Koumei, I have been sent to work with you" Asad pauses, eyeing her. He walks straight toward her, lifting his hand to cup her chin. Ting Mei blinks at the action but meets his gaze firmly, looking into his eyes without reaction. Quickly Asad leans forward and sniffs her, but before Ting Mei could react with another swift kick he drops his hold and steps back several feet, as if anticipating what she planned to do. Ting Mei stumbles backward, off balance, blushing furiously.

"D-Did you just _sniff _me?" She questions loudly, holding her neck. Asad scratches the back of his head.

"Just proving a theory correct. Seriously though, it's like Illah's _throwing_ women at me. It's like he's saying, 'pick one already, damn it!'" Ting Mei composes herself, glaring.

"What theory?"

"You and Koumei are a thing" Ting Mei chokes on her own spit, coughing loudly.

"What gull! Of course not-" Asad holds a finger to his lips, smirking.

"You slipped up, Missy" The white haired woman blinks, heart racing. "First, you let it slip about your aversion to wanting to marry. You're twenty-six, Mei, and I've known you since you were sixteen. You've always wanted a husband, complaining about how 'a woman my age is perfectly marriageable' but then, it stopped a few months after becoming Koumei's assistant when you were eighteen. A woman of your age, standing and straight-back nature would be bitching about not having a husband if they didn't already have someone to cuddle with. Two, you called the second Prince by his first name, 'Koumei', which insinuates that you are close with him, intimate. Third, and this might just be me but..."

Ting Mei licks her lips.

"But...?"

Asad stares at her.

"You smell pregnant" The woman inhales sharply, falling back to catch herself on Asad's desk. The Holy Keeper watches her gently touch her stomach and flinches back, as if burned.

"B-but we were careful- _Always careful_" She shakes her head furiously. "I'm not pregnant, I can't be- Ah...Koumei won't forgive me..."

"Heh." Her head snaps up to the chuckling Shadow, who snickers. "Just kidding, your not gonna be a mom! But by that answer I assume you and Koumei are a couple! Congratulations on finally getting a boyfriend, Ting Mei!"

The woman's mouth falls open, and she stares at him for a long time.

"You were kidding?" She asks, and he nods. He expects her to kick him again or start to rage like she use to when they were teens, but instead she falls to the floor, laughing. "Oh thank God! I should be so mad but...Oh I couldn't have a baby, not now" Her laughs calm down and Asad walks toward her, sitting on the floor in front of her.

"Don't cry" He murmurs, wiping at her cheeks. "It unsuiting to someone like you" Ting Mei sniffs, blinking hard.

"I'm not c-crying" She whispers back, fixing her obi. Asad continues to wipe the water away for the next long minutes, and Ting Mei avoids his gaze, pretending not to be her new boss' floor sobbing. "I...Can't have a baby anyway"

"Oh Mei" He coos softly. "Why have you made a lover out of someone you can't have?"

"We can't be together" She replies softer than he. "But he's...Different, from everyone else. Not different because of his ugly acne scars and his disorderly hair but because he's smart and amazing. But he's a Prince and I'm just a smart-aleck lower class ward" Asad's throat constricts. Oh how that hits home for him and his own heart's desire.

"Poor Mei" He laments, closing his eyes.

"Don't tell, please don't tell" The gray eyed woman asks of him, clutching his hands. "Please, you can't tell or they'll call me a whore and I'll lose everything I've fought to achieve"

"I won't tell, if you do something for me" Asad smirks at her shocked expression. "Become my assistant, Ting Mei"

* * *

Her name is Khadeja.

At least, that's what she says.

But Ja'far sees the flicker of passion in her eyes when she says it, the look of first love whenever the words leave her lips when she introduces herself.

And he knows it wasn't always Khadeja.

But it doesn't matter to him.

So he lets it go.

* * *

Ship rocks too much during the night, and though Ja'far is far from uncomfortable due to his experiences of sailing with Sinbad when he was younger, something calls him out from the deck and lures him to look upward to the sound of humming.

It's much too dark to see, but the moon reflects off of curls and he's certain, for a split second, it's Zeina.

Oh, he can almost remember seeing something like this when he was twelve, looking upward to a blonde haired beauty sitting up in the crow's nest of the ship, humming a melody foreign and haunting.

But it isn't a blonde beauty. It's just a woman, and the melody is not foreign or haunting, but familiar and a little sad.

Ja'far's sure he's heard it before.

It hits him during the second refrain.

When he was really young, before becoming a full fledged member of his assassin's group Sham Lash, someone sang it to him before he went to bed...

"Your mother used to sing it" Khadeja calls down in a light tone, resuming her song after but with words.

_"Have you ever_

_Heard an Angel cry?_

_Even crying their_

_Sobs sound like a lullaby"_

"...No she didn't"

"Oh yes she did" Khadeja retorts, glaring down at him, no longer caught up in the music. Her eyes are shaded in the night, but he can feel their weight on his shoulders.

"Uh, no she didn't" Ja'far replies, arms crossed. "I'd remember what my own mother...Used to…"

"You're looking at me weird" She says, once more using her light voice. "Wondering how I knew, perhaps? Well, I just do. Popped into my head, and I knew"

The ropes dig into his fingers and the wood leaves harsh marks on his palms, but he climbs up to the crow's nest, sitting beside her in the smaller-than-he-thought space and watching the moon light up the rippling blackish navy ocean.

"...You just knew" He repeats, and she lays her head against the wood.

"I just knew" She confirms, slipping her hand into his. "Things about you just keep popping into my head. I know so much" He stiffens.

_If only I could scoot away-_

"It makes me glad to know there are people like me out there…" She's lifting up his sleeve, making him shiver as the cold air hits his warm flesh. Khadeja traces the red threads of his knives, not looking him in the eye. "I...Killed my parents too"

It shouldn't make him relax, but he does.

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know they were my parents. My whole life they were just the married couple that looked at me strangely when I passed with...My caretakers. When I was ordered to kill them, I had no qualms" Khadeja presses on the fleshy space between his thumb and pointer finger. "Funny. I know so much but I never knew that"

The moon casts an illuminating shine on everything it touches, reflecting the red of his threads onto her hands and his.

"In the morning…" Khadeja starts, eyes closed, "You better not say a peep about this or I'll kick your ass"

"...Can you sing it again?"

"Yeah"

* * *

_"There's a bright glow_

_In the meadow…_

_The flowers all sleep._

_I hear the birds start to wake…_

_Have you ever_

_Heard an Angel cry?_

_Even crying their_

_Sobs sound like a lullaby"_

* * *

In the morning, he didn't say anything. And in turn, neither did Khadeja. In fact, they didn't talk much at all for the next few days, and that was fine for Ja'far.

Ignoring her was easy, and she didn't seem to mind it one bit.

Although, sometimes it was hard to not look at her, especially when he was certain she was looking at him.

But whenever he'd manage a quick peak to where she was talking with Centola or sitting with the children, she didn't seem to even know about his existence.

But it doesn't matter to him.

So he tries to let it go.

* * *

Sometimes he goes out at night, just to hear the breeze.

It'll be late, and the wind'll whisper out a tune that he wishes he could forget, but not because he dislikes it.

And he'll climb to the crow's nest and just watch the waters get shredded by the boat, the splash of silver that coats the ripples.

It became a bad habit, and mainly because every two days or so he'll see the black haired woman ghost through the deck and watches the same sight he does, or see her climb up a mast partially for a better view.

She'll look up at him, meet his eyes with her own blue ones, and go back to ignoring him, quiet as a mouse.

It's only at these times that she doesn't break the silence, or start a fight with someone. Like she's not herself, instead watching her body from where it floats around her.

For some reason, he likes it and doesn't at the same time.

And when habit turned to routine, Khadeja suddenly spent her time sitting up in the crow's nest with him.

In the tiny bucket-like spot, they'd sit side by side in a comfortable silence, contented with the way they were. And when it got really cold, Ja'far took off his top robe and put it over her shivering shoulders, and she leaned against him in gratitude.

Sometimes she sang a tune or two, but usually just played with his hands, and Ja'far liked to tease her by going limp and then snatching her hand up like a flytrap. Once she laughed so hard that even he began to chuckle.

Then it was expected of them to meet late in the night up above the rest of the world.

And their nights passed by like that, wonderfully.

It made little sense to him that she was very quiet and relaxed at night but during the day irritated him to no end, as if their trysts up to the bucket that left him half-awake and Sinbad suspicious didn't happen. Then again, there were times that Ja'far was glad for the unexplainable behavior of the annoying woman, because at least during the day he could collect his thoughts. He wasn't sure how he even felt about their nighttime truces, nor if he wanted those truces to extend to the daytime. It felt almost like a secret kept between them, little moments that was _his _and _his _only.

But simultaneously, it felt awkward and uncomfortable and left a unsureness to him, like he was worried that they wouldn't continue and he was worried that they would.

But it shouldn't matter to him.

So why can't he let it go?

* * *

***Eren's accent**: It's not actually an accent as much as a drawl, but it disappears whenever Eren is is thinking dark thoughts. It's close to southern but with a pinch of california-type slang. I've written him with this type of speech in all the other chapters too but this is the first time I've commented on it. (Sidenote: his family has this sort of drawl as well, but Eren's is much more prominent than theirs)

**Ting Mei: ** Koumei's girlie-friend! Yatta! Mei is her first name and Ting is her last (it's confusing but ties in with the mandarin pronunciation of names. I'm not Chinese so I'm not sure if I got it right but...Eh, the internet can only do so much), but Asad calls her Mei jokingly because Mei is very proper and thinks calling a person by their first name is inappropriate. Don't worry, she is _definitely_ not Asad's love interest (or 'Gyoku's head would explode), but rather a good acquaintance that he made when they were teens. She will possibly become Asad's friend and mother/sister figure along with working with him on political matters, but considering that making friends and trusting them is Asad's weak point, she'll have to work on that. Koumei and her...Weeeeellllllll, they're 'dating' and do have feelings for one another, but have difficulty truly enjoying the relationship because they know that they can't be together, since Koumei holds a position much higher than Mei's :(

**Xia Daoqing: **Okay, because this may be confusing, here is your explanation: the Xia family is a noble family that developed and uses Asad's sword technique (the twin sword spin style), and the head of the family is Xia Kaidu, who has two daughters, Xia Daoqing and Xia Chabi. Xia Daoqing is eighteen years old and wants desperately to be considered a master of the sword style, but since her father refused to let her learn she taught herself. With her own knowledge as a resource, she continually challenges Asad to duels in order to prove to her father that _she _should be the sixth generation head. Unfortunately, Asad, whose been properly trained and is considered a master by Kaidu, beats her every time. She's often ridiculed by the way she dresses and looks, but has grown use to the haters and promptly ignores them. Asad mentions that she dresses and looks a lot like him. (P.S. Dao-chan is considered Kougyoku's 'rival', and they often challenge one another verbally)

**Xia Chabi and Xia Kaidu: **Chabi is Dao-chan's younger fourteen year old sister who has a bit of a crush on Asad! Kawaii, ne? But Asad usually rejects her, saying, "You'd make a good wife, but you're too young". Sadly, Chabi generally doesn't hear this and gets very flustered over being called a 'good wife'. She's more of a comic relief to contrast from Dao-chan's serious, more driven character and is very girly with a relaxing sort of air about her. Kaidu is Asad's teacher, and while he's aware of Asad's habit of pushing people away he still takes a liking to the man, and often asks him to marry one of his daughters.

**That Hakuryuu scene tho: **Ah, I love him~! Did you see the latest chapters? HE'S EVIL AND INSANE AND I LOVE HIM SO FRICKEN MUCH AHHHHHHHHHHHH! I love Judal too, but he's waning in my favor because he's trying to hurt my baby Aladdin and I am **not** okay with that ish. BUT DAMN, HAKURYUU FOR THE WIN WITH THAT BELIAL DJINN EQUIP THO! Ahem, not what this is about. Anyway, I've introduced Hakuryuu! But, he holds a bit of a secret...Want to know what it is? *Smiles evilly* Oh, I know you want to know what it is...

**Ship Time: **I hated writing about the trip to Sindria. I kept running out of things to put in. I mean, I knew I'd be shifting between Kou and the ship heading to Sindria, but goddamn was it _annoying. _Kou was ten times funner to write, with the new OCs and all. Next chapter is Kou (Hakuei and Asad chappie) and then a timeskip with the gang doing their ish, because if I have to write more thing about that godforsaken ship I'm going to scream. Good thing I had that Ja'farXKhadeja bit already written like four weeks ago that I was waiting to put in.

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	18. Chapter 17: Decisions Make Us

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIFTH ARC: **Sindrian Days

CHAPTER 18: Decisions Make Us

* * *

When Hakuei Ren was reborn, she remembered everything.

Everything that ever happened to her, everything that would happen to her. And it made for a very startled, very hysterical baby crying and trying to get out of Gyokuen's arms. Her mother smiles comfortingly, but Hakuei just shrieks louder, and it isn't until her father gets fed up and plucks her out of her mother's grasp does her cries lodge in her throat.

Her father is alive.

Her handsome, bright father with a certain resemblance to her brothers and a strong yet calming feature to his eyes that made everyone know that he was not just Emperor, but someone who could protect you.

He blinks at her as she stops her wails and curls into his arms, as if saying, 'I love you, I love you, I love you'. She never said that to her father. It was a bit of an embarrassing thing to her, since her sire was Emperor and she was his only daughter after two sons.

She wishes she had, before Hakutoku was killed by his wife. It had been long since Hakuei had made the connection that Gyokuen was her mother, because in her eyes she wasn't. She isn't. She'll never be, not after learning what Hakuei has learned.

Gyokuen looks shocked as the Imperial Princess puts her tiny hand on his chest and tugs on the royal robes, murmuring baby words of love to her father in a language he couldn't understand.

Hakutoku's annoyance disintegrates with her actions, and he rocks her back and forth in a lulling matter.

"See, Gyokuen? She just recognizes her father, that's all" Hakutoku says proudly, holding Hakuei tighter. The warmth of her father's chest and the beating of his bell like heart makes her eyelids droop, and she wishes she could stay like that forever, in her father's arms, safe from the woman who will someday kill all that matters to her.

* * *

Being a baby was a nightmare for Hakuei. Her mother was constantly there, singing lullabies and dressing her in royal fabrics that, in her mother's words, 'make her childish-innocence glow even brighter'.

For the first time, Hakuei wonders if her mother's words really were fake. There was no one around, so why would Gyokuen take the time to mutter stories in her ears and hold her close to her chest?

Was it to make Hakuei love her? But she was a baby, and as far as Gyokuen's concerned, she doesn't know a pea from an apple.

So why?

To implant a seed of trust? To regain the favor with Hakutoku, who had noticed his newly-born daughter's distaste for her?

Or, even though Hakuei thinks the idea sick, has she gotten swept away with the idea of a being a mother?

Perhaps she likes being a mom.

Maybe, when she's alone with her baby who doesn't know anything about Ill Illah or Solomon, she can pretend she's in a word of her own making, where everythings to her standards and all she's wished for came true.

And she met a man she actually came to love and had his child, living peacefully.

Maybe that's all Gyokuen's ever really wanted.

But because Solomon replaced her beloved Father as God, she can't ever achieve her dream, and is thus willing to kill her children to make sure that no one else can have what she can't.

The reasoning makes Hakuei horrified to an extent that she's only ever felt when Hakuryuu staged a revolt overthrow Kouen and disgusted at her own sympathy, so she disregards it.

Being a toddler was better, but only by a fews inch and two working legs.

She could now go watch her older brothers train and laugh as they notice her and chase her around, finally catching her and putting her barely-struggling self on their laps.

"Oh, little Ei-Ren is up~?" Hakuren asks, pulling on her cheeks. "Can't stay away from your favorite brother, eh?"

"Please, everyone knows I'm Ei-Ren's favorite brother" Hakuyuu states calmly, and Hakuren almost agrees with him before catching the meaning of the words and calling him out on them. Hakuei snuggles into her siblings, shocked at how much she had missed the feeling of them being there to tease and teach her. How could she forget the nicknames as well?

"Nu-uh! Ren-Ren and Yuu-Ren are a tie!" She states, and the Princes snort. At least, Hakuren does.

"Aw, I'm sure you have a favorite, Ei-Ren" Hakuren pokes fun at her, smoothing down her dark blue hair. "You're my favorite sister"

"I'm your only sister!" She laughs, and Hakuyuu tickles her arm goodnaturedly.

"Oh, how smart you are, Ei-Ren"

"Yuu-Ren!"

Life passed like that, peacefully.

She went through all the things she remembered going through vaguely, like growing and being there when Hakuryuu was born to holding her brother's hands despite the maid's gasps.

As much as Hakuei wanted to, she could care less about what people thought of her. She knows what she'll become, and she's damn proud of the fact that she can accomplish it all without help.

She'll become a great general, someday.

Strangely, her father seemed to enjoy her headstrongness much more than he did in her previous life, though that might just be her imagination, and took such a shine to her that he would often call her down to gardens so he could watch her play or accept the flower crowns she made for him or just have her sit in his lap and watch the wind rustle along the earth. It was in those moments that her father didn't seem to mind one bit that he was Emperor and Emperors don't care for their children, because he suddenly did, and showered her with affection.

"Will you make me a flower crown, my little Princess?" He asks her softly, picking her up and setting her down onto the grass. Hakuei brightens and nods.

"Mhm! Hakuei will make father a big one!" and she sets off, finding only the most beautiful flowers and finest green vines. It takes some time, but when she returns to her father he picks her up once again and sets her beside him.

"Will you lean down a little bit, father?" Hakuei asks, hiding the crown behind her back. He smiles amusedly and does so, and she slips the crown of dark green vines that have seen little sun under the bush and flowers of moon kissed azure onto his head, pridefully studying the bright white wild flowers she had plucked skillfully to drizzle along the crevices.

He leans back up, places her on his lap, and takes off the crown to admire his daughter's masterpiece.

"My daughter is talented!" He exclaims, kissing her head. She warms on the inside. He had never done that before, not from what she remembers.

"I love you, daddy" She sighs happily, hugging him. The Emperor stiffens at her familiar words, but then relaxes, hugging her back.

"And I you, my daughter" His politeness does little to dampen her mood, and a optimistic voice whispers, '_at least he loves you, too_'.

Childhood was like being a toddler except she spent most of her time with a tutor and taking manner classes. She worked hard to recover the art of reading and writing that she hadn't used in years, and faked being at a normal progression rate so her tutor wouldn't know that in truth, she had the mind of a thirty-something year old war general/mother in her head.

Then one day, it hit her.

Her son was dead.

It could be concluded that she had been so caught up in her own thoughts and the love she received from her family that she was able to successfully blocked it out, but it was back, and in full force.

It took her a day to gather her thoughts, but that's because children at the age of seven generally don't have mental breakdowns. So she used a single day to spend entirely thinking about what she's gonna do.

She skipped her tutor, so her siblings worried.

She was nowhere to be found when the Emperor called for her, so her father worried.

She was acting strange, which made her mother gain excitement.

But they couldn't know about what she was doing, because then everyone would be shocked to find that their daughter was insane.

(Perhaps Gyokuen would be proud)

Seven year old Hakuei Ren, her long hair loose, laying in a tiny little corner of the library. The shelves block her, the books creating a barrier between the normalcy of Kou and the truth of the world.

She curls up and watches the light shift along the wall, as hours change hands and the maids call, 'Lady Hakuei!'.

Her eyes drift shut and lazily open, and for a little while, there's nothing but silence.

"Hello" It takes her a moment to sit up and turn her attention to the boy at the entrance to her little nook. His blue eyes study her, and his brown hair coats the sides of his face. Later in life, she'd watch that hair go silver and grow to a length where he'd be able to put it in a low ponytail, and notice how his sparkling eyes darken into a lively black. But for now, she frowns and wonders who he is.

"Hello" She replies quietly, and the boy tilts his head.

"Why are you hiding?"

"I'm sad" He pauses and nods.

"Mhm, me too" That's all the boy says. Then he turns on his heel and walks away.

Hakuei self-consciously pats down her hair.

_Perhaps I should go…_

What is she doing, acting so depressed? Her precious son's death punches her in the gut once again. Ah, she misses him, so small and brave. Children are suppose to outlive their parents- not the otherway around.

Her son now is a memory- no, a possibility within herself and her future husband. Hakuei bites her lip. Will she re-marry that man? Does she have the strength to do that?

But if she does do that then she'd have to allow her father and brothers to die again.

She'd have to allow Hakuryuu to fall again.

She'd lose them all and moreandshecan'tdothatshe_can'tdothatshecan'tdothat_.

Crying, the Imperial Princess resolves something heartbreaking and mournful to be decided in her heart and mind.

_Decisions must be made._

* * *

Ask who Hakuei's husband was.

Maybe now is the time to reveal that information.

Ask it, and I will tell.

For a simple explanation, war was threatened among Kou and other countries. To appease this, a marriage deal was struck between a trade-based country and the larger eastern country. Because of...Circumstances that left only one daughter in the Kou's royal family, the First Princess of Kou took the duty to become a certain man's wife.

A few months after the deal was struck, Hakuei Ren and Alibaba Saluja were married.

* * *

"Asad...What are you doing…?" It's a quiet question that is whispered out from a shocked assistant.

Onyx eyes flicker up.

"Forgive me, Mei...I just couldn't stop myself…" Hesitantly the assistant walks forward. Asad sighs. "I swear it wasn't meant to be this way-"

"MEI KICK!" He flies out of his chair as Ting Mei roundhouse kicks him. "HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU YOU CAN'T EAT DURING WORK HOURS?!" Her permanently proper kimono stays in it's position, and Asad once again contemplates how _in the world _it does that.

"But Mei-"

"No buts, mister!" The woman howls, pointing to the sushi laid on his desk. Asad looks to it dreamily, his mouth watering.

"But-"

"No buts!" Asad frowns. Then, he brightens.

"**Yet**, it's time for lunch!" Ting Mei groans at his replacement for 'but', and gathers the plate on the desk, lifting it above her head.

"No food until you finish drafting this month's schedule!"

"B-but Mei-"

"No buts!" She moves toward the door, smiling when Asad yells,

"Wait!" She pauses, looking back at him. Her smile drops.

_Where did he go?_

A hand taps her shoulder and when she turns around the plate is snatched out of her hands by Asad, who snickers at her shocked expression.

"H-how-?"

"I snuck up on you~!" Asad teases, taking a bite of his salmon sushi.

"But-"

"No buts!" Asad cackles as Mei steams.

* * *

Okay, so Asad doesn't like doing his work.

Big whoop.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't like getting out of his work. Because that's fun. With Ting Mei standing over him, glaring with her gray eyes, and then escaping from her clutches with a few tricks and taking a stroll out of the Palace.

He picks up a spare change of clothes from his super-secret-hiding-place, changes into green robes, and then goes to the market. He's certain Mei won't check there _first, _at least_._

"Asad, Asad!" One little old lady calls to him on the corner, beckoning him over to her. He smiles and joins her.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Li. How's work today?"

"Good! Oh, you're looking so handsome today!" Mrs. Li chuckles, wrinkles highlighting her cheeks as she pats his shoulder, too short to reach his face. Another old lady comes and joins them, bringing with her a basket full of metal trinkets.

"Ah, is Asad here to chat with us common folk?" She teases gently. "Oh, I'm kidding child, get that look off of your face!" Asad smirks.

"I would rather be with you lovely ladies any day rather than with my assistant doing paperwork" He replies, and the old women laugh.

"If you weren't so young and snarky, I would marry you!" Mrs. Li pokes his arm, grinning with a few missing teeth.

"More like if you weren't already taken with that girlfriend of yours and I wasn't so old I'd marry you" The second mends the statement, eyes gleaming. "Say, care to buy something for your girl?"

Asad winces, the memory of sneaking Kougyoku out to the marketplace and introducing her to the elderly women not far from his mind.

"About that…"

Mrs. Li smacks his chest, hands on hips.

"Please tell me you didn't break up with her!" They cry together. Asad sighs.

"Actually, I asked her to marry me and she declined" They gasp, old hands to old hearts.

"Oh you poor thing" Mrs. Li coos, and her friend nods, linking their thin elbows. "Oh you poor, heartbroken thing"

"Well, I did say some mean things after she broke up with me, so…"

Mrs. Li sighs.

"Oh dear, how'll you ever get married?"

"Hey!"

_Why are people so concerned about that?!_

He bids goodbye to the elderly corner-ladies, and continues his stroll through the streets, admiring the foods and items strewn across the stalls. At the end of the street he turns and prepares to go down the next one, but then stops.

Not just any kind of stop, but the kind where your blood freezes and you stare at something unnatural.

A little girl in a brown, misshapen dress.

A little slave girl, hiding behind a barrel.

Asad feels the light ripple and bend around himself before he even knows what he's doing. The tall man silently strides behind the girl, squatting behind her and watching how she peaks out every once and a while to see if anyone's coming.

He doesn't think he's creepy.

It goes on for a while, until he hears,

"Oi, anyone seen a little orange-haired freak?" He knits his eyebrows. The girl's hair wasn't orange. Ish. More like the color peaches, orangish-pink with matching eyes. The colors are swirled almost like a smoothie, now that he makes the connection.

He leans in, quiet as air, and studies her, interested despite himself.

She breathes loudly, trying to squish herself into the wall as she squeezes her eyes shut as tight as one can without becoming faint. Asad bites his lip.

"Girl, where are you?!" A man rounds the opposite corner, and the Shadow watches him carefully. "Goddamn it we need to go!"

His hair is the color of the side of a rusting boat, like brownish-black goop dripping with barnacles. His eyes are dark and tiny, strange for a man with such a big nose and jaw that juts outward. He wears a green robe, but it's loose on him and underneath a desert-style outfit protrudes.

"When I find you…" He growls lowly, his tiny black-rimmed teeth poking out from his splitting lips, "...There'll be hell to pay" The girl looks ready to cry. Asad gives the man one last look and then reaches down, wrapping his shadows around her until the light folds like the ends of wrapping paper over the girl, covering her.

Her eyes snap open, as if sensing his magic take effect, and instantly her eyes find his. His hand swallows her mouth and he shushes her, watching the slaver pass by them and kicks the dirt. The slaver disappears around the corner, and Asad releases her, unfolding the light around them so their invisibility is a thing of mystery to her young mind.

"W-who're y-you, desu?" She stutters, hugging her knees and pressing her back to the barrels. Strange, Asad figured she'd run once he released her, but then (and with horror) realizes that her ankles were raw and the bottoms of her feet were blistered and bloody. She winces once she follows his intense gaze, as if she had forgotten about her pain.

"I am the Holy Keeper" She blinks.

"That sounds, like, like a title, desu" She comments.

"It is" He sits cross legged. "Why're you here and not with your master?" Her orange-pink eyes fall to the floor.

"I don't want to be a slave anymore, desu"

"..." He wishes he could say anything else to make her feel better other than what he's going to say. "It's only for five years"

"No it isn't, desu!" She hisses, but her eyes are still stuck to the ground. "I was born into slavery. I'm nine, desu." Asad's eyes widen.

"You were suppose to be released four years ago"

"I know, desu" The slave-girl rubs her eyes. "B-but he s-said that the first five years didn't count because I was too young. A-and I tried to be good about it, but then when he was suppose to release Haru who's ten and was kept for the same reason I was, he said that he couldn't j-just leave a boy out in the world without someone to care for him, and forced him to stay and work, desu"

"...He did that, huh?"

"Yeah..." The girl looks wild suddenly. "I can't live like this- I won't stay in chains forever! Mama and papa made me promise that I'd live a good life before they were sold, desu!" Asad cringes at the statement.

"Your mom and dad were sold?"

"Separately" She whispers. "Mama to a...A...Horse house? And Papa to a statue-building place, desu" The silver-haired man's mouth goes dry.

He closes his eyes.

And takes off his top robe. The girl studies the green hatori, biting her lip as he hands it to her. He had worn a white kimono-top underneath, so it wasn't as though he was bare.

"U-um…" He rolls his eyes and puts the several-sizes-too-big hatori onto her shoulders, sliding her arms in and tying it with a spare wrap. She looks ridiculous and he looks underdressed, but it works. He picks her up, mindful of her feet, and wraps the light around them, making sure that they're invisible before selecting his course back to the Kou Royal Palace.

"H-Holy Keeper?" She asks nervously. "Where...Are we going, desu?"

"Congratulations, kid" He smirks. "You're not a slave anymore"

* * *

"Mo-mo-ka"

"Mhm" He absentmindedly agrees, scrubbing the dirt off of the girl's back. He can almost see her frown.

"Mo-mo-ka" She repeats.

"Yep" He pours warm water down her back, contented with the clean skin he leaves behind. He takes some of her newly-cut-to-her-shoulders hair and lathers it with scented oils, glad that the smell of his favorite fruit fills the air. "Momoka means 'peach girl' or 'girl of peaches'"

"Momoka" She whispers, as if tasting the name.

"I loooooove peaches" He comments, rubbing the oil through her straight locks. The newly dubbed Momoka sits in the large bath, and Asad sits behind her on the ledge, wearing a towel, though that's because he's certain that Ting Mei will kill him if he wore nothing around a girl her age.

"It's good, desu" She decides, and he chuckles.

"Damn straight it's good" Asad pauses. "Don't say 'damn', okay?"

"Okay" She agrees and he smiles.

"We'll have a good time together" Momoka looks back at him, tilting her head back.

"Holy Keeper?"

"Yeah?" Her perfectly blank face is a mixture of innocence and calmness.

"Your hair is pretty. You should wear it loose more, desu" He laughs.

"I would, but I'm not a woman" He explains jokingly, lowering himself beside her in the bath. "You should grow your hair out"

"But you cut it, desu"

"Not my fault you had birds nests in those knots!"

"Did not, desu!" He shrugs.

"Looked like it, at least"

"You're very blunt, desu" She huffs.

"You're smart for being an ex-slave" Momoka blinks, and then shyly regards him.

"I'm smart, desu?"

Asad smirks.

* * *

"Very smart"

Kouen was an easily pleased man.

It just was that no one could do anything right.

"What do you mean-" Because that's apparently what everything starts with now, "-Some girl is going to give us gold?"

Koumei shrugs, holding up the letter.

"I don't know, I just got a letter from Ting Mei" He holds up a second letter. "And one from Kouha, whose apparently taking a great interest in it. He wants to finish his leg of the campaign in one go so he can come back and see it happen. He also wants us and Hakuei to return to because apparently the Emperor is excited for this girl as well"

"..." Kouen is easily pleased.

But this is just weird.

"She's giving us gold" Kouen repeats.

"Yes"

"...Why?"

"Kouha says that the Emperor said it was to settle debts" Koumei relaxes, looking tired.

"That's stupid" Kouen deadpans. "Is this girl still going to give us the gold? Balbadd _is _occupied"

"I don't know if she is still, but I assume so"

"What's her name?"

"Badroulbadour" Koumei yawns. "Apparently she got the gold when she was capturing a Dungeon with a man named Eren. Eren is the King Candidate because Badroulbadour is a magician"

Koune is easily pleased.

But that doesn't mean he's easily interested.

"Get back to work" He orders his brother, a slight smile on his lips that for some reason doesn't look as nice as he's feeling. "We need to get this done if we're going back to Kou to witness this transaction"

* * *

"She's what?" Ting Mei asks slowly, watching as Asad ushers Momoka forward.

"This is Momoka. She's my new maid" He motions to her again, smirking as Mei rubs her temple. Momoka was dressed in a green qipao* and her hair was put into two buns covered with green fabric that fit tightly over them like a hairnet. He had stol- _borrowed _the clothes from a room that may or may not belong to a nobleman's daughter and dressed Momoka in them, proceeding to treat and wrap her feet in bandages and pointed shoes. The girl nods, bowing.

"Hello. My name is Momoka, desu" The white haired woman blinks multiple times for several long seconds. Asad knows better than to assume that someone like Ting Mei is surprised, because someone like Ting Mei is always calculating and developing some sort of plan inside that head of hers. She's like a nice version of Bad, except she only makes plans, and never carries them out herself.

"Hello" She replies. "Momoka, was it? Did the Holy Keeper kidnap you?"

"What? No-" Asad starts, only to be cut off by Momoka's,

"Yes, earlier this afternoon, desu"

"Asad!" Mei exclaims, eyes like steel blades. Asad is about to defend himself before a little voice says,

_You know what? Whatever._

"Yes, I kidnapped her. Talk to the head maid and tell her Momoka's to be a assigned to my wing for housekeeping and then to my private quarters to serve you and I" Mei blinks at his sudden straightforwardness and then sighs.

"Fine. But I must know, where are her parents?" Momoka shifts uncomfortably, her eyes flickering to Asad whose hand drifts to her shoulder.

"I am going to find her parents" He answers simply. The newly made maid looks at him in a way that makes him pause and study it. A look of gratitude, of shock and surprise and a sprinkle of sadness. Like she's hopeful, but she knows that even if he tries his hardest, he's not sure to succeed.

Momoka holds her tongue.

Mei studies him, something familiar in her eyes that he can't place.

"I see" The woman bows her head. "Momoka, come with me. You are to address me as Lady Ting or Ma'am, I will accept nothing less. It doesn't matter that Asad calls me Mei, because he's an idiot. You may not call Asad an idiot. Since you are his personal maid now, call him Holy Keeper, Master, or Lord Asad…"

Her voice fades as she leads the nine year old down the hallway, and though Momoka looks back as if to see Asad once more before disappearing into a new life, he's gone. Not really, but as far as she's concerned he is.

But her eyes find where his eyes would be if he was still standing there, and she mouths two words that Asad really wonders if he deserves.

If a man does one good deed, is he remembered for that single instance of kindness? Should he be worthy of love if he spread hate with his hands and blood with his fingers? What makes a person noble, and what defines the darkness that lurks in our hearts?

Asad is not a good person.

He cannot hide behind his reasoning, because what does that matter to the loved ones of the people whose string of life he cut? It doesn't. So what he was protecting his brother and his Princess, he still did the biggest sin a person could commit, and that alone decides a certain truth about him.

_Decisions must be made._

* * *

Alibaba was dead.

Well, not really dead but it sure as hell felt like it. Eren was nice and gave Alibaba a day off from 'the-specially-tailored-training-from-Hell', but it was spent in his room, groaning as Aladdin went off to play games with Bad.

Even Morgiana had ditched him to form a trio with Masrur and Catrina, which consisted mainly of Catrina chatting and the other two Fanalis listening to her stories and commenting or asking questions.

Eren himself was drinking with Sinbad, who had finally found a man that could drink as much alcohol as him and not pass out while Khadeja and Ja'far argued again about God-knows-what. So there he was, muscles practically lead and skin too tight against him. The door opens.

He wants to look to see who's there, but his neck makes an ugly crack and he chokes out a rather disturbing sound.

"Ali? Are you feeling any better?" Alibaba's eyes open, but it's a slow action that requires more attention than he's willing to admit.

"No…" He murmurs, and Centola giggles harmoniously. She appears in his field of vision.

"Hm, are you sick? I'll check your temperature" she leans toward him and lays her soft hand against his forehead. Her hand feels so nice, cool to the touch and like silk sliding over wet sand from a white beach.

"Am I sick?" He asks, and she shakes her head, her braid falling over her shoulder and the green ribbon tickling his nose. She takes her hand away and foolishly he tries to sit up.

"Owowowowowoooooow!" He exclaims, falling back down.

Next thing he knows, his neck his being lifted up by those hands he had admired.

"Cent-" But she's already sitting down where his head was, and lays his head onto her lap so he's staring straight up at her. "-ola…"

"There. now we can talk and you don't have to hurt yourself" She laughs, leaning back onto the wood.

Alibaba gulps, a blush forming on his cheeks.

"C-Cent, you know, this sort of thing…"

She looks down at him with those breathtaking eyes and he has to finish what he's saying, even though he doesn't remember the words.

"...Is meant for, um, b-boyfriends and g-g-g-girlfriends" She blinks and then holds a few fingers to her lips to conceal her smile.

"Let's keep it a secret then, okay?" He goes about two-hundred and sixteen shades of red at the statement.

"O-okay" He hoarsly replies, and is quiet for many long minutes. That's fine for Centola however, who closes her eyes and seems to enjoy the ship's rocking. Alibaba looks up at her, seemingly struck by the fact that Centola is much, much more beautiful than he remembers her being.

And kinder, gentler, more optimistic and well-versed than before, too. It's sort of intimidating.

_Calm down! It's just Cent. You've been around her for years._

But not in this sort of situation. Centola has always been...Well, Centola. He's not afraid to say that before Kassim, she was his best friend. And then when Kassim came into the picture with Centola's help, she became his best female friend. Over the course of the years, perhaps the title changed from what it was to what it meant, and the words 'female' and 'best' where two things that, yes, he didn't usually put together.

Yet Centola was always Centola, the amazing singer, the brilliant dancer, the hopeful and protective friend.

And now…

"Hey Cent?" He should shut his mouth. "We're friends, right?" She looks down at him, studying him for what feels longer than a few seconds.

"Yes" She brushes the hair out of his eyes. "We're friends. Do you not want to be?"

"No!" He says louder than he meant to. "Of course I want to be friends!"

An amused look dances across her face.

"Then what's wrong?"

"...I just...Feel like it's been so long" He's so exhausted. From working with Eren to feeling like crap after words, it's like he hasn't had any time together with his oldest friend. "We never really talked after we met up again after two years. It was like, you showed up, joined the Fog Troop and then we were working together to overthrow the monarchy. You never told me where you went or did during our separation, and I didn't even have time to ask about it...I just feel like you're different"

"It was a year and a half, and you're one to talk" Centola replies, but her face is soft. "I don't know where you went during that time. I don't even know how you captured a Dungeon! I just know that when I saw you and Kassim again, you both were...You were different, for sure"

"I don't feel different" He says, and Centola plays with his hair.

"Neither do I" Alibaba smiles slightly.

"I went to Qishan, you know"

"Ooooh fancy" He snickers.

"It's better than it sounds!"

"Mhm, I'm sure"

The spend the rest of the day telling stories about the things and places they saw on their travels, and the adventures they went on with their friends.

Centola learns that Alibaba met Aladdin when he found the boy eating stolen watermelons, and listened as the blonde explained in depth about the inside of Amon's Dungeon, with the giant monsters and the spiralling flames.

Alibaba learns that Centola met Bad the day before she left Balbadd, and that in Rayide she met her aunt, a woman with blond curls and a dazzling smile. He learned she wrote many songs and thought about him and Kassim often.

"You went to Kou?" He asks, and with a bit of hesitation she nods.

"Yes. Kou's actually a very pretty place...Except..." He bites his lip.

"Except…"

"It...The Emperor is a bit arrogant, and the royal family has as many members as it does issues" Alibaba pauses and then busts out laughing. Centola giggles a bit too, blushing at her own words.

"Oh man" Alibaba shakes his head. "You're too much, Cent"

"Oh, I beg to differ!"

"You 'beg to differ'?" he asks her in a high pitch voice.

"That's not what I sound like"

"Are you sure?"

"Yep"

"Very sure?"

"Completely"

"Oookay" He smiles at her pout.

"_She's just...Too cheery, you know? Centola's too good at hiding things away, and that's why her acting normal is what enables us to catch her true feelings" _

"Alibaba?" The blond reaches up suddenly, and touches her cheek, though the way his palm has to shift is awkward to him.

"_I have a feeling she packed those feelings of hurt and anger and...Betrayal and just pushed them deep, deep down so that she won't endanger anyone with her actions"_

"Centola" His voice is soft, his heart exposed.

"_It's like she's not going to even talk about what happened in the Djinn with Kassim"_

"Y-yeah?"

"Centola…" He swallows down his uncertainty. The parts of him that don't want to know, the pocket of shallowness that's okay not talking about _this _subject. "...What happened between you and Kassim in Balbadd?"

"What do you mean?"

"..." He stares at her for a little while, and replies, "Did...Why did Kassim forget that he loves you?"

Doesn't look like he thought she would. She doesn't look surprised or sad, but rather clear, calm and a bit guilty.

"He doesn't love me, Alibaba" She replies, eyes glazing over. "He never really loved me"

"Yes he did" Alibaba argued, ignoring something sharp raking across the underside of his ribs. "I may not have been with you two for very long but I...I saw how he looked at you, how he wanted to protect you...I saw how he looked like he wanted to kiss you whenever you said something brilliant, and since you say something brilliant everyday that was a lot…"

Centola studies him for a moment. In the green reflection of her eyes, he sees himself, hair messily strewn over her lap, eyes filled with unexplainable blankness, awkward arm still holding onto her cheek.

And he sees rather than feels her lift his head up and push him away.

Alibaba sits up slowly, careful for his aching muscles, and watches as Centola composes herself, sitting up straight. She looks him dead in the eye, and says without hesitation or doubt,

"Alibaba, I haven't explained what a Temptress is yet, have I?"

He shakes his head.

"Then I shall, right now" Her eyes close for three seconds. That's all she needs to make a decision, three seconds. "I shall start at the beginning- the day my mother was born and work my way to now. It won't take long, because you already know most of it"

"Auntie was a Temptress?"

"No. Lilliana De Coverna was born to a woman named Farida De Coverna, and was a child of the desert…"

* * *

"...And so, I broke the seal and erased Kassim's memory about the 'love' he held for me" Centola explains, face so blank it borderlines cold. Alibaba sits there, stunned, and is quiet for the long pause that Centola takes for him to soak it all in. "It was never real. It was just an obsession brought on by my family's seal...By my mother's decision to seal it into someone until I was old enough to handle that pressures of being a Temptress. But, as fate would have it, my mother died before I was old enough in her eyes, and thus the Temptation magic inside him fueled something in him that, in reality, is a monster of my own creation"

"..."

"I figured that, because the obsession with me and becoming King were rooted in the same place, breaking the seal would reverse it and save Kassim's life, which it did"

"...You…"

"Yes?"

"You...Loved him, didn't you?"

"..." Centola does look pained then, for an instant, but she covers it up quickly, sucking the sadness back into herself through her eyes and shutting the door with mirrors as not to be found.

"In a way, I guess I did. But...His life means more than my own selfishness"

"But...But we're a team" Alibaba whispers, wincing as he realizes he soundslike a whiny brat. "I mean…"

"I...Know. We are a team. Always, you and Kassim will be my lights. Perhaps…Perhaps I wasn't fated to love Kassim" She smiles slightly, taking his hand and squeezing it. "So don't look so sad, Alibaba. Things are alright"

"But they're not"

"...Is 'okay' a better word? Or how about 'nice'? Because 'nice' doesn't always mean 'good'. I learned that from a close friend of mine"

"Let's- Let's go with okay. At least with that we'll be able to reach 'good' again" Centola giggles emptily, and they sit there, like the beginning of the trip, on the lumpy bed.

"On the brightside, no more secrets" She whispers, and the blonde feels the rocking of the ship, somehow feeling lighter than he was before she came into the room, despite the heavy things they talked about.

"No more secrets"

* * *

Centola leans her head on Alibaba's shoulder, smiling so slightly that it could be thought of as a frown. Though it was painful speaking about everything, she doesn't regret telling Alibaba the truth. Because Centola realizes something that perhaps Bad doesn't.

If the world was sucked up by the darkness the last time, what does adding to it help with the situation? Yes, it gives her flexibility and the ability to make fate flow toward another future, but what good is that if she can't control her own black soul and ends up breaking everything herself?

So Centola has a new plan. It's one that co-exists with Badroulbadour's, and one that can bend and shift according to her careful plotting, but also counteract the darkness to bring a balance.

Yes, balance. That's what Centola needs, that's what the world needs.

More light to even the scales, to bring peace to the lopsided earth that quivers under the weight of powerful nations and even stronger individuals.

_Decisions must be made._

* * *

Kassim wasn't expecting that traveling was going to be so friggin' hard.

I mean, yeah, it wasn't as though he had chains on his feet and was being _dragged _through the desert, but it wasn't a picnic either. Basically, it was terrible, but it could be worse.

When he left Balbadd, he had planned on heading to an oasis town and doing odd jobs until Balbadd returned to stability, but now he's not sure that he'll even make it to another cactus, let alone the desert city of Nadium.

The sun beats hard on Kassim's shoulders, and he's thankful for the shawl and scarves wrapped around his face, no matter how much sweat drenches the fabric. Reaching back, his fingers wrap around the lukewarm water skin and he pulls it off of the pack and to his lips, trying to suck the water out of it.

He groans once he realizes that no, no water has appeared in the skin since he last checked a few minutes ago.

"This...Sucks" He hoarsely manages to himself. It becomes apparent that he might die there, in the hot sun, and the thought brings a little more strength to his tired bones. He can't die though, Centola and Alibaba won't forgive him if he doesn't come back for them, someday.

So he musters up what little energy he has and straightens his back, widening the lengths between his steps so he can go farther.

He coughs and glares at the horizon, willing it to become shorter.

_No matter what's thrown at me…_

Then he pauses and tells it to become longer, the road to become rockier, the sun to become hotter.

_No matter how much I suffer…_

He tells his thermus to be drier, his back to be stiffer, his feet to ache more than it has before.

_No matter how far I walk or what the world decides to do with me…_

"I won't lose!" He shouts, throwing his fist into the air. "Do you hear that, God?! Do you see me, Fate?! I won't lose no matter what, because I have a new dream!"

Brown eyes meet the blue sky, and he grins with his chapped lips, feeling the smoke lift from his bones and become replaced a freshness he hasn't felt since...Ever.

A clean slate, all for him.

"I'll live to support my friends! I'll make something of my life! Do you hear that?! I'll survive because that's what I'm suppose to do! I don't give two shits about Fate because...I have control of my own destiny!"

"Is that right?"

"That's right-!"

Brown eyes meet red.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Asad is a arse in all accounts. _

_Yes, I know I've said this before (numerous times, actually…) but trust me, it doesn't get old. Ever. It's bad enough that he's taken Ting Mei as his assistant or whatever, but he also has a new personal maid._

_Okay, she's younger than Chabi, but still. _

_And the weird thing about the girl? She doesn't speak to anyone. I asked her name (very politely too, something I bet Asad's never done) and she didn't respond. She just looked at me with her big eyes and then ran off. _

_Obviously the girl had told her master what had happened, because when I went to go challenge Asad for a re-match, he rolled his eyes at me and said,_

"_What, so you can win the right to harass my maids?" What. The. Hell. I've never 'harassed' a child! Ask Chabi, she'll tell you that all I do is train and hang out with her. _

…

_Just realized that one of my only friends is my little sister. Ugh. _

_Anyway, back to the main point: Asad is an arse. _

_But usually he's an arse because he's constantly teasing me or snidely calling me unsuitable for marriage (which I completely am), but lately he's been...Cold. Like, ice cold. It seems he only acts sort of like a decent human being when he's around Ting Mei (but that's out of fear because damn is that woman scary) and that maid...Momoka! That's her name! I forgot it because it was sort of odd. Anyway, he's only semi-sort of-not really human-like when those two are around._

_Even what he said earlier, "What, so you can win the right to harass my maids?", was twinged with...Seriousness, and a bit of harshness. _

_Okay. Here it is, a truth about the Holy Keeper: as rude and snarky as he is, he's actually much nicer to women than men. Which is another reason why I hate __**him so much**__. It's sexist, I tell you! He should treat me like a man-_

_Ahem. I digress. _

_So yeah. That's what happened today in the life of Xia Daoqing (and most definitely not Dao-chan). Bye-bye!_

_Sincerly, _

_Xia Daoqing _

"That's what happened today in the life of Xia Daoqing, and most definitely not Dao-chan!" The diary is slammed shut, and the purple haired swordswoman spins around, clutching the book to her chest.

"Chabi! Get out!" Chabi giggles, hopping off the futon and sidestepping her sister's sloppy swings with her sheath. "How much did you read?!"

"Bits and pieces" The lilac haired girl chirps, flouncing to the doorway. "Enough to be able to tell Father you wouldn't mind marrying Lord Asad~!"

"Chabi, you brat!"

* * *

Sometimes, Fate is good.

Sometimes, it'll bend easily toward your will, and instead of controlling every little thing it'll allow you space to move freely and change whatever it is you want to change. Fate will give you the _choice _to change things. It'll give you a _decision_ to do as you will.

So when Fate's heavy hand on an event is pushed off by force, and the push Fate had on said turning point was not only ignored but _shifted_? A new story was weaved.

As simple as that.

Cause you see, there are so many, _so many _different possibilities in the world. If it were to gain a name, it would be called the world's 'potential force'. And when something decided by Fate is changed, then the potential force comes into play, a backup that heals the slip up and mends the path to continue on course.

But what if those who changed Fate doesn't want it to go back to the way it was? Then a new force comes into play, the opposite of potential force. This is called the world's 'kinetic force'. Brought on by individuals, and guided by those who reject and defy Fate, the kinetic force is the never ending bombardment of potential force through shifts and changes in multiple places in the world.

Like the survival of someone who was meant to die.

Like the saving of a Magi from depravity.

Like a girl baiting a warrior country with gold for unknown purposes.

Like a man saving a girl from slavery.

Like the one who was meant to die to become eye to eye with someone who was meant to Fall.

"Is that right?"

"That's right-!"

Brown eyes meet red.

A sly smile slips across a face, reminding the one meant to die of a girl he grew fond of. And the one who was meant to Fall snickers, remembering this man from a night of destruction.

"Oi, you're name is Kassim, right? Nice to meetcha. Name's Judal" The red eyed teen lands on the ground, and the brown eyed teen watches in amazement as he offers him his hand.

"Are you seriously going to shake my hand after what you did to me and my friends?" Kassim asks, nose wrinkling. "You tried to kill us!"

"And you guys almost killed me" Judal retorts, hand still outstretched. "But let's let bygones be bygones"

All it takes is a blink of an eye, and Kassim's fist meets Judal's borg. The dreadlocked man stumbles back, clutching his newly bruised knuckles.

"Fuck that's hard!" He hisses, and Judal laughs.

"Oh my God, did you just try to _punch _me? You're stupider than your friends-"

"I let you out of my sight for a minute, and this is where you run off to?" Judal's sentence is cut off, and the teenager's smug expression disappears. "Seriously Judal, getting into fights is a stupid thing to do"

Judal lowers his gaze and kicks the dirt.

The new comer, a man with a long pale blonde braid and kind blue eyes smiles in an almost feminine way at the two others. He comes from above, flying in just like the blackhaired eighteen year old did.

"I'm sorry about this…"

"Kassim"

"Kassim. I'm Yunan. Judal was actually trying to apologize for what he did, he's just _really _bad at saying 'sorry'"

"Hey!" Kassim blinks.

"_But let's let bygones be bygones"_

That makes more sense now, to Kassim at least.

"Oh. You're right, he does suck at it"

"Don't talk like I'm not here!" Yunan sighs.

"I believe the reason he attacked your fort that day was because he didn't get his daily dose of attention. I apologize for his actions"

"What the hell, Yunan?!" Kassim smirks, enjoying the game.

"Well...I can't say I forgive him, because those were my precious friends that he hurt. But perhaps I'll be lenient towards him if you two men can do me a favor…" The Magi blink.

"What do you want, brat?"

"We're about the same age" Kassim deadpans, pointing to himself. "I'm eighteen"

"I'm-...Okay I'm eighteen too"

"What is it you'd like, Kassim?" Yunan asks, much friendlier than his companion. Kassim snickers darkly, and the two narrow their eyes.

"I'd like for you two…" He brightens suddenly. "To share your water with me!"

Yes, Sometimes Fate is good.

* * *

"Ne, can I ask you something, Zeina?"

"Sure" Alexio's bright blue eyes fill with curiousity. Zeina smiles at him, shooting quick sideways look at the horses to make sure they're going straight.

"Why do you have so many books? You have more books than plants, and more plants than clothes" Zeina giggles, a softhearted feeling pouring into her. Truth was, she has ten books, seven potted plants and five different dresses on board with her, the rest having either been left or shipped off to her other houses in the cities they've passed.

"Why do I have so much?" She asks, almost amused. "The clothes, well, I look good in anything so it's not like I need much…" Alexio huffs and rolls his eyes.

"And the books?"

"The plants, well, I've always had a love for gardening, and my mother taught me that the most beautiful plants grow close to their caretaker, so I take them with me"

"And _the books_?"

Zeina turns her full attention to the horses, smiling slightly.

"Boy, you're too hot for my tastes! But I suppose...These books are special to me. The ones my great-grandmother collected, the ones my mother received, the ones I've gathered from all over the world...They are my heritage and my precious leisure"

"Leisure?"

"I can relax when I read" She clarifies, and Alexio nods, hugging his knees.

A moment of silence comes.

"What about that book you have...The, uh, name book" Zeina pauses, though her head tilts in his direction.

"The name book…" Those deep maroon eyes shield him from knowing her thoughts. "The name book is my most important book"

"Eh? Why?"

"Because the names in that book were written by generations of De Covernas, past my great-grandmother and tracing back for hundreds of years. The real name book is with my sister, this is a transcripted copy"

"Your family gathered these names?"

"Yes. Names of our friends, names of our family, names and meanings of all types"

"What's your favorite name?" Zeina's eyes soften so much that he thinks that they may have melted in the sun.

"The name that means 'Lord of the Sages', or 'Lord of the Sindh'" Alexio stares at her.

"But what's the name?"

"Find it for yourself if you're so curious!" Zeina laughs, and the boy blushes, pouting despite himself.

"Maybe I will!"

* * *

"The Fanalis Trio!" Catrina states, throwing her hands into the air. The lack of response she gets it a bit dampening to her mood, but she disregards it, and smiles at the two Fanalis who stare at her.

Masrur doesn't say anything, but Morgiana blinks a few times and murmurs,

"But...Isn't that a bit self-evident?" Catrina pouts.

"No! When people see us together they'll think, 'oh look at those redheads', but they won't know that we're a group!" Masrur's nose twitches.

"We're a group" He repeats more to himself than them, looking up at the sky. Catrina smiles wider and nods. She launches herself at the purebloods, pulling them into a hug by their waists.

"We're all Fanalis, so we have to take care of each other, right?" Morgiana looks at her, and then away, a troubled and confused but not unhappy look on her face.

"Take...Care of each other…" She licks her lips and nods, still avoiding Catrina's orange gaze. "Y-yeah, that sounds good"

Masrur's hands fall onto their heads, and they look upwards to the taller man.

He doesn't say a word, but a message is shared between them. As Alice, Catrina won't deny that she had often wondered how the characters were able to see what one another meant without saying a single thing, but now she understands.

And her friendly smile turns a little bit more truthful.

"So...Fanalis Trio it is, yes?"

* * *

"Don't be a wuss, Alibaba!" The Chandlen yells, and the blonde struggles to push himself back up, coughing and sputtering out a response.

"Y-yes ssssir" Eren stands like a cold-hearted statue in front of the younger Dungeon Capturer, and clears his voice.

"Ninety-one! Ninety-two! Ninety-Three!" Alibaba doesn't hear it, and just continues to push himself up and down as sweat slips down his face and hits the puddle forming below him. "Ninety-six! Hey, Alibaba, stop staining the wood!" Alibaba rasps out a noise that vaguely resembles a 'yes'.

But the thing is, he realizes, that after two weeks of doing Eren's routine he's no longer sweating or getting exhausted so easily. This is the fifth set of one-hundred push ups, and he's only now feeling like he's going to die! So yay for improvement!

"Ninety-nine! Five hundred!" Alibaba falls into his own sweat puddle, cringing at how it stings but sighing contently as it cools his burning face. "ALIBABA!"

His head snaps up, and weakly he manages to get to his knees.

"Y-yes, Master?" Eren's eyes are dark like a serpant's and his accent has disappeared altogether. The thought makes Alibaba pause.

_His accent does seem to go away during training…_

"Because you've done so well on improving your stamina and strength," In addition to the five sets of push ups, Alibaba also has to do running drills Eren calls 'suicides', climbing drills on ropes tied above on the mast, and 'core exercises'. "I have decided to add several new regimens to your workout! Congratulations Alibaba, you're halfway towards the personalized-training-from-Hell that Bad made me and Catrina do! Hurry!"

Alibaba stops cold, an almost good thing considering every inch of his body is on fire.

"There's...More…?"

"Yep! When I was training with Bad we started at dawn and ended late at night, with small breaks and half a day off every week. We called those days our relaxation days!" Alibaba collapses onto the wood, tears gathering in his eyes.

"I'm only...Half-way there?"

"Oh don't worry, you won't be doing all of it" Eren chuckles, and the blonde lifts his head with hope.

"Really?"

"Of course you aren't! Really, the only reason I survived under the teaching of Bad was because I'm already a muscle-freak. And if Catrina wasn't part Fanalis? Well, thank God she is!" The green haired man pats his head gently. "You wouldn't last a single day, you poor, weak, woman-like man!"

Alibaba's offended and thankful at the same time.

"Now…" Eren stands up straight and his smile disappears. "GET UP YOU PIECE OF GARBAGE! WE'RE DOING TWENTY SUICIDES TO MAKE UP FOR THAT BREAK, ANOTHER SET OF PUSH UPS, TEN SETS OF CRUNCHES, AND WE'LL START ON WEIGHT LIFTING!"

* * *

Bad giggles.

"Poor Alibaba" Aladdin looks up from his cards and cringes.

"Is Eren serious about the training you guys had to do?"

"He's giving a simplified version so Alibaba doesn't feel bad" The girl explains, lifting up her cards again to see her hand.

"A simplified version?!" Bad smiles.

"Mhm! Eri, Catrina and I worked really, really hard those months!"

"Months?!" The pinkette nods as Aladdin looks at her with wonder and admiration for the work the group had put in to become as strong as they are.

"We had a lot of time in Rayide, you see. We left when Centola was, oh, fourteen and a half, and then spent a month in Kou, going from there to take a five month trip to Rayide where Centola's aunt was...And then we spent the next year training and traveling back to Balbadd!"

"Wow, so you've seen a lot of the world then, haven't you?"

"_You've never seen the world, right? Well, I can probably show you around then!"_

Bad freezes, those words he's said to her before coming back in a haunting way. Oh yes, she remembers the day he said those words, when they had just set out on their journey together and she was questioning what it was he meant by taking her with him on foot across the continent.

"Yes, I've seen a lot of the world" she responds, setting down her cards face-down. "Before I went on that trip with Centola, I went on a two-year expedition with Eri and Catrina. We went everywhere! We went to Reim, Partevia, coastal cities near Balbadd and finally Balbadd itself" Her eyes look into his until she can't stand it and she averts her gaze. "We went to and saw so many beautiful places, and made all sort of friends and memories"

"That's...Wonderful" Aladdin sighs longingly, and Bad smiles slightly, resting her chin on her arm.

"Mhm...And all sort of things happened to us and we had such fun...But…"

"But?"

"I always knew that...Someday it would have to end" Aladdin doesn't seem surprised by her words but does tilt his head slightly. She looks off to the side, feeling a bit empty. "...I...I knew it had to. Because it wasn't our 'fate' to remain that innocent. The path we were put on years ago leads to a rather sad place and...We only have each other…"

"Bad...I'm sorry but I think that you're wrong" Bad looks to him then, knowing what he's going to say. "What do you mean, 'it had to end'? Seems to me like you're continuing adventuring despite your words. No one's 'fate' is to remain innocent, because it's by the Rukh's path that we learn and lose and keep moving forward. The Rukh's path can be mysterious and unknown, but by holding the hands of those next to you there's absolutely nothing you can't achieve!"

"You're right"

"And furthermore- wait, what?" Aladdin stops himself, looking at her like he's found a new species. Bad plays with her face-down cards, rearranging them.

"The Rukh's path has a simple explanation to it. Life leads us through the days and years, and we follow it because that's our nature" She grins then, flipping the cards over one by one with her words. "But sometimes, every once in a while, someone comes along who is able to predict the patterns of the Rukh"

Aladdin's attention is on Bad's hands, and the cards she flips over. Ace of hearts, two of diamonds, three of clovers, four of spades…

"And because of their skill, they're able to tell what 'path' they are meant to tread, and where it'll end" The blue haired magi furrows his eyebrows.

"That's impossible…" He mutters, but is intent on her words.

"And you know what happens to these people? They end up hating their fate. They hate where they end up, they hate that they'll lose their precious friends, and they hate that they can't _do anything about it_" The boy watches her take his cards, still face down, and rearrange them as well.

Ace of spades, two of clovers, three of diamonds, four of hearts…

"And they hate the people opposite of them, because they are the ones they can never be like" Aladdin's face holds a tint of shock and vague denial. "Those people usually end up Falling"

She presents him their cards, all lined up neatly in the inverted order, and lazily moves her hand in circles toward him.

"Your turn, Al"

* * *

**Two weeks later**

There, on the horizon.

There it is, brightly shining.

And for some unexplainable reason, it just just a bit of the elusive hope to Bad's heart. It gives a bit of clarity, a gentle touch of understanding as to what she's been working toward all these years. Yes, she's given up things. And yes, it's true that for herself and her siblings/friends they've all had things they cherished ripped away from them like they mean nothing.

But for the moment, Bad allows herself to realize that she's _won_.

Won only one battle, true, but that's not where she'll stop.

Bad lifts her head to the impending future and smiles, truly allowing herself to bath in the glorious spirit of someone who's taken the first step to winning a war. But she knows this feeling won't last for long, and that's okay.

Because there is still plans to be put into action, changes to be tweaked and perfected, stars to count and days to live. She has a mass of decisions ahead of her, and the girl is ready to face them.

The not-quite magician, the pinkette, and the depraved woman are all ready for her opponents to strike, and there is nothing that will make her lose.

The Princess isn't backing down.

So come at her, world.

* * *

There, at the helm of the ship.

There she is, standing proudly against the wind.

For a moment, it feels as though all time slows down, and the way her hair flows like water in the air is slow and he sees each ripple along the bright pink strands. The Rukh ebb and fly around her, shifting into pure black roses with a white, white outline.

And then, shocked, he watches as those white Rukh glow and constrict, gathering together to illuminate that darkness, becoming so beautiful and bright that even a magi like him has to lift a hand to counteract the light.

Aladdin wants to say something, to get closer to the strange and wonderful image surrounding the girl, but his throat constricts and he doesn't know what words he could use to speak to her. When she's like this…

_She isn't like Alibaba._

No, Alibaba's Rukh resemble the sun on a spring day, just the right amount of warm and the right amount of light on pink cherry blossoms that bloom and blind the world like little beads of crystals along dark red leaves.

_She isn't like Centola._

Hers aren't like Centola's pink Rukh that are mixed with the scent of flowers and comfort of a mother's kiss, lightly caressing his cheeks and making him blush despite himself.

_She isn't like Asad._

Her Rukh aren't mysterious or jumpy, and they certainly don't twist energetically in the air, cutting and splitting the wind like the sharpest blades.

_She's like...She's like the moon. _

Just like the moon. Terribly white and awfully pretty, lighting the darkness around her until there's nothing more to see than her wonderful existence gracing the dark blue pool of a sky. Yes, just like a full moon.

A heat then floods his chest, and Aladdin places a hand over his bandages, wondering why he can't take his eyes off of Badroulbadour. His heart's beating fast, but he's not sure how it could be, and a strange rush of blood fills his cheeks for reasons that he can't describe or decipher.

Bad turns then, sees him, and smiles. She out stretches her hand, beckoning and yells,

"Al, come look! Sindria's in the distance!" He nods dumbly and runs up to where she stands, confusingly jumpy.

* * *

Fate is sometimes good enough to allow us room to move around in.

But there are times that even if Fate wants to be good to us, they cannot because of certain 'wills' that are certain and final, no matter how much kinetic forces try to stop them. We'll call these things the world's 'absolute forces', and these actions cannot be changed or put on hold.

Though absolute forces are rare and come along in a surprisingly few cases, they mow over every obstacle placed in their way. Absolute forces can be the birth of righteous Kings, the death of evil villains, or the creation of a new magic. Or, another type of mythical force: soulmates.

Two beings, two souls that resonate so perfectly together that their shared love transcends status, time, or even Fate.

Soulmates are a common link throughout all universes and worlds, because they are one of the strongest and rarest absolute forces.

It doesn't matter if they only just met or that they're too young, because they were always meant to be, even if in the Other they fell in love at a completely different age. In all worlds, under all names, Aladdin and Bad were and are suppose to love each other.

But the catch? Soulmates can't love anyone else but each other. If one of the half dies, the other would surely live out the rest of his or her days in total isolation, heartsick for the one they lost.

And maybe Bad knows this, but it's more likely that she doesn't.

If she did know that Aladdin is meant to be hers no matter what path she takes, what would she do? Well you see, that's simple.

Let's do the math:

If in the Other the "reason" (to Badroulbadour, at least) the world ended was because Aladdin loved Bad, and Bad wants this world to be saved, then what should she do?

To keep Aladdin from loving her, and then becoming distracted?

I'll repeat myself: It's simple.

Bad'll just kill herself, and then the problem will disappear, right?

Right?

_Decisions must be made, _right_?_

* * *

_Yatta, _I'm finished!

***Hakuei and Alibaba:** OH MY GOD I WISH I COULD SEE YOUR FACES. Haha, from what I wrote in the last chapter I bet y'all thought she was married to Sinbad, what with the "I like straightforward men" line, ne? Well when you think about it, Alibaba is really idealistic and sometimes not very realistic. Thus, Hakuei was a bit of a skeptic to her husband's sometimes over-the-top ideas. TO MAKE THINGS CLEAR: HAKUEI DOESN'T LOVE ALIBABA. She married him because it was for the good of Kou. However, just because she doesn't love Alibaba doesn't mean that she didn't love her son, because to her he was an angel.

**Theme of Chapter:** Decisions and Fate. While some decisions are easy (like Asad saving Momoka from slavery), others are just risky (like Bad's situation should she find out that Aladdin will fall in love with her again (die or live)). And then there are the three forces of Fate: Absolute, kinetic, and potential forces that coexist with the flow of Rukh.

**Momoka:** Momoka = the last OC (probably)! She's a nine year old ex-slave who ends her sentences in 'desu'. Her personality isn't fully developed but she's a blank-faced and quiet girl who only really talks to people she trusts, and thus she'll mainly be shown having conversations with Asad. BTW, Asad's not a pedophile, he was just giving her a bath because she's never had a real one before.

***Qipao:** A qipao is a body-hugging one piece dress for chinese women, and is also called a cheongsam. I imagine Momoka's with small slits on the sides.

**Bad X Aladdin (Game Over?!):** ..I just made BadXAladdin unnecessarily complicated. Crackers. But is the ship dead? HELL NAH. This is my OTP (not gonna lie, sort of embarrassed about that) and it's not going anywhere! I guess it's a good thing that Bad doesn't know that Aladdin's her soulmate, right~? But then again, if Aladdin were to ever confess to Bad about his love for her, then Bad'll probably come to the same conclusion that I wrote about. So there is that lurking danger in the background! What is more important to Bad: seeing the saving of this world through to the end or making sure that she doesn't make the same mistake as last time? Decisions, decisions~!

**Next Chapter: **Sindrian days really do start! No more boat (THANK YOU LORDIE) and say hello to beautiful sunshine and palaces! *Clears throat* Next chapter: Gang settles, Bad and Sinbad head to Kou, shit goes down in Kou that I shall not say bc it's highly important to the plot, and in Sindria things happen! (Btw, I will be posting some more stories on Beneath the Stars. Just cute little drabbles about the gang also a piece about Zeina and Sinbad's adventures after leaving Balbadd (I sort of left that little story sitting there, didn't I? Ehehe...))

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	19. Chapter 18: Her Name is (Not) Bad

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIFTH ARC: **Sindrian Days

CHAPTER 18: Her Name is (Not) Bad

* * *

"So, you are training?"

"Yes indeed" The night is so young it could still be called twilight, and the three men sit facing one another at the round table. The table is littered with empty plates, and one of the three, a darker skinned and brown haired teenager, lits a cigar and ponders over this.

"Let me guess" He waves the cigar toward the younger man of the pair, one with ferocious eyes and messy black hair. "This brat is a apprentice and you're the master"

The blond 'master' beams, his blue eyes lighting up at the assumption.

"Yes, in fact!"

"Oi, I'm no apprentice!" The black haired teen growls. "I bet I'm stronger than you, Yunan!"

"Judal, this is a talk between grown-ups" Yunan hushes the younger, and Judal stutters out an angry response that is ignored by the two.

"Kassim, where are you going?" Kassim shrugs, taking a drag and relishing the feel of the hazy smoke in his lungs. He leans back and watches the large gray cloud gather over his lips, rushing out and making sensious dance motions toward the ceiling of the bar.

"Hell if I know" He smirks at the two. "I'm just enjoying the journey! Hey, Yunan, you seem like a nice person?" Yunan blinks.

"You ask that like it's a question. I think I'm a nice person"

"Then why did you and this jackass stir up so much trouble in Balbadd?" Kassim's eyes darken. "Kou has wrecked havoc on our country by taking away our rights and encasing us in debt. Then they go and beat the crap out of _my _Fog Troop"

"Well you're 'Fog Troop' had it coming!" Judal hisses. "The Kou Empire is massive and much stronger than Balbadd! You would've lost-" Yunan reaches over and slaps a hand across Judal's rampant mouth. Kassim glares.

"And you say this guy is sorry"

"W-well," The blonde man laughs nervously. "He is, it's just that he's also really stupid and stubborn!"

"Hm"

"But to answer your question, Kassim, I'm not apart of the Kou Empire" Yunan smiles fraily. "In fact, I wasn't even coming from Balbadd. You see, Judal has...Left the Kou Empire"

…_! _

Kassim looks with shock at Judal, who shifts his eyes away.

"Yeah, well...I don't really agree with the way they do things anymore…" Kassim studies the fellow teen for a few minutes before looking down at his cigar and crushing it on one of the plates. Yunan watches him do so.

"Didn't you only take one drag?"

"I'm trying to quit" Kassim replies offhandedly, stretching. "Thanks for the meal, you two. I'll look for someplace to sleep"

"But you have no money" Yunan interjects, tilting his head worriedly. "Where'll you sleep?"

"You think this my first time?" The dreadlocked man grins wickedly. "Trust me, I know the streets better than any other person"

"No you don't" Judal retorts, snorting.

"Yes I do"

"Uh, no you don't!" The younger magician smirks. "You don't even know that the people here aren't very welcoming to homeless people. There's even a policy"

A flicker of confusion and consideration crosses brown pools.

"Oh...I see…"

"Hey, you can stay with us!" Yunan offers, taking Judal's elbow and forcing him up. "We have plenty of space!"

"Um, no thank you-"

"Fine" The black haired teen growls, hands on hips. "Get beaten, see if we care. Come on, Yunan" Then he proceeds to stroll out, and Yunan watches him go with slight amusement.

"He has trouble making friends" The blue eyed magician tells Kassim, smiling still. "He may not look it, but he's deeply apologetic for what he did in Balbadd to you and your friends. Give him time and he'll start acting like himself"

"Himself?" The former street rat turned traveler raises his eyebrows. "What sort of hell is that?"

"One that freezes over"

* * *

**Kou = Happiness.**

* * *

"I hate ships" That was the line of the day for Badroulbadour, it seemed. She had spent a week in Sindria before the Sindrian King announced his intention to go to Kou, negotiate for Balbadd, and then return to his Kingdom a few months later.

Which meant that due to her smart-aleck retort to Asad about paying of Balbadd's debts herself, Bad had to go with him.

So the last two months have gone like this:

1\. Save a country from a civil war

2\. Get on a ship for a month to travel to Sindria

3\. Stay a week in Sindria

4\. Get on a ship to Kou for two months.

So basically, she's stuck in this godforsaken ship for the next eight weeks.

Without Aladdin.

Her heart gives a stop and start jerk at the thought, and she takes the time to study those assembled at the dock. Eren and Catrina refused to allow her to go to Kou alone, and Centola had tried to persuade Bad to give up her offer- despite the sort of guilty betrayal the Temptress felt for Balbadd when she tried to talk the pinkette out of it.

Now, Centola stands beside Aladdin, Alibaba and Morgiana, who all are staying in Sindria while Eren, Catrina and Bad prepare to leave it. Alibaba bows at the waist and say goodbye to Eren who, goodnaturedly and with his accent back in full force, tells him he'll miss the boy and will have to train all by himself.

"Goodbye, Master"

"Bye Alibaba! Be good, ya hear?" Eren sighs. "I'll have no one to work out with...I'll have to do those sets of push-ups alone!"

Is it just Bad or does Alibaba seem relieved at Eren's words?

"Don't worry Eri, we can work out together" Bad tells him darkly and Eren freezes, horror written across his face.

"N-n-n-n-no t-t-t-t-thank you" He politely declines, inching away.

Morgiana and Catrina say their goodbyes, and just as Morgiana moves to bow like Alibaba, Catrina pulls her into a hug and proclaims she'll miss her precious 'older sister'.

"Don't push yourself, Mor! Work hard, but be careful! Oh, you're little sister will be so lonely without you!" Morgiana awkwardly pats Catrina's back but does it with a sad look on her face.

"Y-yeah, um...I, uh, too"

"You'll miss me?!" Catrina exclaims, and hugs the pureblood tighter. "Oh, I'm so happy!"

Aladdin appears at Bad side and the girl jumps out of her skin once she realizes he's there. She puts a hand to her chest.

"Ah, Al, you scared me!" Aladdin smiles slightly, and shifts his balance from foot to foot.

"Oh, sorry…" He looks down and then meets her gaze from under his azure bangs innocently, and Bad's sure she's going to die.

_He's...He's too cute!_

Shoving her swelling heart back into her chest she returns his smile, and puts her hands behind her back.

"So I guess I'll see you in a few months, right?" Aladdin blinks and then nods.

"Yeah, I guess it'll be that long, ne?" He kicks the dust. "I'll…*Mumble mumble*"

"What was that?" Bad asks, leaning in to hear his whispered words. He meets her gaze timidly and then blurts out,

"I'll miss you!" With red eyes wide, the girl stands still in her place before feeling her bones relax and giggling.

"Yeah, I'll miss you too!"

"That means we're friends, right?" Bad bites the inside of her cheek at his eagerness, how his (beautiful, beautiful) eyes shine. She shrugs.

"You can call me a friend, I guess, but I…"

"But we play together all the time" Aladdin points out, his smile growing. "During the trip here we played all sorts of games, and even now we eat together and do fun things!"

"Do you…" A shyness comes onto her, the kind she hasn't felt in since she was called another name. "...Do you want to be my friend?"

Aladdin nods.

"Yeah! Because I think Bad is amazing!"

_Amazing. _

_He thinks _I'm _amazing._

"A-ah well I'm not sure if that's true-"

"But it is! When I'm around Bad I can't believe how smart she is!" The swelling is back and she's sure she's as fat as a balloon and redder than her eyes.

"I don't-"

"And she's so nice and pretty too, when she doesn't look so sad!"

_N-nice?_

_P-p-p-p-pretty?!_

"But-"

"And Bad's a great magician"

_KYAAAAAAAA~~~~ NUUUUUUU~~~~~~_

"Al, I'm-"

"_And _Bad makes me want to be around her all the time, she's so wonderful" Everything he's saying is just too much. She turns suddenly and sprints over to Eren, jumping into his arms and burying her face into his sash.

"Woah there, nessy!" He exclaims, picking the blushing girl up. "What's wrong which ya now?"

"Hide me!" She orders him in a whisper, and he raises an eyebrow until Aladdin runs over in pursuit. Eren's face pertains it's friendly look, but a shadow only noticeable to her goes over his eyes.

"Bad! Wait!" Aladdin calls up, and the girl curls into Eren, who smugly holds her tighter, his inner possessive brother coming out to play.

"Oh, are we leaving? Bye-bye Aladdin!"

"Um, Brother Eren can I-"

"Ah! Are those our bags? We need to put them on the ship!"

"Brother Eren-"

Catrina pads over and hefts the bags onto her shoulders, her face practically identical to Eren's in it's faux welcomingness.

"Get aboard! We can't be late!" She winks at Mor and forces a smile at Aladdin. Thankfully for Catrina, her fake smiles are practically identical to her usual ones, so it's no problem for her. They bound up the plank with Aladdin pitifully calling out a final goodbye behind them.

Bad's not quite sure why they both have such a distaste for Aladdin, but her most accurate theory is that they're, in a twisted way, jealous. After all, Bad is the one who gathered them together and gave them her attention and love for years. They bonded together, and rely on one another with complete devotion and trust.

So here's the man (a boy now) who she originally loved so much that she's sure that's the reason the world ended. The one that, to them at least, is the only thing capable of taking away their precious sister.

And thus, they want nothing more than to hog Bad and keep Aladdin from spending _too _much time with her, in fear that they might lose the thing that continually reassures them of their purpose.

Which, in this situation, is a good thing.

"Wait, everyone!" The voice makes them stop, and Centola runs up the wood, grabbing Catrina's arm and pulling her to Eren, where she proceeds to start a group hug.

Bad calms down at the feel of the Temptress' warmth, and she whispers,

"We won't be gone long. We won't leave you alone, Centola" The strawberry blonde nods solemnly, and snuggles into them for the final goodbye for half a year.

"Please don't. I'll miss you all…" Bad and her share a look and Bad reaches out to cup the woman's cheek, surprised at how small her own hands are.

"We'll miss you too. And we'll be safe, I promise" Anxiety flashes through green mirrors. "I won't let Al Thamen lay a single digit on Eren or Catrina"

Eren clears his throat.

"Or on me" Bad adds, rolling her eyes. Catrina nods with satisfaction, taking a deep breath.

"You smell like sweet things, Centola" The Fanalis sighs out. "I'll be sure to remember it until we return"

"I'll...I'll be fine in Sindria" But she says it more to herself than them. "I'll work hard to practice my magic and make sure I keep the De Coverna secrets…"

"You'll do fine" Bad smiles, her eyes glowing. "You're _my _Temptress, after all. I believe in you" Centola blushes, chest widening.

"I'll do my best!" She lets go and curtsies. "Thank you all for being my family for so long! Goodbye for now!"

"Bye!" In the end all of them stand at the side of the boat and wave and shout goodbyes until they leave the harbor, King Sinbad watching them with amusement from the sidelines, Sharrkan and Spartos beside him.

"Alright!" Sinbad smiles, and motions to his generals. "Everyone, this is Spartos, one of my eight generals from Sasan. And this is Sharrkan, he's from Heliophat and another one of my generals"

Bad smiles.

"Pleased to meet you Sharrkan, Spartos" Bad greets politely, and Sinbad's eyebrows shoot up. "My name is Badroulbadour. The man next to me is my older brother Eren, and the girl is my older sister Catrina"

"Half siblings?" Sharrkan asks, looking at Eren's stockiness, Catrina's Fanalis red hair and Bad's petite stature, trying to find a common trait they share.

"No, through adoption" Eren clarifies, smiling just as politely as Bad. Spartos nods.

"I see. Master, why were you making such a fuss about them? They seem so nice" Sinbad chokes on his own spit and points a finger at Bad.

"She's a demon!" He retorts. "You should've seen her in Balbadd, she stole all my metal vessels!"

"But Lord Sinbad, I retrieved them for you from some bandits…" Bad looks up with a glassy gaze. "...I j-just thought you'd be happy about it but…"

Sharrkan looks taken aback.

"S-sir, is she- did you make her cry?" His idolization of his King seems to be shattering before his eyes. Sinbad pales, and shakes his head furiously.

"She's faking! Right Eren?" Eren drops to his knees and pulls Bad into his arms, murmuring sweet nothings into her hair as Catrina rubs her back. The Fanalis-Amala shakes her head at the King, telling the generals,

"She's very fragile"

And that's how, on the first day at sea, Bad made Sinbad have a mental breakdown.

Behind her hands she uses to cover her face, she grins.

_This might actually be fun~!_

* * *

**Week 1**

"Why are you being so nice?" Sinbad hisses to her on a pleasant afternoon. Bad blinks innocently up at him.

"I don't know what you mean. I'm always like this"

"No you're not. You're a twisted little devil that enjoys planning her enemy's demise while sitting on a throne with her servants around her" The pinkette blinks.

And laughs.

"Oh Sinny, you're so funny!"

"S-Sinny?!" He responds, and Bad motions to the chair next to her, which he takes.

"Is Sinny too much? I'll just stick to Sin"

"Sin?" Shadows form on his face. "What makes you think you're so close to me?"

"You prefer Uncle?"

"Sin is fine" He replies quickly, and Bad has a grin playing chords on her mouth.

"To tell the truth, Uncle, it's so that I can practice" Sinbad leans back, crossing his legs.

"Practice being nice?"

"Yes. Since we're going to the Kou Empire to do our respective jobs, then I believe it's only practical for me to be able to be polite for long periods of time without insulting or demeaning anyone" She brushes imaginary dust off her purple dress. "Which brings me to another point"

"Hm?"

"Would you mind presenting the Emperor with my gold?" Sinbad studies her carefully, but Bad is completely serious. "I understand this is a big thing to ask of you, but I assure you it's beneficial to both parties"

"How so? You want me to present the gold to the Emperor _and_ negotiate on Balbadd's behalf. Seems like I'll be doing the heavy lifting"

"Well, I am only a child" She adds, but the King barely acknowledges her joke. "But you are wrong. If you present the gold to the King on behalf of your _ward_, then it seems like Sindria has a new wealthy and strong _ally_, doesn't it?"

Purple eyebrows shoot up. A pink lock of hair is twirled around a finger.

"Especially since this ally has a Dungeon Capturer in her service that also is helping with Sindria, ne?"

"You wish for the Kou Empire to think that you're my ward?"

"Wish it? I'm not sure about that. But as long as the '_Kou Empire_' doesn't catch on, I believe they won't be able to touch Catrina and Eren" She puts quotation marks on Kou Empire, as if to show that's not really who she's worried about.

Sinbad's calculating eyes scrape over her, and she allows them to, meeting his steady and powerful gaze with one of her own.

"You're worried about Catrina and Eren"

"I always am" Bad tilts her chin up. "They've been so good to me for as long as I've known them. I'm aware that I'm a burden to them because of who I am and the people who chase me, but if I can make them happy, even for a moment, then that's all I care about"

"..." The King rubs his chin, looking to the sky. "I'll think about it"

**Week 2**

"Making them happy"

**Week 3**

"That sounds like a noble thing to say but…"

**Week 4**

"Are you really serious about that? Is that truly your only goal? No. I don't think it is."

**Week 5**

"But even if you have an agenda, it doesn't mean that protecting and making them happy isn't on that list, right?"

**Week 6**

"Or perhaps what you're trying to do isn't just on your agenda"

**Week 7**

"Is it possible that you do things because that's what they asked you to do, Bad?"

**Week 8**

"Just who are you, Badroulbadour?"

* * *

The day was old when he took to his book, tracing the pages and scrunching his nose up.

"Struggling, Alexio?"

"No, I can do it!" Alexio responds, his brown hair falling over his eyes as he sounds out the word.

"Cent-ola"

"Chen-toe-la" Zeina replies, laughing. "You've gotten to Centola, have you?"

"What's wrong with C-Chen-toe-la?"

"Nothing, that's just the name of my niece"

"Zeina has a niece?!" The aunt laughs, and the boy's mouth falls open. "What's her name mean?"

Zeina takes a peek over and helps him sound it out.

"Oh. I, uh, like that"

* * *

_**Centola = Light of Knowledge**_

* * *

Feathers.

The bed was made of feathers.

He moans when his tired back hits it, and Aladdin takes the time to sit on Alibaba's stomach, laughing at his friend.

"Is it really that comfortable, Alibaba?" He asks, and the blonde nods.

"Yuuuuuuuup" Aladdin bounces up and down, making the air leave Alibaba's lungs quite forcefully. "Ge-et off!" The magi is thrown off but he lands on his feet.

"You're mean, Alibaba!"

"And you're a brat. Yosh!" Alibaba sits up, smiling at his younger friend. "From here we'll be living in the lap of luxury! Let's make the most of it!"

"Yes!"

"First stop: the kitchens!" The pair race to the door and throw it open, running down the hallways past the maids. They round the corner and-

Both their throats are caught in a pair of hands.

Womanly hands.

Belonging to-

"Oh. I was looking for you two"

_Oh no._

"H-h-hi Khadeja" Alibaba forces out, his neck being clutched in her vice-like grip. "C-can you let us go?"

"No. I have orders from my Mistress to bring you both to the training grounds" She starts to walk with each of them stumbling along with her, and Alibaba chokes.

"Training...Grounds? Why?"

"You'll have to ask her"

"Please let go!" Aladdin adds, but Khadeja shrugs, picking up her pace.

"I don't make the policy, I just carry it out"

* * *

"Please fire her!" Alibaba asks desperately, dropping to his knees before Centola. "She tried to kill us!"

"Did not!" The black haired servant protests, kicking Alibaba's back and forcing him even more down on the floor. "You're just too weak! I can't believe you still can't do anything despite having Eren train you for four and a half weeks!"

"Khadeja, did you have to drag them here by their necks?"

"No!" Aladdin answers, rubbing said body part.

"Yes" Khadeja replies, hands behind her back. "It was necessary for them to know that I am superior and that if they don't like that, they need to get stronger"

"I don't think that's how they saw it" Centola giggles nervously. They stand in the middle of the grass training grounds of Sindria, the large field open and airy.

"Why are we here, Cent?" Alibaba asks, ignoring Khadeja.

"Well, because everyone...Bad, Eren and Catrina went away, you both have nothing to do, right?"

"Well, we sort of do…" Aladdin starts sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Masrur is going to train Morgiana, so I assume that meant you and Ali were going to raid the kitchen, right?"

"Guilty as charged" They respond as one, hanging their heads.

"Alright, then I'll be your new master!" Both boys' eyes snap up to look at the smiling beauty.

"W-what- Cent, I don't think-"

"Well, what's the harm? I may not look it, but I'm actually quite smart! So, for the first half of the day, I'll be tutoring you in different subjects! And then I'll start Eren's training regimen on you two!"

"EH?!"

"M-me too?!" Aladdin points to himself, shaking with the memories of Alibaba's torture under Eren's iron fist. Centola laughs.

"Yes, you too. Don't worry though, I don't believe in Eren's jump-right-in methods. I'll start you off simple and it'll get more complex from there, okay? I wish I could help you guys with improving your skills, but we all excel in different areas. So I'll do my best!"

"But Cent…" Alibaba shakes his head. "I don't think you teaching us is a good idea"

"Why's that, Ali?"

"Because you're a woman" Silence comes from the Temptress, and Alibaba notices that her appearance becomes ice cold, lines of her face sharp and unnerving since she's usually so warm and kind. Khadeja behind him begins to tremble.

"You ignorant bastard!" She screeches, kicking his back again. "Lady Centola is ten times smarter and more accomplished than you piece of junk failure who couldn't even keep his own country-"

"Khadeja." The command is forceful and absolute. The self-proclaimed servant freezes, and so does the two boys, whose minds are filled with confusion. "Ehehe, you think I'm weaker than you two? That's cute!"

They look up, and they see…

Centola. Beautiful Centola, smiling at them as sweetly as sugar, her mirror like eyes glowing with a mysterious green light.

"Khadeja, let's spar!"

"...U-uh, yes, Mistress…" Centola points to Alibaba and Aladdin.

"You boys watch carefully. I'll show you my real power"

"Aladdin...We said something bad, didn't we?"

"_You _did"

Centola takes her place on one side of the field, and Khadeja takes her spot on the opposite end, shifting uncomfortably.

"Mistress, I prefer not to fight you…"

"Please, Khadeja? Just for a little while" The black haired woman bites her lip but nods, taking her knives out from her holster. "Thank you"

Centola clears her throat.

"Now boys, Temptation magic isn't something you should mess around with. Since I'm still in training, my magic is significantly less powerful compared to my Aunt, but it's still quite strong. Khadeja, come!" The servant nods and starts her advance, running at a very fast speed toward her mistress.

Centola blocks the first series of swipes with ease, legs darting about like spiders on her web, and she spins around the older woman who grunts with annoyance.

"Mistress, please hold still" She asks while adding another jab. Centola laughs. Then the strangest thing begins to happen. It wasn't there before, but a pink ribbon-like mist begins to fall off of Centola's arms and body, spreading out onto the ground.

Khadeja sucks in a breath and dodges the thick cloud's speedy attacks, careful of the way it sharpens into sword-like shapes and sticks out as if to cut the servant. Centola takes many steps back and Khadeja attempts to outrun the Fog, only to be caught by the foot.

"Damn!"

"Oh dear, it's the end" Centola giggles into her palm, and the servant watches as the cloud rushes up and tackles her, not physically pushing her down but washing over her like a wave. She blinks a few times, as if she's not sure where she is, and the the most peculiar thing happens.

Her eyes go blank.

Her face, her being, everything seems completely and utterly empty.

"Good work, Khadeja. Please, go to sleep" Khadeja nods curtly and then falls to her knees, landing on the grass with a quiet thump.

"Hey, Khadeja, are you okay?" Alibaba asks, jumping up and running over to her. Centola walks casually toward him and Aladdin, leaning down beside them.

"There's no need to be worried, Khadeja's fine"

"You just said that you're magic is strong-"

"Temptation magic is the magic of overtaking another person's will" Aladdin and Alibaba blink, staring at her. "In essence, Temptation is illusions because the mist I produce effects the people around me to an extent that they get caught in my hallucinations and I'm able to take over their 'wills' and have them do my bidding. For example, I overtook Khadeja's and had her go to sleep. She'll be fine"

"Oh...That's right, you did that in Balbadd too" Centola nods, remembering her fight with Kassim and how she made the citizens outside the Palace fall asleep.

"Yes, that was a mass-effect spell. It takes a lot of energy to be able to do one of those, luckily I learned it from Zeina before I came"

The blonde tilts his head, a small smile on his face.

"So you're actually pretty strong, ne Cent?"

"Yes in deed! Strong enough to be your master, eh?"

"Sure!" Aladdin answers quickly. "Just don't use Temptation magic on us, please!"

* * *

She stands opposite to him, and bends her knees.

The silence of the forest is far from unsettling, and the calm it brings makes her shoulders relax. She tenses her legs before shooting off, sending a slew of kicks and punches his way that he dodges easily, his red eyes boring holes into hers.

She lands a single kick under his arm, and while it doesn't hurt him, they both stop. The birds watch them, and the leaves shiver as they hug the trees. For some reason, they were expecting something to be mentioned, to be shouted out in excitement from the sidelines where another disciple should stand waiting for her turn. A 'Congratulations, big Sister!' and a 'Better luck next time, Masrur~'.

"It's...Quiet" Morgiana states awkwardly, kicking the dust as she takes her place at the beginning again. Masrur shrugs and digs his heel into the dirt.

"Mh"

* * *

_**Eren = Saint**_

* * *

"So...We're here again"

"Yes"

"And Gyokuen is even more intent than before on capturing us?"

"Yup"

"Should we be here?"

"Uh, no! Are you crazy?"

"...But we are"

"Well, duh"

"...Alright then"

* * *

Eren was not amused.

Especially since the maids who were taking care of their party gave them separate rooms. Catrina and him had shared a long look, nodding to one another. They ignored the maids who told them they could settle into their own rooms in the guest wing and follow Sinbad and Bad toward their much bigger quarters.

"Don't worry" Eren assures the maids, smiling. "I'm their caretaker, so it's alright if we three share a room"

"Yeah, no need to worry, we'll be fine!" Catrina agrees, shutting the door despite the maids' disagreement.

Bad grins at them.

"You didn't need to do that..." She tells them, but her eyes are full of gratitude.

Eren knows better than to let Bad sleep alone. She hates being in her own room, and will do anything to stay close to the others as she can, whether it's asking them beforehand if they can sleep together or sneaking in in the middle of the night.

But they're in Kou now, so it's not as though she can walk around in the middle of the night to go to their rooms, lest someone _unpleasant _be lurking in the dark halls. Bad flops down on the large futon-bed and sighs in pleasure.

"I love these beds!" She curls up and snuggles in. "They're so wonderful~!"

"You only say that because you're from Kou…" Catrina laughs, sitting on the left side. Eren takes his place on the right and they all lay down together, sighing.

"Is it just me or is everything swaying?"

"Haven't gotten your land-legs back?" Catrina murmurs back, burying her face into the lush pillow.

"No" A sleepy atmosphere takes them over and Bad takes all their hands, creating a mass of intertwined fingers on her stomach as their breathing calms into a lulling sound. None of them are asleep but their eyes are shut, the silence only broken by a small chirp every now and them coming from outside the window.

"When do we see the Emperor?" Bad groans.

"Never" She responds, and Eren chuckles.

"Even if Sinbad does what you want and presents it, you'll have to be there as well"

"I know but…" Bad takes a deep breath and the two companions' eyes snap open, their hands desperately trying to escape the tangle of fingers and press onto their ears. "IDON'TWANTTOGOBECAUSEI'MTIREDANDLIFEISHARDOKAYANDSINBAD'SBEINGMEANANDIDON'TLIKEITANDI'MREALLYREALLYTIREDANDIHATEWHININGBUTSAILING_SUCKS_ANDIWANTCENTOLATODOMYHAIRBUTSHECAN'TANDIDON'TLIKEBEINGINKOUBECAUSEOFBADMEMORIESANDBECAUSEGYOKUENISHEREANDI'MTOOTIREDTODEALWITHASAD'SSMARTALECKNESSAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

By the end of Bad's whining, Eren and Catrina are both on the floor, eyes wide as they stare up at their young leader.

"Holy crap" Eren's mouth falls open. "You haven't gone on a 'child' tirade in months!"

"Thank God it was short, and relatively quiet!" Catrina holds a hand to her heart and Eren shake his head.

"What are you talking about?! I think the _bed_ was shaking"

"Remember the one in Partevia a few years back? The _town _was shaking-"

"Mou, mou, stop!" Bad juts out her lower lip. "Now I'm embarrassed...I don't do it that often…"

"At least twice a year" The two companions say together, and the pinkette scratches the back of her head.

"If you don't do it then I'm pretty sure you're head would explode, Bad" Eren teases, and the Fanalis-Amala pats the girl's ponytail.

"Don't worry, it's normal for a kid!"

"But I'm not a kid! I'm...like...I don't know how old mentally!" The Bird and the Mountain share a look.

"You...Don't know how old you were when you died?"

"To be honest…" Bad looks away. "I only really remember the time leading up to the end in the Other. The actual war is just a blur of black and red"

_Black could be the robes._

Eren has a chill go down his back at the thought. The robes of the Al Thamen members, he can almost see it himself.

_Red could be the fire._

When Bad first told Catrina and Eren the tale of the Other, she had described the end in these very words, "_It was like fire was a liquid that was poured over the world, soaking into everything it touched"_

_But then again it could also be_…

Bad had also said following that, with an almost horrified blank look in her eye, "_No water could stop the flames. The only thing that seemed to do the job was the blood of innocent, good people"_

Eren looks down, even as Catrina begins to tease Bad about being an old lady.

"_I...I think I may have spilled some of that blood as well. I hope that's just my imagination"_

"Bad, is everything alright-!" The door slams open, and in rushes Sinbad with his bracelets glowing and Sharrkan with his swords unsheathed. His caramel eyes search for enemies, sharpened with surprise and another dangerous look that doesn't, for some reason, look unfamiliar to Eren.

The two newcomers blink as they process the sight they are seeing, Catrina and Bad play fighting on the bed while Eren unconsciously toys with his metal vessel. They look like a normal family relaxing, and the King and his General have to do double takes.

"What's wrong, Uncle?" Bad asks, falling into Catrina's arms as the older girl strokes her hair. "You look scared."

"I do not look scared" Sinbad replies, lowering his arms. "I heard you shouting"

They all look at one another and Bad bites her lip while Catrina and Eren burst out laughing.

"I told you! You're too damn loud!" The pinkette sticks her tongue out at them.

"Stop embarrassing me!"

* * *

"Bad"

"Uncle?"

"I have considered your proposal many times over the past few weeks, and I have come to a decision" They sit across from one another in Sinbad's room, his generals gone off somewhere and Catrina and Eren taking a tour of the Palace. The midday sun made startling shadows in the garden, and Bad had admired the black shapes that pressed on the Earth below the shivering flowers. Sinbad leaned back, watching the same sight through the open doors from the safety of the room but didn't seem to hide his distaste for the expanse of darkness clutching for the bright green leaves that towered above them.

"Oh? And what is that?" His chin makes a nest out of this linked fingers.

"I want to know something first. Why are you asking me to present the gold?"

"Because it is beneficial to both parties" Bad smoothly replies, red eyes glowing.

"No it's not"

"Oh-ho?"

"You say that you wish to protect your friends. That's why you asked for asylum in Sindria by using a rather dirty tactic"

"Negotiation?"

"Sure, call it that" He deadpans. "But why aren't you using 'negotiation' here? I've thought about it and came up with a few reasons.

"Enlighten me"

"One: you could be doing it because you wished to be perceived as an ally of Sindria while at the same actually becoming an ally of Sindria. Two: you wish to fool them into thinking one thing about your personality when in truth you are another thing entirely. Three: you're scared of talking to them"

"Why would I be scared?"

"Because they have ties to Al Thamen. And you said to me that you angered one of their leaders and that's why they want you so badly"

"I suppose" Bad shrugs. "It's more like they see me as a tool to use. You don't think that, do you Uncle?"

The King smiles pleasantly.

"Of course not"

"Liar" The pleasantness erodes but isn't replaced with the irritation he usually obtains with her words but rather a budding fondness and grudging admiration.

"Maybe so. But I'm right, aren't I?"

"No. I hold no fear for Al Thamen. I'm just a bit unsure how to interact with them in a civil manner. It seems unnatural, no?"

"You think I'll do better?"

"Will my answer chance your decision?"

"No"

"Then yes, I'm sure you'll do much better. No swearing, at least"

He gives a short airy chuckle.

"Fine. You're a pain but I guess I could do you a favor"

"Thanks Uncle!" Bad beams, her shoulders falling lower as if unburdened.

"Could you stop calling me 'uncle'?" Sinbad half-asks and half-pleads but Bad just cocks her head and asks in a voice laced with confusion,

"But aren't you too old to be a big brother?"

"YOU'RE MEAN!"

* * *

_**Catrina = Pure, Happiness**_

* * *

Sometimes when the world seems like it's made of knives and the flesh of her heart is just too tempting to the blades, Catrina longs for home.

But when she's alone and nothing seems to make sense, she wishes to be beside those who hold such vivid colors. Eren who's dressed in summer green and winter pine, Bad who's decked out in bright strands of pink silk and rose colored eyes. Such clear colors that shine so intensely to her, that blind her from all the darkness she's seen and reminds her that none of that matters.

Her hand finds Eren's and she holds it like she used to when she was ten, and he chuckles down at her.

"Hey, Maid-San, do you know where Asad lives?" The maid looks back at Catrina, a blush painting her cheeks at the name of the Holy Keeper and she nods with embarrassment.

"Oh, he harassed ya, eh?" Maid-San stutters out a 'no' but Catrina and Eren aren't paying attention anymore, instead focusing on their surrounds.

The Kou empire had heavily decorated halls, red walls with yellow painted moldings of dragons and big fierce looking dogs.

"I wish I had such skill!" Catrina exclaims enviously, admiring all the decorations.

"Hm…I don't know. Seems a bit overdone" Maid-San bristles but holds her tongue. Catrina watches her stiff back and smirks amusedly up at Eren, who snickers quietly.

"You're more like Bad than I thought" she muses silently, squeezing his hand tightly. He retaliates by matching her strength and developing a deep look of concentration.

"Maid-San?" The Fanalis-Amala asks, purposely trying to ignore the Chandlen. "May we go see Asad? Bad asked us to go greet him" The poor maid falters, unsure.

"Well, I could show you there but the Emperor sent me to show you around the main Palace-"

"Aw, but don't you want to see Asad? It'll be a quick visit, I promise!" Catrina all but chirps, smiling turning up its volume until it's impossible to say no to. "Then we'll go wherever Maid-San wants!"

"W-well I guess a quick stop wouldn't hurt"

"Yay! Thanks Maid-San" The maid sighs and leads them down the stretching hallways. They go toward the membrane of the palace, encountering inside and outside gardens filled with delicate-looking plants. Each time they see one Maid-San explains that they are different gardens dedicated for the deceased Emperor, the current Emperor, his sons and wives (both ex and current) and other prestigious families. She points out Hakuei's, which is almost entirely made of special white flowers.

"They say Princess Hakuei asked the gardeners to do only white," Maid-San tells them, "In honor of her father"*

"Oh. I see" Eren develops a thoughtful expression, rare considering he's known for being a bit of a dimwit. Catrina looks ahead, her far reaching eyes catching people sword fighting through open doors. Maid-San looks a mix between irritation and idolization.

"There's Asa- the Holy Keeper!" She sighs contently, until her eyes go sharp. "And that's Xia Daoqing, who he's fighting." They come up on the training session quietly, standing a bit off from a grey haired man and a girl with lilac pigtails. Beside her but edged away is another, significantly younger girl with orangish-pink hair in two buns wearing one of those cute chinese-style dresses Alice always wanted.

Catrina pushes that name away, cringing that she even thought it.

A third woman stands behind the girl with the buns, her white hair reminding Catrina of a color you might find on the outside of a pink-tinted seashell.

Off to the side, a teenage boy fiddles with his long spear as he watches the two spar. Asad's white and black blades become visible circles as he slices at his opponent and Daoqing, a woman with purple hair and a surprisingly short kimono blocks his attempts while sweating.

"Asad-dono" The blue eyed teen calls, running a hand through his dark blue hair. "You've been going easy on her for a long time now. I hate to say this but...I sort of need to practice…"

"He has not been going easy on me-" Daoqing starts, but Asad suddenly and with grace that Catrina thought only Centola and her aunt possessed disarms the purple haired woman, who falls onto her bottom.

"Good game, Daoqing. See you next week" He turns and spots them, shoulders drooping.

"Ugh, what're you two doing here?"

The assembled spectators turn to look at Catrina and Eren, who smile politely.

"We came to speak to you!" Catrina swings herself onto the railing and sits, kicking her legs back and forth. "Remember?"

"I remember telling Bad to send a message before she came here, so I could _plan_" The blue haired teen blinks at the name 'Bad' and chooses to study the Fanalis-Amala and Chandlen.

"Oh, sorry! We forgot!" Asad lets out a groan and hops onto the hallway, motioning them to follow him.

"Fine, come with me. I'll find time for you"

"You still need to catch up on Lord Marrkio's papers that he sent over" The white haired woman reminds him, but he shrugs her off.

"I promise I'll do it later, Mei. Come on, Momoka" The littler girl runs over to Asad.

"Yes Master, desu" Catrina and Eren stand on either side of Asad as they leave the site, the woman Asad called 'Mei' huffing and walking away down a different hallway. Momoka trails behind them quietly, her steps very soft even to Catrina's sharp ears. Maid-San hurries behind them, falling into step beside Momoka.

"Who was that?" The Fanalis-Amala asks, brushing the dust off of her dress. "The woman with the gray eyes, I mean"

"That's Ting Mei" He answers casually. "She's my assistant, but she used to work with Koumei. I stole her"

"Ting Mei started working for Asad because Koumei was gone. Since he's back for a few weeks she's working for him again. Asad's upset about it, desu"

"I'm not upset"

"Just irritated because now you have to do more work, desu" Asad shrugs, rolling his eyes.

"The girl behind me is my personal maid, Momoka" Catrina 'ahs' in understanding and Eren nods along.

They walk in silence toward Asad's study, coming up on the far end of the Palace and passing large complexes as they go.

"So these are all for the Emperor's con-cu-bines?" Eren asks in awe and slight discomfort, having to think hard about the last word that comes out sounding strange in his accent.

"I guess" Catrina responds, tilting her head. "Seems a little weird, though…"

"In the Kou Empire having more than one wife is normal" Asad tells them offhandedly, sensing their unease. "Though I suppose you two believe in monogamy"  
Sheepishly they scratch their heads.

"In the Chandlen compound the moto is, 'one strike and you're out!'. Plus I can't imagine my father ever even considering marrying another woman, nor my brother Makin"

"Well, in my homeland Alphas only pick one mate to bear their _legitimate_ children, unless they die. But having multiple marriage partners is allowed" All eyes snap to Catrina, who suddenly realizes that people don't use that sort of language there and blushes furiously. "U-um, nevermind…"

Eren laughs, poking the girl's shoulder.

"Ooo~ What kind of man do you want to pick you as a mate?"

"No, I'd pick a mate" They all stop and Catrina furrows her eyebrows at them. "Don't you know? Alphas get a first pick on which mate they want. Since I'm an Alpha, I could pick any Omega I want. If I wanted a Beta or another Alpha I'd have to do engage in a engagement match-" She stops again to see their confusion and sighs, this time with annoyance. "Alphas are considered the 'males'...Never mind, you wouldn't understand anyway"

"The Amala tribe is weird"

"Shut up!" They reach the quarters, and Catrina's Fanalis eyes rake over the darker wood and more ominous designs on the wood that resemble choppy flames. The large door is pushed open and they enter the room, which holds noticeable black lines to distinct the furniture and bookcases from the gloomy room. From the window an eerily uncomfortable light shines on the desk, casting jumpy shadows from their limbs.

Momoka moves into the study like she doesn't even notice their unsettledness and uses a piece of flint that materializes in her hands to light the candles, lighting an almost uncomfortable path toward the two chairs facing Asad's desk.

Eren and Catrina stride toward their seats.

Maid-San shuffles in, but Asad stops her.

"Thank you for taking them here, I will hear them out and call you back in afterwards" Asad flashes her what most would call a charming smile. Maid-San falls for it hook, line and sinker. "Momoka, please go with her"

Momoka isn't quite obvious in her disquiet. Catrina wouldn't even know what was wrong if she wasn't able to study her face inch by inch. While it appears blank, a tiny portion of her jaw tenses and her peach-colored eyes seem to reflect less light than before.

Reluctantly she nods and leaves the room with Maid-San who lightly chides her for not automatically complying.

Catrina finds that the seats are soft and velvety, but it doesn't do much to make up for the fact that the back is stiff and forces her to sit up straight.

_Get a grip._

She raises a hand and pushes back a stray red hair and then drops it in her lap, sitting stoically.

_This is for _Bad_. When representing her, you can't mess up_.

She can't. Messing up would mean that people got the wrong image of the Bad, the one that is just too terrible to comprehend. They'd think she's rude and impolite, they'd think she's a spoiled brat who arrogantly think she's better than everyone else.

But that's not Bad at all. She can be blunt and hurtful but her criticisms strike true. She can stretch her arms to be picked up by Eren in a childish manner, but that's because she's actually tired from everything she's been through- because she's _delicate_. And she can act like she knows everything that's going to happen and has, but that's because she _does _know those things. She's done more than live this life, she's memorized it backwards and forwards.

_You can make a fool out of yourself later, but now- now...Nothing else matters other than serving her to the fullest!_

"Asad!" She smiles pleasantly. "Let's talk"

He raises an eyebrow.

"You sound like Bad"

"Asad, can I ask ya a question?" Eren asks, his intimidating posture hovering over both of them. Asad's desk seems larger than before, and the shadow he casts is elongated and sinister. He waves a hand, his friendliness and melancholy of past memories fading like the day. "Are they plannin' somethin'?"

His lips form something thin and brazen.

"Who?"

"Are they planning something?" Catrina asks it this time, her voice similar to her mother's unsmoothed one. His black eyes take their sweet time to slid over to her, slow as a predator's.

"They are indeed" The redhead doesn't like they way he said that. She presses her back against the chair in order to keep herself from jumping the gun.

"You're not going to tell us what, are you?" Asad takes a deep breath, looking upwards.

"Do you have something you want to protect?"

"Yeow we do" Eren responds, and Catrina nods. Green and orange eyes meet and they know what they're talking about.

"Well, I got something to protect too" The Shadow folds his fingers together.

"They threatenin' you?" The Mountain holds the arms of his chair tightly.

"They always have been" The Bird looks down uncomfortably. "But I like you guys"

There's a silence.

"So I'll tell you this: be careful around that bitchy snake" They don't need to know who he's referring to with that title. "She's gonna pull _that _card on Bad. I don't know when, and I don't know how, but keep Milady away from her, understand?"

They don't need to know what _that _card is either.

"Are ya sure?" Eren asks very lowly, quietly.

"Positive. It's our trump card, after all. Once the Emperor or the Princes know about _that_, leaving Kou will be next to impossible"

Catrina bites her lip, nods to Asad and starts to walk away. Eren watches her go and sighs, muttering a quick goodbye to Asad who shrugs.

"Oh, wait, you two!" They stop by the door. Asad smirks. "Let's hang out again, alright? It's been boring since Judar left"

"You mean Judal?"

"Whatever"

* * *

Maid-San greets them outside of the door, and Catrina's grateful for her chatter about the Palace that flits in one ear and out the other.

"And down this way is toward the private part of the palace, where the Royals live" She points down a long light filled hallway that leads to an oversized mansion the size of the white house.

"We're not allowed to go down there, right?" Catrina asks, and the maid nods.

"Yes, it's the private quarters of His Majesty and his family. Only the Princes, Princesses and their vassals are able to enter" Maid-San sighs longingly. "It's beautiful, no?"

"Yah" Eren agrees, pulling a handful of green hair back. Catrina watches him do so, pursuing her lips. Eren enjoys keeping his hair neat, probably a remnant of his past life as Charlie, but whenever he unconsciously messes it up she's able to tell that he's bothered.

Of course, Catrina's not feeling any better. Talking to Asad reminded her that this is _Kou_. The _organization _is here, and they're playing very, very close to the fire. Catrina flinches at the word 'fire', biting the inside of her cheek until the small rush of panic filters out of her chest.

"Where to next?" She makes the sides of her lips go up, trying to be optimistic despite the troubles embracing her.

"Right this way" Maid-San ushers them down another hallway. They end up seeing the royal library, the much smaller libraries, a variety of gardens and some tea rooms. On the way they pass an abundance of people- maids that nod at Maid-San, guards who stand stoically in front of large important looking doors, nobles covered in many layers of precious fabric.

Catrina watches them all with a bit of awe, and Eren pats her head and chuckles to see her so enraptured.

"Wow, I've never seen someone where so much jewelry" She comments as they continue down on the tour. "Is that normal, Maid-San?"

Maid-San looks back at them with a pursued lip smile.

"Yes" She says tightly. "But…"

Catrina understands.

"But they don't deserve it" She finishes quietly, and for the sake of dignity and order Maid-San pretends not to have heard her. They end up back at the beginning of their tour outside the guest wing and Catrina and Eren bow respectfully at Maid-San.

"Thank you very much for the tour!"

"No, it's not a problem Miss Catrina, Mister Eren" The maid bows even lower than they did and smiles at them. "It was my pleasure"

"Did someone say Eren?!" All three flinch at the sudden voice, and Catrina turns in time to see a girl wearing strange clothing come running down the hallway. She 'eeps' as the newcomer comes to a stop just inches away from the party, her almond-shaped pink eyes glowing excitedly.

The Fanalis-Amala blinks in surprise at her rather open short chinese dress and shorts and the way her hair is long in the front and chopped short in the back.

"Um yes?" Catrina answers her, pointing to her 6'5'' companion. "This is Eren"

"Ah, awesome!" Her eyebrows furrow at her voice. It's surprisingly deep and masculine sounding- "My name is-"

She moves forward and grabs one fistful of her long hair, pulling it up and forward sharply. The girl looks at her like she's crazy after wincing at the motion, irritation and anger filling her face.

"Miss-" Maid-San starts, horror in her words. But Catrina silences her by sticking her nose into the girl's hairline and sniffing.

Silence overtakes the space, the newcomer frozen in shock. Then Catrina steps back, laughing goodnaturedly. Giving the surprised person a friendly and ashamed smile she states,

"Sorry, I thought you were a girl, so I had to check to make sure. Turns out you're a guy!"

The newly christened boy is too surprised to say a single word, just staring at her. Maid-San moves to make some sort of explanation but she looks too faint to say anything.

Eren puts a hand to his mouth and Catrina cocks her head.

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes, yes ya did" Eren chuckles, shaking his head. "I'm sorry sir, my sister is a bit...Wild in her ways. She needs to be watched sometimes" Catrina wrinkles her nose and punches his arm, pouting.

"Do not…"

"Do too!"

"...You thought I was a girl?" The boy repeats, something dangerous flicking into his eyes.

"Yeah...I realize now that was rude of me, and I apologize" Catrina bows. "Sorry"

"Do you know who I am?" The boy asks, and the two blink and shake their heads.

"No, sorry"

"My name is Kouha Ren"

"Oh" Catrina says smartly, and then she giggles nervously. "Um...Please forgive me?"

"..." Kouha stares at her for a while, and the situation quickly gets awkward.

Then, a brilliant smile over takes his face.

"It's okay!" He states it like he just decided it, and shrugs his shoulders. "When I first heard about you, I assumed you'd be a sort of strange person, so I should've expected this"

"Come again?"

"When I heard about you and Eren coming to Kou to present gold to us" He says, smiling still. "I got interested"

"Oh. Oh, um, Kouha" Maid-San gives her a look and she corrects herself. "Prince Kouha, I think you're confusing me with my...Mistress" Might as well call Bad that, considering calling her 'sister' is a private word she uses and using 'friend' would downplay Bad's position.

"Aren't you Badroulbadour?"

"No, I'm her companion Catrina" The Fanalis-Amala explains, smiling. "And this is her other companion, Eren" Eren nods, still amused by the previous interaction.

"Hiya, nice to meetcha" The Chandlen greets, hands on hips. "Sorry again about calling you a chick, Catrina's not that good with telling them apart"

"Am too! I just thought he was cute"

"Cute?!" They ignore Kouha's shocked repetition.

"Yeah, yeah, save it for the judge" Eren winks and Catrina rolls her eyes.

"Eri, you're mean!"

"Cute?" Kouha repeats again, trying to get their attention. But the two are quarreling, making small verbal jabs at one another playfully. Maid-San sighs.

"I'm sorry Prince Kouha but…" She looks at them and then shakes her head. "They're sort of crazy. I'm not sure I want to meet their Mistress…"

Kouha tilts his head and then smirks.

"Nah...I think I like 'em" He turns to face the maid. "You're excused. I'll take it from here"

"Oh, bye Maid-San!" The two siblings chorus, and the woman nods and leaves. Catrina watches her go and then shares a conspiratory smile with Kouha.

"Hey, now that she's gone can I call you Kouha? Prince Kouha is really long" He shrugs.

"Sure, why not" She 'yays' and entwines her fingers behind her back.

"So Kouha, what do you want to do?"

"Hm?" Eren smiles at him.

"Ya said ya 'take it from 'ere', right? Whatcha want to do?" The Prince blinks and then laughs.

"I want to meet your Mistress!" The two companions look at one another, having a silent conversation. A mixture of yes and no possibilities going through their heads, weighing the rudeness of declining and the impact of saying yes.

Eren's eyes flicker with words.

_Well, Bad can handle 'erself. She ain't gonna git mad at us if we bring him. _

Catrina lightly tilts her head.

_But…_

Eren smiles slightly.

_Besides, she probably won't call him a girl. _

"Sure!" Catrina chirps, and Eren motions with his hand.

"Right this way, Kouha"

She wishes she could say that she reacted when Kouha burst into the room like a firework, his eyes glittering because he very well knows that he's a nitwit and is damn proud of that. She wishes she could say that it surprised her like it did the first time, but the Other had changed her, and now she's never surprised when it comes to Kouha.

_Blood, fire, blood, fire. _

_Open field, silence. _

_Panting, screaming, "Kouha, behind you!" _

_He gurgles out what was suppose to be a response, but his sword is lengthening first, whipping around and cutting down the stray mercenary. _

_Kouha takes several deep breaths. _

"_Well…"_

"_Kouha!" She runs into his arms, crying. "Stupid!"_

"_That was fun, ne?"_

_They both chuckle crookedly because they know it wasn't. _

_Metal, ice, metal, ice. _

_The tent flap is thrown open. _

"__!" She flinches and looks at him with surprise as he comes bounding in, smile plastered onto his face. "I know you've been down lately because of your boyfriend, so I got you a present!"_

"_You didn't have to, Kouha" She replies, brushing a pink strand of hair behind her ear. He pats her smooth head and plays with her ponytail as she takes the present from him. _

_The box is carefully opened, and she gasps. _

_Pulling out a small hair ornament, she traces the gold rose as his shockingly gentle hands put her hair down and pulls the smaller side of her part into a braid, tying it with the clasp. _

"_There, beautiful"_

_Slice, rain, slice, rain. _

"_Do you miss him?" _

_Slight smile._

"_Did Kouen say where the next attack might be?" _

_Hack, dry, hack, dry. _

"_So this is the end, ne?" _

_Screaming, screaming, smiling, smiling. He falls to his knees, holding his stomach as his clothing is dyed red. She goes to him, holds him up and embraces him as he falls into her lap. She cries as her hands slip over the slick skin. _

"_Why are you sad? Hey, let's go back to Kou together when this is over"_

"_K-Kouha…"_

"_Wha? Why are yasad? Les go back to Kou together when thissisover"_

"_Ye-yeah"_

"_Whyar sad? When thississsove...Les go home…"_

"_Of...Course. Let's...Let's go home together…"_

"_Do ya miss 'im…?"_

"_We'll go home together" _

"Hello?" She crosses her legs and stares at him. He grins wider at her and winks.

"Hello~! Sorry to intrude, my name is Kouha" Catrina and Eren enter after him.

"Bad, this is Kouha Ren. He wanted to meet you"

"Yeah" Kouha smiles in his fierce way, the way that Bad always loved about him. Of course, that was in the Other, when they shared mutual problems and often spent their time together speaking of happy things instead of the War.

"Well, pleasure to meet you, Kouha. Let me see..." She studies him, her eyes ghosting over the way he quickly sends a look to Catrina that basically says, 'crazy-woman'. Bad smiles. "...Catrina called you a girl, didn't she?"

"Is that common?" He asks casually.

"No, but sometimes when Catrina sees something she thinks is cute she automatically assumes it's a girl. Don't be offended, it means she thinks you're good-looking" Catrina shrugs.

"Yeah, no need to be offended" Kouha barks out a laugh.

"You three are interesting. Let's talk!" He takes a seat in the chair across from her and Catrina picks up the couch to bring it over to him, ignoring how Kouha stares at her for lifting it one-handedly.

"Holy shit you're strong" He whistles and she cracks a grin.

"Thanks. It's cause I'm a Fanalis" She and Eren take a seat on the couch and they all face one another.

"Well?" They stare at the third Prince, who rolls his eyes. "Entertain me"

* * *

Kouha laughs hard, slamming his hand on the table.

"Are you saying-" He points a shaky finger at Eren, who stews. "-That Eren snuck into that house to steal back a _watermelon_?"

"This get them every time!" Bad giggles, her hands covering her mouth. "And then- and then!"

"Then the woman got up because she heard someone…" Catrina starts in a low tone, and Kouha has to force his lips together. "...And in her kitchen she foUND EREN!" He bursts out laughing once again and Catrina and Bad join in.

"I hate you all" Eren comments, but they ignore him.

"Then she- she bitchslapped him!" Bad falls out of her chair and onto the floor, and Kouha joins her.

"That's beautiful" He crows, holding his stomach. "Fucking beautiful"

Eren grumbles,

"Pretty sure it was her moon time too…" And fits of laughter flood the room for the third time.

A knock on the door does little to silence them, but they do get back onto their seats.

"Come in" Bad calls lightheartedly. The door opens and in comes three women.

Bad's grin doesn't wane.

_One. _

_(Waist)_

_Two. _

_(Eyes)_

_Three. _

_(Arms)_

"_Reirei!" Junjun screams, her clothing becoming dotted with blood. She drops to her knees in front of the woman, screeching something about murder. Reirei coughs loudly, a thick and sharp sound that shreds the ears. _

_Kouha materializes in front of his attendants, and she flinches back, biting the inside of her cheek as the woman's bandages fall off of where they were placed over her arms. _

_She takes one look and has to look away, ashamed and at the same time filled with degrees of disgust that makes her shiver at her own shallowness. _

_But no matter what she just can't look at it. _

_One._

_(Waist)_

_Two._

_(Eyes)_

_Junjun died a few months later, in a rather horrible way. She got caught by a Djinn's swooping grab and was swung up into the air, went face to face to a magician who sliced off her bandages, and then the Djinn crushed her. _

_But there was no one who could help her. The magicians and foot soldiers were going one on one intensely and every available Dungeon Capturer was making sure that the Dark Djinns from the furnace weren't mass producing. _

_Bad was keeping an array of large Djinns at bay when she heard Junjun's screams. She heard them, but if she let go of her spell then the dark Djinns would crush her and the mass of evacuating people below her. So she shouted out a roaring cry and amped up her spell, internally praying that it would be quick for the poor servant. _

_Kouha had mourned her in a rather quiet way, considering when Reirei died he had screeched and destroyed the entire stretch of land they were fighting on, killing all the Al Thamen members within mere minutes. _

_Instead he ordered people to dig a hole, and Kouha lowered her into it, removing the remnants of the bandages over her eyes. She knew better than to look this time, but a few newbies flinched and had to turn away. _

_Kouha had cooed, _

"_Now you'll never need to be covered again" _

_One. _

_(Waist)_

_For some scary reason, it was expected for Jinjin to die. Everyone was thinking it, though they were ashamed. Jinjin seemed a bit scared, but she didn't say a word about it, and Kouha gave the ones who talked in hushed whispers about in the dirtiest look he had. _

_The whispers died out, but the knowledge didn't. _

_Jinjin was the last of the three to go, her dress ripped to shreds. They weren't sure how she died, only finding her face up in barely there clothing that only covered her upper and lower parts, exposing her waistline for all to see. _

_Once again she stares at the uncovered place, finding it easier not to gag this time but still looking away after a minute or two. _

_Kouha had held Jinjin in his arms and covered her with more cloth, glaring at the soldiers until they too let go of their disturbed fascination and turned their gaze away. Kouen appeared beside her, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him. He looked down at her. _

"_Let's be strong"_

"_Y-yeah" Later, Kouha had bitterly came and laid on the futon next to her, staring hard at the ceiling. _

"_You know why they all were found the way they were?"_

"_What?"_

"_The bandages were all cut" Kouha gave her a smile that was so cruel and misleading that she paled. "They wanted everyone to see that they created those monsters. They created them, and they could take them out"_

_Those three names were never mentioned around Kouha again. _

"Lord Kouha, we've been looking all over for you!" The woman with the bandages over her eyes states, hands in her kimono sleeves.

"Oh, come in. Bad, this is Junjun, Jinjin, and Reirei"

"Such beautiful names" Bad comments, and the three women 'eep' and deny it.

"N-no no no Lady, but thank you" Junjun stutters.

"No where near as pretty a name as Badroulbadour!"

"Aw, thank you" She replies, and Eren watches her amusedly.

The servants giggle timidly, and Kouha pridefully stands up, crossing to them.

"Well, I suppose it's my time to leave. I'll see you three later- have more stories ready to tell me!" Bad nods and grins at him.

"There is plenty where that came from!"

_More than you know. _

He exits the room with his attendants and Bad sighs, sitting back.

"I forgot how much of a handful he was" She giggles and Catrina pats her lap. Bad comes inbetween her siblings and lays her head in Catrina's lap and her feet on Eren's. The Chandlen pinches her foot and makes her squirm in half-delight, half-annoyance.

"You're~a~brat~" He sings, and Catrina elbows him. "Ow!"

* * *

_**Asad = Free, Born to be Free**_

* * *

Asad was not amused. He walks down the hallway covered in a cloak of see through light, and watches as Kouha and his entourage of strange women chatter loudly about Bad. He frowns deeply, annoyed by the Prince and watching him walk carelessly down the hallway.

_Doesn't he know that if he talks so loud _They'll _hear him? _

Asad pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a silent breath, following the Prince's babble quietly. At least this way he'll be able to know what Kouha knew about Bad while also scanning for Al Thamen Priests.

"...I'm definitely going to visit her again after she presents the gold. She's cute and funny" Kouha strokes his hair. "Her companions are odd as well. I think they'll be suitable entertainment for now" Asad almost chuckles at the irony of his words.

_More like you're suitable entertainment for her._

But slowly the smirk fades off his face.

He hopes that Eren and Catrina did the right thing and told Bad about what Gyokuen was going to do. If _that matter_ is going to be revealed then having Kouha ready to keep her as a pet won't do at all.

Of course, knowing Bad, she probably has a plan in mind.

She always does.

(She has to, this time)

So he follows the foolish Prince as he heads into the private section of the Palace, and Asad makes no hesitation to follow. It's not as though the Shadow's never been there before, how else would he be able to hang out with Kougyo-

…

"...And then he went to steal the watermelon back!" The three bandaged women giggle. "Absurd, right?"

"Completely!" Agrees the one with the bandages over her eyes. Junjun. Or was it Jinjin-?

**Smack**

Asad stops in surprise and then rolls his eyes as Kouha begins to hit his attendant for speaking rudely about his new playmates and the women all melt in pleasure.

_M&amp;S…_

Asad hopes that the pink haired boy gets to a good part soon, because it's slowly seeming like Asad's going to die from boredom. He's heard these stories from Bad before, so hearing them again is just plain weird.

"She seems familiar" Reirei (the only one he can remember the name of) tilts her head.

"What do you mean, Lord Kouha?" The shorter teen fixes his blue hat. Jinjin- the one with the waist bandages, he remembers now because she has a fiancee*- wipes the dirt of his shoulder and beams at his smile.

"Well...I don't know. There's just something about her that's really familiar. Like...Her smile, and the look in her eyes…" Asad narrows his eyes, but freezes when he feels his hand brush over the hilt of Hikaru. He is as silent as the breeze as he lets out a breath and forces his hand to go limp at his side.

"Maybe she's been to Kou before and you saw her" Reirei suggests, and the three begin to walk away once again, and tiredly Asad rubs his temple. He strides behind them again, letting a fixed and safe distance be set between them. He boredly scans the walls full of artwork as Kouha chitters about this and that, how purple doesn't look as good as black or sky blue would on Bad, blah, blah, blah.

Finally they stop in front of Kouen's study. Asad bites his lip to keep from laughing or choking, and ghosts behind Reirei. She doesn't even know he's there, and when the gaurds open up the door he slides past her and slips like an eel into the crack behind Kouha, enjoying this game of predator. Asad goes down a dark hallway made on both sides by bookshelves and goes down until the light of Kouen's burning candle is a beacon. Asad looks down, double checks that he's completely covered and he's not casting a shadow before carefully stepping onto a table and climbing atop a bookshelf to watch the crown Prince and his brother look through scrolls.

Kouha comes in, having had strolled there as Asad slinked, and he bows toward his eldest brother.

"My brother and King, I have come like you asked" The Shadow lazily lays ontop of the bookcase, thankful the maids have sense to clean the top of at least the closest bookcase to the Prince. His head is propped up by his hands, and his half-lidded eyes watch the Royals with a dark kind of delight.

"Hm" Kouen Ren greets him, barely looking up from his paper. Kouha goes and sits in an empty chair, eyes straying to the brightly burning flame as his brother finished with what he's reading.

"Kouha, where were you? We sent your attendants for you an hour ago" Koumei closes what he was reading, not sounding as upset as his words are.

"I'm always late anyway, right?" The second Prince nods. "That's why you always send for me an hour before hand" Asad cracks his back, a crinkling sound none of them notice. The best thing about being invisible? You can lounge around like an idiot and no one will notice.

"So, whats she like?" Kouen asks, red eyes flickering up.

Kouen Ren.

What a piece of work, no? Regal shoulders, large build, powerful aura of _respect _and _obey_. But at the same time, his language is rough and edgy, each word lined with the strength he has but also the carelessness of _you're beneath me. _

Asad could say he liked the way his hard, unexpected speech pattern except for the fact that his brash and undiplomatic sentences has more than once bitten Kougyoku-

…

"Bad's wonderful" Kouha sighs dreamily, his smile wide and mischievous. "She brought friends too!"

"Oh? How 'wonderful' is she?"

"Well," Kouha shifts in his seat so he's facing Kouen directly. "She's a very cute little girl with long hair and big eyes, but she speaks like an adult, with fluency in her words and a very charismatic way about her. She's intelligent to be sure, and incredibly charming. I'm happy she came!"

"What about the Dungeon Capturer?" Koumei asks, putting away the scroll and wrinkling his acne covered nose while yawning. Asad frowns.

_This, folks, is Ting Mei's boyfriend. _

Kouha shrugs.

"His name's Eren Chandlen. He's a nice guy, _really _buff. Acts a bit like a servant to Bad, so I assume he works for her or considers her his master. Not sure about how powerful he is, but to capture a Dungeon he must be strong"

Kouen nods his head at this report, a small familiar grin stretching up his lips.

"I see. Interesting people"

"Oh yeah, and they have another person, a Fanalis chick with orange eyes"

"Fanalis?" Kouen sighs but Koumei considers this. "I figured they'd be in the Dark Continent or near Reim. Is she a slave?"

"No, a companion"

"Hm. Sinbad likes to take in strays" Hissing in a breath Koumei turns to his brother.

"My brother and King, please don't say things like that when you meet King Sinbad, alright? It'll screw up diplomatic relations-"

"Who cares? We'll take over Sindria one day anyway"

"But for now we can't" Koumei states strongly. "He has an entire league of nations behind him. He's practically head of a sprawling Empire" Kouen doesn't react much to this but does lean back and set down the finished scroll.

"Okay"

"Okay? Just okay? It- *sigh* You know what, I let it go" Jealousy lines the contours of Kouha's face at this familiar exchange but it quickly washes away.

"Yes, well, I've also learned something about that" The two elder brothers look to the younger, who scrunches up his nose like he smells something bad. "Badroulbadour mentioned that Sinbad has made her his ward"

"His ward?" Kouen asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. But according to Eren, they only met about half a year ago, during the revolts in Balbadd. They didn't say much about it but I got the feeling that only recently have they been able to mend relations with the King"

"I see, so they're on rough ground?" Koumei considers this. "Then why would he make her his ward if they have a bad relationship?"

"Keep your friends close, your enemies closer" Kouha offers, resting one foot on his knee. "Bad seems like the kind of person to haveboth in high places"

"Any chance she'll consider leaving Sindria for Kou?" Kouen asks, cutting straight to the chase instead of smoothing the path in code words and subtle hints. "Or what about Eren?"

"I'm...Not sure" Kouha struggles with the words, trying to recall if Bad ever picked up or reacted to the third Prince's own probing questions like that when they spent time together. "Actually...Well, whenever I started to ask her that she always side-stepped me"

It was true, Asad knows. Whenever you lay the groundwork for trap or trick for Bad to fall into, she always distracts you and leads you away like a siren with her words to a whole new place. Then, when you manage to return to your original intent it's sabotaged and easily destroyed.

Asad's not afraid to say that in the field of politics, skillfully layered conversations and double-meanings, Bad is a genius of strategy and evasion. The only reason she reveals as much as she does to Sinbad and those around her is because she knows that they'll begin to hunger for explanations, barter to know more. Bad gives them a piece of a puzzle impossible for them to solve, and in exchange takes all their secrets as collateral.

And in the end, when they are worn out but still begging for more, she leaves them in the remains of their pride and waltzes away to find a new victim full of treasure for her to take and use for trade.

Seems she's set her eye on Kou, and has picked the most eccentric Royal as her bait to draw the others in, too.

And it looks like it's working pretty well.

"Do you think there's a possibility?"

"Yeah, I think so. It feels like Eren won't leave Bad easily, so I suggest getting her on board first" Kouen lifts his red eyes in amusement, and Asad watches those bloody pools closely, sighing silently.

_Hopefully he doesn't notice the truth about her…_

* * *

The only thing bad about spying on the Kou brothers in the study was that he was then stuck, _in the study, __**for two hours**_. Then again, he's been in worse places, but still. They droned on together about war plans and then shut up only to start again and shuffle around and look for more books. Kouha looked about as interested as Asad, but at least he found something to do. Asad was stuck ontop of the bookcase and couldn't just pick a scroll out of it without getting noticed, so he stayed up there and listened to them.

It was officially the most boring afternoon he's ever had to endure.

Finally, when Kouha's servants announced it was tea-time, Asad nearly whooped with joy and silently flung himself off the top of the wooden structure, ghosting behind Kouha as he too quickly made his escape.

Normally Asad wouldn't leave a spy mission that easily, but considering this was of his own free will and wasn't a job from the organization, he felt it was an okay thing to do. The second he was out however he considered turning back around.

What if Koumei and Kouen were only waiting for Kouha to leave to discuss how to approach Bad? If he misses something like that-

He stops himself, turns around, and goes down a different hallway than Kouha, shaking his head at himself. Since when was he so concerned about Bad? She's more than a brat, she's a pain in his side. Sure, they've had some good times together and there was a while that Asad wouldn't mind calling her 'friend' instead of 'Milady', but that time has gone past him in a blur and he needs to straighten himself out.

_My loyalty lies with Judal._

Who is currently safe under Bad's organized care.

_My duty is to protect Judal and the Kou Empire_.

To stand as a thin border between the priests and the Empire has been difficult, but he doesn't mind as long as it protects those precious to him.

_My life is here. _

But if there has to be a reason he's willing to go so far for Bad, to help her, well...Then he'll call it the same reason he helped Momoka. To give that slave girl the thing he always wanted, to keep Bad from losing it, that's his reason.

Freedom is something Asad struggles to have and give.

He continues cloaked down the hallway, until he gets to a hallway surrounded on both sides by a bright garden. And then he spots her sitting on a rock, alone.

Slowly, forgetting his anger and feeling instead shame, he drifts over the railing and into the sunlight, picking his way over to her green and pink back. Her dress shifts as she settles herself, looking down into the pond water.

For a moment he watches her, the line of her face, the perfection of her innocent eyes, how her dark pink hair finds the time to dance along her shoulders and in the wind. He studies everything about her, realize he's the biggest idiot in the world, and decides that no, he _can't_ live without her.

He lets go of the light around him so he's visible, and then manipulates the one in the pond so that it doesn't reflect his face.

Asad leans over her so that his face is just behind her shoulder and then smirks to himself as smudges of white and black start to form in the pond's reflection. The Princess leans forward, confused, and then when she's close enough he releases the light so that his face appears in perfect clarity.

"Kou-gyo-ku" He says loudly, in her ear, and she acts immediately. Scared from the surprise, she hops up, just narrowly avoiding hitting Asad's jaw, and spins around while trying to grab onto Vinea. Then, in a comical mishap, her long dress decides that '_yes, now I will not only be heavy, complicated and hard to move around in, but also will humiliate my wearer!' _

And Kougyoku's foot finds it's place on the dress fabric and she slips, falling backwards toward the winking water. Asad acts quicker than he thinks, grabbing her wrist and pulling sharply toward himself so she changes direction and twists her heel in the dirt. She ends up flailing in his arms, feet off balance and face red.

"A-Asad!" She manages, and Asad can't help the amused smirk on his face.

"Jeez, so clumsy…" Kougyoku blushes madly and Asad helps her settle herself, before sitting himself on the large rock.

Awkwardly and nervously Kougyoku hesitates before sitting beside him.

It's quiet.

Kougyoku fidgets and Asad fiddles with his swords, guilt taking turns with shame to remind him of his actions and their repercussions.

"L-lovely day, huh?"

"Yeah…" Asad groans internally at his short response.

_**That was suave dude, real suave. **_

Asad frowns deeply. What was that? He hasn't thought in english in forever. A bit of a creeping sensation goes up his spine but he elects to ignore it, turning his attention to Kougyoku.

Okay, what did John do when he was an ass to a girl?

_**Jesus stop being a wuss and apologize properly, dumbass.**_

He bites the inside of his cheek and turns to face Kougyoku head on. The Princess catches his movement and tenses, patting down her skirt and shyly looking at his chin.

"I apologize"

_**Never fucking mind, you're a lost cause. **_

That in mind, he sighs and tries again, weary of her wide-eyed gaze. He ruffles his silvery bangs and pears at her out from under them, trying to think of something to say that could justify his coldness.

"What I mean to say is...I'm sorry for being so mean to you, Kougyoku" Kougyoku's face is pink and she looks away with hurt- vulnerable- eyes. The hand on his knee clutches at the limb tightly and his shoulders drop. "You know you...You and Judal are my friends, see, and I really, really care about you two so when…"

The words 'marriage' and 'running' hangs in the air unspoken between them.

"So when we, we fought, I did and said some very hurtful things" Kougyoku opens her mouth as if to speak but then shuts it when nothing comes out. "So I...I want to apologize to you. I'm not sure it's enough, but please know that I'm sorry, and I realize I was wrong"

_About everything_.

But he doesn't say that. He stands up and begins to walk away.

Until he's tackles from behind.

Not very hard, but enough to make him stumble, and he feels the arms tighten over his waist and hold him still, preventing him from moving. Asad watches the rippling of the green and pink sleeves.

"Idiot" She whispers. "You never apologize"

"I think I just did" Asad replies, putting his hands over hers. Kougyoku shakes her head.

"Y-you, you think that's it?" He furrows his eyebrows and her grip loosens. He turns to face her in this new space and she burrows into his chest, holding on tighter than before. "You think that's all you can do?"

"Well, what can I do?"

"Be my friend again, idiot!" Asad flinches at the high pitch squeak. "We can hang out again and have fun together, just like before! I don't know why it has to change!"

"..." He wraps his arms around her shoulders. He could think of many reasons why it should change. "So you forgive me?"

"I was never mad, stupid Keeper"

* * *

"Master, desu?" Asad rubs his eyes, turning his attention to the sliding door that opens.

The moon from the door illuminates his room, from the large futon that he sleeps in surrounded by gauzy curtains to the small table and cushions where he and Hakuei used to drink tea together and where he taught Judal and Kougyoku how to gamble.

He's grown used to the night, and his eyes have become accustomed to finding people in the dark, despite the lack of outline.

A small physic comes into view, a rather petite girl who's a bit too thin and short for someone her age. Next comes pinkish-orange hair that finds rest on her shoulders and tickling her shoulderblades.

"Momoka? It's a bit too early for you to come" The lightweight sleeping kimono she wears tells him she's not here to make his bed.

"Master…" She's across the room in a second, launching into his arms. "Please let me stay here with you, desu"

Asad doesn't need light to see her face, to watch the anxiousness and fear spread across it in a second.

Asad doesn't need the light, because he's known what she's felt for years. But he's never had someone to hold him when things got scary. He was always the one who's done that, whether it has been Judal or Kougyoku. Perhaps it's because he never had a childhood in this life. Maybe it's because in reality, he has the mind of a thirty-eight year old. Whatever it was, Asad pulls down his covers and lets her in, allowing her to grasp onto him like a lifeline.

"The other maids will be worried about you"

"I...Don't feel safe with them, desu" She answers, her voice slowly fading back into the quiet and blank tone she usually uses.

_Then why in God's name do you feel safe with me? _

"Well, I guess you can stay here"

_I'm a monster. So why?_

"Thank you, desu"

_If I'm ordered to, I'll kill you in a second._

"It's fine"

_So...So why do you think this is fine? Why are you convinced I can protect you? I'm a killer, I'm a murderer...You'd be safer with a slaver than with me._

"When I'm with you, Master, I feel like whatever happens, I'll be happy, desu" His body goes stiff at her drowsy, half-asleep words. "When you helped me leave the slaver, I knew that even if I have to work here forever, even if my fingers bleed from rubbing the floor or I'll never get to live a normal life with Mommy and Daddy, I'll be happy. Because freedom is all I've wanted, and you gave it to me, desu"

Her arms tighten around him, clutching onto him like he's the only thing in the universe, and she can't let him go.

"For me...It's better be free and in pain than caged and safe, desu" Her eyes shut all the way, he watches them close. "What about you, desu?"

"...I'm not sure what freedom is"

"Freedom might be different for everyone, desu. My freedom is not having chains around my wrists and feet, desu. But what about you, desu?"

"...My freedom is being able to do whatever I please, without having to worry about being found out. My freedom is being happy"

"Do you have it?"

…

…

He waits until her breathing steadies and her eyelids flicker with dreams to answer. Until she's so innocent that he can convince himself that no, she's not like him.

She's was a slave who couldn't leave, and he's an assassin that has to stay.

They _aren't _alike.

She's just a girl who's grateful and he's a man who's lonely.

There is _not _a single similarity between them.

But perhaps that day they met there was _just _one. But now, she doesn't hold that wild desperation, that need to be able to look at yourself and think, 'I can do whatever I want'. Now, she's just something for him to hold in his palm and admire, wondering if he'd look like her if he too was cut from his chains.

…

…

"No"

…

…

"I'm not sure I've ever obtained all of it"

* * *

Sinbad didn't like the way that Kouen Ren is looking at him and Bad, but he tries (he really does!) not to let it bother him.

The second night in Kou began with a feast in the honor of the King of Sindria arriving safely, and all the Princes were invited along with many nobles in the Emperor's favor. Bad dressed herself in a surprisingly sophisticated way, finding a fine white dress somewhere in that tiny purple bag around Eren's neck and dawning it with class, taking out her one earing and leaving her bangles behind. Catrina too brushed her hair and presented herself meekly, and Eren didn't do much other than smile largely and pretend he didn't hover over everyone else.

The knee high tables were lined up in a square, with nobles in fine, thick kimonos sitting neatly under them. Sinbad had smiled down at Bad who grinned excitedly back at him as they entered. He watched how the moment they were announced her grin faded into a small smile and she held her hands with a slightly bowed head as they walked in.

He's tried to map out the many personalities of Bad, but never has he seen this character, the one he dubbed 'the Princess', come out fully. The aura around her turn sweet and gentle like a baby bird, and the way she walks becomes a smooth glide instead of the regular skippy-type hop she usually uses. She let her hair down but it was brushed into visibly soft silk that neatly flowed beside her, and she was careful to stand to the side and behind him.

"Like my attitude?" She whispered softly, flicking her red eyes up quickly to study him. He shrugged.

"Seems like it fits you better than your usual one" Bad looked to the floor at his words, her face not hurt or angry but rather thoughtful.

"I suppose it does" He came toward the head of the square, where the elevated red haired Emperor sat waiting. Sinbad smiled pleasantly at the Emperor, and inclined his head. "Emperor Koutoku, it is a pleasure to be able to see you again in person"

Koutoku showed a large row of teeth.

"I feel the same, King Sinbad. Please, sit off to my side there" On the left, a seat on the same level as his was open. Sharrkan came forward to herd Badroulbadour, Catrina and Eren off but the Emperor held open his palm. "Ah, wait. Who is this who stands beside you, King Sinbad?" Sinbad looks over to Bad, who bows her head deeper, slight smile staying the same in it's measurements.

"This? This is my ward, Badroulbadour. She has come to join me on my visit, having had received an invitation as well" The word 'ward' sent ripples through the room, and the pinkette lifted her head.

"I see" The Emperor grinned in what some would say was a polite way at Bad. "I have heard much about you, young lady"

Bad smiled wider at Koutoku, and that's when Sinbad noticed a redhaired man staring hard at them.

_The crown Prince_.

Kouen, right? Yeah, that was it. He sat on his father's right, and beside him his brother lightly fanned himself while staring at them from under unruly bangs. The third, Kouhei or Kouha fiddled with the _sword he decided to bring to dinner_ and made attempts to gain Bad's attention with wild hand motions.

"To have an Emperor of a large and powerful Empire know so much about a humble ward like me...I am truly honored, Your Majesty" Bad's sugar tinted words breaks into his thoughts, and something about the way her quiet and almost fragile voice pleases the ear makes him turn his full attention to her. The rest of the nobles, the ones paying attention at least, notice it too and seem to melt, judgements on the King of Sindria's ward being passed with a good score.

The Emperor looks incredibly pleased with her as well, and calls for a table below Sinbad's to be set up so she could eat with her Lord.

That's when Sinbad realizes that she's actually going to act like a polite person for the duration of the dinner, if not the entire trip. Which means he doesn't have to prepare to cover for Bad's biting attitude.

_Thank God._

And another thought occurs to him as he sees nobles watch how not he, but _she _handles the chopsticks perfectly and eats sitting in the correct posture. Her portions she eats are small, like tiny doses, and she takes care to maintain polite conversation with those beside her.

Sinbad himself chats with the Emperor on his elevated platform, but Bad entraps the high ranking noble next to her with some tale of her adventures. When the noble tests her by bringing up politics, he's surprised when she fluently presents her opinion on the matters in a truthful- if not flattering and charming- way.

_She's...Making Sindria look good._

* * *

From where Catrina and Eren sit eating quietly and speaking only to each other, they take one look at the gathering crowd around Bad and smirk.

"Ah, she did it again, ne?"

"Whatcha mean?"

"That thing she does...Acting like herself"

"...Ah. That's...A bit of a problem..."

"Mhm. It's our duty you know...To keep that part of her underwraps"

"I don't really like that part of our duty"

Catrina looks to the side at the heavily decorated walls, filled and painted and covered from the truth of what it really is.

"Me neither" Eren puts back down his rice.

"But if you ra-tiona-lize it" The big word comes off strangely on Eren's tongue. "The world just isn't ready for someone as perfect as Bad"

"Bad's not _perfect_"

They watch her make the nobles and Emperor laugh, and how Sinbad pridefully lifts his chin.

"Nah, but this part of her...It certainly comes close"

* * *

Kouen was a little bit annoyed with his father.

Of course, that's not necessarily something a crown Prince should say about the Emperor, but it's sure as hell true.

Why is he upset, you ask?

Because he's stuck on the _opposite. Side. Of. The. Table. _

His hand tightens over his knee and Koumei notices, wincing slightly.

"You just want to grill that little girl for all she's worth, don't you?" He comments in low tones and Kouen nods, letting his nostrils flare.

"Do you hear her laughing?" Kouen questions. "She doesn't even know we came all the way from Balbadd for this"

"She's ten" Koumei deadpans, and Kouha laughs.

"Bad's acting different though! When I was with her she was a lot more friendly and welcoming. I bet she's acting polite to woo Father!" Koumei shushes him but Kouen shrugs.

"Well, she's doing a damn good job at that" They all turn to look at their father, who shifts in his throne to get a better view of the girl, chuckling as she makes jokes to the nobles who gather around her. Sinbad looks pretty dang proud of his ward, and Kouen can understand why despite not being there to talk to the pinkette.

"Hm...Let's talk with her tomorrow"

"We better"

"Brother En, your need for knowledge is acting up, isn't it?"

They didn't end up talking to her tomorrow. Or the day after that, or the day after that. In fact, a week passed before Kouen even saw the girl again, walking from the bathes in a Kou robe. She was with her companions, smiling widely at something the large man- Eren- said, while the redhead Fanalis girl shook her head. Kouen lied in wait around the corner, and smirked to himself as he stood like a predator waiting for the girl to come and see him.

"-For the last time, you can't disrupt the laws of physics unless you're a magician or a Dungeon Capturer!"

"Uh, yes you can!" That soft voice he heard the other night is back, but instead of sounding sweet and grateful it's filled with the freedom of youth and cheeriness. "Listen, you don't need to be a Dungeon Capturer or a magician to be able to fly. You could build a airplane to generate lift with engines-"

_Airplane?_

_Engines?_

_Lift?_

They come around the corner and the little girl runs into Kouen in the midst of her speech. He looks down at the little body against his, the tiny head against his stomach. She looks upward, her hands clutching to the lower half of his robe, and red and red meet.

"Um...Hello" She says, and he feels his eyebrows fall over his eyes, making hard slashes on his face. "You're the Prince, right? Kouen"

"..."

"I'm Bad. Well, not _actually _'Bad' but Badroulbadour, but since that's really long I just prefer Bad. I think it suits me, doesn't it?"

"...Badroulbadour" He uses her full name just for kicks, and though her friends flinch she just keeps looking up at him, her chin and neck resting against him. She smiles crookedly.

"You know, Kouen, you seem like a person who'd give nice hugs" The Fanalis looks a cross between wide-eyed surprise and excitement and Eren just watches Bad with a tired and mortified face.

"Why do you think?" He asks, and she snuggles into his stomach, digging her hands further into his robes.

"Because hugging you feels so warm!" She explains, and he stares down at her.

"Okay"

Eren chuckles nervously.

"Well 'en...Hello, my names Eren. This 'ere's Catrina, and...You've already met Bad"

"Yes"

"...Um...Yeah. So uh- Bad stop hugging him!- we'll be on our way-"

"No"

"...Okay. What, uh…" There's silence, and then Kouen's arms move down, slip under Bad's arms and hold her up. She doesn't seem bothered by this, nor when he lifts her to his eye-level, but he does notice something moving behind her eyes, casting a slight gaze over the rosy pools.

Eren and Catrina shift uncomfortably as Kouen looks her up and down, and then he tucks her under his arm like a book, his arm stretching over her back and under her stomach.

"I'm taking her with me"

"E-EH!?" Comes the shocked reaction, and he turns around and begins to walk away.

"W-Wait a minute!" The redhead calls, at his heels. "Bad?!" He pauses, and the two catch up.

"She doesn't mind" He looks to her, giving her a creepy smile with dead eyes. "Do you?"

She beams at him.

"Nope~!"

"See?" And he walks again. On their way, they pass many people, all of whom stare not at the freakishly buff green haired man or redhead who leaves cracks in the hallway with her nervous stomps but at the Prince carrying around a child (Then again, they're used to the Princes having strange people following them around).

"En-Ren?" Kouen doesn't stop but does shift his eyes toward the child at the sound of a strangely familiar nickname. He must have heard someone else being called something like that…

"Yeah?"

"Will you hold me the other way?"

"What other way?"

"The way where my arms around around your neck. This way is painful"

"Please, En-Ren?"

He shifts the child upwards, so that she can hold onto his throat. He holds her under the knees now but she doesn't seem to care, and the coldness of her wet hair presses against the back of his neck.

"Thanks!"

"Um...Kouen?" Catrina asks softly, coming up on the side. "Where are we going?"

"Tea" He answers simply, finding no reason to tell them exactly where they're going.

"Oh. I like tea" Catrina perks up, adding a hop to her step.

"Lord Kouen!" At this voice Kouen does stop. In front of them, and coming up quickly, is Hakuei.

"Auntie Hakuei!" Bad squeals, and Kouen looks to her and then the Princess heading toward them, long dark blue hair tied at the end just like always.

"Bad? What are you doing here?"

"I'm on an adventure!" She replies, giggling. Eren rolls his eyes.

"Kouen's going to take us to tea...I think"

"Hello Eren, Catrina" Hakuei greets them with a smile, bowing slightly. Then she turns her full attention to Kouen, sighing. "You know, Lord Kouen, you shouldn't just ambush people in the middle of the halls"

_Ah...She caught me._

"Hm." He responds, bouncing Bad to get a better grip. "I'll take that to heart."

"You won't will you?" Hakuei shakes her head, smiling. "Well, may I join you? It's been awhile since I've last seen these people"

"You've met them before?"

"Yes, they were here over a year ago" Kouen's striding again, now Hakuei's beside him. "I suppose you didn't see them then, though"

"Auntie Hakuei's the best, right En-Ren?" Hakuei's eyes flicker to Bad ask well.

_She recognizes it too. _

"..." Kouen doesn't reply, but Hakuei chuckles a bit.

"You're too sweet, Bad"

"Heh, thanks Auntie!" Bad lays her chin on his shoulder. "What kind of tea are we having?"

"I don't know" Kouen replies.

"Are we there yet?"

"No"

"Can I have sweets too?"

"No"

"Are you going to ask me a bunch of serious questions pertaining to the situation between our countries?" As the question goes on the fluidness of her words becomes like a flowing river.

"Yes"

"..."

"..."

"Are we there yet?"

* * *

They sit across from each other, and Hakuei, Eren and Catrina all talk to each other in low voices as to not interrupt Bad and Kouen's quiet atmosphere.

Bad takes a sip.

"Ah...I love mint"

"...Tell me about Sindria"

"No"

"Why not?"

"I've only lived there for a week"

"And yet the King has made you his daughter?"

"You mean ward?"

"Whatever"

"Yes" Kouen studies her, and she takes another sip, sighing contently.

"How did you convince him to?" At this she pauses, and her eyes but nothing else shift toward him, taking on a more ominous feeling. The nature of her voice and words changes then, going from child-like and fun loving to deceptively playful and dark.

"What makes you think that, En-Ren?" The nickname is more of a sting than a nuzzle now.

"You've only been there for a week. I can only assume you either convinced Sinbad to accept you or are actually his kid, which…" He looks at her, conjures the image of Sinbad's masculine features and purple coloring. "...I have a feeling you aren't"

"Hm. Nice reasoning, you're smarter than I thought you'd be" She smirks. "Really though, you think just any type of deal would convince High King Sinbad to allow anyone to become- basically- his adoptive child?"

"Perhaps, if he knew the extent to your usefulness"

"I am a list of things, Kouen Ren" Bad states, sitting tall. "Useful is one of them"

Kouen smirks like she did.

"I see. I suppose you enjoy manipulating people?"

"Eh? Excuse me?"

"Hm...How about your good at manipulating people?" Bad giggles.

"I'm ten-almost-eleven"

"No, you're eleven" Bad furrows her eyebrows at Eren.

"Really?"

"Yeah, your birthday was on the boat but we didn't exactly celebrate it because you forgot and we forgot too" The Dungeon Capturer smiles sheepishly. "Let's have a party back in Sindria, okay?"

"...Eren" Kouen turns his attention to the man. He smiles goodnaturedly at the Prince.

"Yes?"

"Become a part of Kou" Eren's smile doesn't waver.

"No thank you. But the offer is very, very generous of you" The General grins viciously.

"I think I like you people" Hakuei lightly chuckles.

"That seems to be everyone's opinion…"

* * *

"You fixed things with your girlfriend?"

"Something like that" Asad and Bad sit together, and in each lap Kou treats are laid across the knees on a large platter. They munch on them together, savoring the sugar and poking fun at one another. "She's not my girlfriend though. We're…"

"Hm. A new relationship unexplored" Bad nods sagely, but then her eyes glaze over. "Ah, to be courted secretly by a darkly handsome suitor~ how wonderful it must be to be Kougyoku~!"

"I'm not courting her!" Asad hisses, stuffing his face with a truffle-like dessert. "Shut up!"

"Well, have you told Hakuei?"

"Yeah" He gives her a look like she's dumb. "Hakuei's amazing, I tell her...Some stuff"

"Hm…Are you going to ask her out?"

"She's a Princess"

"So? If things get serious, run away with her. That's romantic~!"

"What about you and your lover?" Bad gets quiet. "What? Touch a sore spot?"

"...Aladdin"

"What? That brat I got in a fight with-"

"He is- was- my lover" Asad stops mid-chew. He contemplates this while slowly finishing it and then swallowing.

"Ah...Sorry about hurting him. And calling him a brat"

"It's okay…" Silence reigns.

"Are you...Going to ask him out?" Bad chuckles emptily.

"He couldn't love me again"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm..._Depraved_. I'm a filthy person and the reason Al loved me at first was because I was still innocent despite being with Al Thamen"

"...You know Bad, being depraved doesn't make you filthy" Bad's eyes study a piece of Kou candy. "I, for one, think you're a beautiful and passionate young lady who yearns to do the right thing so others can live happily. Taking the blame is very, very brave"

"I...Thank you, Asad. Is this why you're so good with women?"

"Guilty as charged!" Laughter is heard, but Bad knows better. She knew where that conversation was going, and letting it pass was the best option for her. Because keeping it going would mean she'd have to admit that Aladdin _can't _love her.

In the Other he loved her to an extent where he became blind to the rest of the world. Granted, the rest of the world was at peace, but still. She distracted him too much, and for such a sin she was punished by being sent back in time to fix this world's fate.

Ah, but it's so nice being around him.

Just to see him talking animatedly with Alibaba and Morgiana, skipping along like a child would...She loves it. She loves him more than she can express into words, and all she wants to do is hold his hand and say, 'yes, let's be friends!' because then even if he does become involved with someone else then she'll still get to save a piece of him for her, just a fraction of him.

She'd pick just a little bit of Aladdin's attention over none.

* * *

_**Badroulbadour = Full Moon of Moons**_

* * *

_The dawn brought along the clearest blue sky she's ever seen. Reds in the west caught her, cloaking her in the color so that the blood on her clothes is disguised in front of the rising sun. Far away she hears someone scuttling on the horizon, and everything falls to her suddenly, as though the stars suspended above had been cut from their strings and plummeted onto her shoulders. _

_Someone's behind her, someone's leaning their forehead on the back of her neck. _

_"Why did it get like this?" _

_"…" The breeze flows over the bodies and carnage, picking it's way toward them. _

_"How could this happen?"_

_"…" She moves her hands forward deliberately, picking up the golden staff in front of her. Her fingers curl around the warm metal, and her breath comes out harshly. _

_"Do you think they'll forgive me?" She asks, and familiar hands go around and lay theirs on hers, softening them. _

_She turns back and sees him squint his beautiful, beautiful eyes, trying to make shapes out of the Rukh and dawn. _

_"Do we all ever forgive?" He rest his chin on her shoulder. "I have found, many times, that through situations that leave balance in tatters and people feeling rough we can heal from those wounds. We can gather ourselves up and face shame and guilt until we get to the other side and apologize. And forgiving, too, we say we do. But I've seen that even as relationships are mended the memories don't fade. They remain and they can either make you wise or make you weary. Weariness repeats the cycle, but people don't know that"_

_"So do we forgive?"_

_"I believe so, but I think that in our blind forgiveness we don't see anything other than ourselves, and it makes us susceptible to evil and all bad things"_

_She collapses into him, tears clawing at her face as her staff falls from her hands. _

_"I killed, Aladdin! I killed so many-" her voice cracks and she just starts sobbing. _

_"I know. And I forgive you"_

* * *

The throne room was empty. Not what Bad was expecting from the Emperor, but not in a bad way. It was easier to do this alone. Sinbad sits in a chair beside the old man dressed in golden robes, his tawny eyed face a picture of intense seriousness. Bad herself stands behind Sinbad's chair, once again being quiet and not contributing to the conversation. Eren stands beside her, but his patience was wearing thin and every now and then he'd poke her side as if to get her to do something back.

She never did, but once she gave him an exasperated look.

"…Which is why I believe Balbadd should remain as a republic. It's beneficial to the production of the nation" Bad studies the Emperor every now and again, watching his low eye bags, his snarling smile, viciously cruel glint in his eyes.

A truly selfish man.

Bad feels her skin prickle the more she looks at him until it's just not possible for her to anymore and her eyes drop down.

"I've heard something about paying Balbadd's debts?" Koutoku asks casually, eyes rolling over Sinbad and his new ward. Sinbad takes a look back and Bad and Bad communicates that whatever Sinbad thinks is best she'll go along with.

"Settling Balbadd's debts?" Sinbad smiles slightly, setting his shoulders back. "I'm not sure I understand. Perhaps there was an error in the communication"

"What?" Koutoku lowers his eyebrows.

"Forgive me, but what the gold is for is to _compensate _Kou for their helpful efforts in Balbadd" Sinbad soothes, eyes glittering. "For bringing in the military to help with the revolts and for all their negotiations to bring peace. Now that that's not necessary, we'd like to give a formal thanks to your Empire for everything it's done"

_You've helped in Balbadd, now get out. _

Bad smirks internally.

_Well done, Sinbad. You truly played that card as I wanted you to. _

The older man stares hard at Sinbad but forces a grin. Even if he is a _selfish, horrible and disgusting _man, he's still Emperor.

"I see. Well, that is a very nice 'gift' for us" The Emperor sits up straighter, sucking in his gut. "But I'm afraid that we can't leave Balbadd just yet. The country is very unstable now, and we believe that they need a firm hand to guide them toward the right path"

Koutoku grin becomes easier to handle on his face, recovering from the shock of having an entire mountain of gold being dangled as bait in front of his face.

"But in accordance to your wishes and our peace treaty, Balbadd may pertain their status as a self-ruling republic under our supervision. A mandate of sorts. But the proposal of joining the Seven Seas Alliance while have to be put aside for now" Sinbad inclines his head and then nods.

"I see. Well, I thank you very much…" The two Rulers stand and say their goodbyes, talking of spending more time speaking together the next day. Eren's shoulders drop.

"You mean...We'll have to do this again…?"

"It'll teach you patience"

So for the next two weeks, it was like that. Sinbad was invited to parties and social events alike, and Bad accompanied him to many of them like a good ward would. By extension, for long periods of time Eren and Catrina were alone with Spartos and Sharrkan, and whenever Bad came back to their room afterwards the two would tell her of the things they saw and did that day in the Empire.

Bad then would giggle and tell them she's happy they're having fun.

But they could tell. Just being in this country- so close to the people she fought next to in the Other- was weighing on the young girl.

So at the beginning of the third and final week in Kou, Eren asked Bad,

"What happened in the Other?"

And Bad answered him like this:

"What happened? That...Is a hard question to answer. The End is blurred and rough. But...Being here has brought back many memories. I remember...I was in Balbadd, when it first happened. Aladdin and I lived together after he said he completed his mission, and we worked with Alibaba on the Balbaddian government. I learned so many things there and I came to consider Alibaba a brother I treasured very much ("Seriously?" "Shut up"). So then when it struck, I was very scared. Balbadd became our base of operations until a notice from Kou came and…"

Her voice trailed off. Eren and Catrina put the pieces together.

"Oh"

"So I left Balbadd. Aladdin begged me to stay with him in Balbadd. That...Is a very difficult memory for me. But I felt like I owed Kou, so I went, and I told him I'd definitely come back. And I became very close with Kouha, Koumei and Kouen alike. We fought together and then…" Bad looks away. "I prefer not to continue"

They nod in understanding, and Eren comes over and takes the girl into his large arms.

"It's alright, my Princess" Bad smirks.

"Are you calling me spoiled?"

"Way to ruin the moment"

* * *

"Stay in Kou"

"No thank you, but the offer is very generous"

"..."

"..."

"Stay in Kou"

"You're very persistent…" Bad giggles a bit, sipping her tea. Kouen stares at her blankly, and then shrugs.

"I've heard that before"

"Not surprised" He glares at her, which most would find intimidating and terrifying but to her is just cute. "I'm leaving Kou in...Three days?"

"Yeah" He states boredly. "But you should stay"

"No thank you" Bad lifts the cup to her mouth. "Say, I've met all your brothers, haven't I?"

"Not Koumei"

"Darn, that's sad" The man dubbed En-Ren shrugs, a habit that Bad's seen him do many times.

"Not really, Koumei's a bum" Bad chokes on her tea in laughter, and holds her hand to her mouth.

"Really~?"

"Yep"

"Hehe, you're funny En-Ren!" He looks a bit exasperated at her, but at the same time a bit amused.

"What's so good about Sindria anyway?"

"I don't know" Bad answers, grinning. "But I feel like as long as I'm there, I'll be in for a hell of a time" He studies her, and while she's not sure what he sees, he sees his own grin spread across his face until there are matching ones reflecting each others.

"Interesting"

* * *

The feast in Kou in Sinbad's honor was much like the one for his arrival except that Sinbad was seated in a chair across from the Emperor and Badroulbadour was put away next to Eren and Catrina for the first time in almost three weeks.

"I missed you guy~" She whispered, dipping her chopsticks into the rice and taking a bite.

"I know! But we'll be on the boat together for like, eight weeks so it's alright, right?" Catrina giggles, fiddling with her chopsticks and giggling harder when she drops food onto her lap. Eren watches with mirth.

"You're a fail, ya know that?"

"Shut it!" That's when Kouha came by.

"Hello my favorite...Ward, Fanalis and whatever-Eren-is" Bad beams.

"Ha-Ren!" Kouha looks like he's about to die of moe at Bad's nickname and he instantly sits behind the girl, placing her in his lap. He starts to braid her long hair while Catrina and him engage in a conversation about what colors would look best with her orange eyes.

Eren slaps his forehead.

"Oh, Ha-Ren, isn't that 'Gyoku?"

"Eh?"

"Your sister, Kougyoku." Bad points to the door, where Kougyoku secretly and demurely walks into the room, surveying it and choosing to sit alone near the corner.

"What is she doing?" Kouha groans. "She's such a loner~~~"

"Hey, that's mean!"

"But she never sits with us" Kouha complains, wrapping Bad's hair around his fingers. "And whenever she does she just gets so shy. I like it better when she's fighting because then she at least shows some spirit"

"She just doesn't want to downplay your image" The third Prince's hand stops.

"What?"

"She thinks because she's a bastard daughter she doesn't deserve to act like your sister. She believes that she's different from her siblings because of that" Bad's voice is soft, and meaningful. Kouha grits his teeth.

Then he stands, runs over to Kougyoku, and starts yelling something at her.

While Bad can't make out the words, his hand gestures are wild and Kougyoku looks a mix between scared and touched. Eren takes Kouha's place and holds the tiny pinkette.

"Hey there _**idiota**_" Eren mummbles, hand patting down her now free hair. "That was nice. I'm surprised."

"...I guess." Catrina giggles and lays her temple on Bad's.

"Little Sister is so sweet, isn't she?"

"So sweet" Eren agrees, grinning like he knows something she doesn't. Bad pouts.

"No, I'm bad, I'm bad!" They all laugh.

Across the room, Kouha sits next to Kougyoku.

* * *

She wondered when the witch of Al Thamen would show her make-up covered face. Of course, she was hoping she wouldn't, but it's hard to ignore the deep and unsettling darkness that surrounds Kou's palace. So when Gyokuen strode into the banquet, surrounded by priests, Badroulbadour's lips curled.

Catrina and Eren bristled like thorns, suddenly on edge at the appearance of the evil woman. Eren himself recognized her instantly, and in his eyes Bad saw the memory of the day they met replay.

Suddenly, they are like knights. Black knights, of course, but still chivalrous when it comes to defending what they've sworn to protect. The things about them that are usually friendly- their smiles, their welcoming aura- are changed into something fierce and difficult to describe. Gyokuen ignored Bad, and the not-quite magician knew why.

Gyokuen first bowed to the Emperor, greeting her husband. Then she bowed to Sinbad, who politely refrained from commenting on how her priests all seem to look _very _familiar to him.

Bad strains her ears to listen, trying to use that trick that Yunan uses to hear over long distances.

"I didn't know you were coming tonight, Gyokuen" The Emperor stated, looking a bit bored by his wife's presence already. Bad cringes at his voice.

"I wasn't feeling well earlier, but I've come now to greet the King of Sindria" Sinbad comes up with a sort of fake politeness.

"Your thoughtfulness is humbling, Queen Gyokuen" Gyokuen hides her mouth behind her sleeves but her cheeks and eyes smile.

"Thank you very much, King Sinbad" The dark headed woman turns, catches sight of Bad, and feigns shock.

"Oh...Is that your ward I've heard about?"

"Yes" Sinbad sits up. Bad feels a rush of hatred inside of her for the Queen of Kou, but then she forces herself to be polite and pretend to chatter with Eren and Catrina, but they all are silent and forcing small talk that hums under the force of her concentration.

"Oh…"

"Her name is Badroulbadour" Sinbad affirms, wearly watching Gyokuen at her strange reaction. Koutoku doesn't seem to care much about the conversation, and waits impatiently for his wife to finish her greetings.

"Are you sure that…" Bad pinches Eren, giving him a distressed look. She mouths words at him quickly, and he nods. "...Her name is Badroulbadour?"

"Huh?" Koutoku's face twitches, and he and Sinbad exchange looks.

"What do you mean-"

Then Eren mutters,

"**Break**" A six-pointed star glows, and in the corner of the room, a buffet-style table groans and cracks, spilling food, plates and utensils alike onto the ground. A few women scream in surprise, and glass goes flying alongside of pieces of Kou cuisine. Kougyoku in the corner jumps up, but Kouha assures her it was just a faulty table.

Koutoku sucks in a loud breath and then hisses it out, telling servants to clean the mess immediately. A few scramble over to do so, and nobles laugh nervously.

Bad stands quickly, and so does her companions. Walking briskly toward her new Lord, Bad makes a motion with her hand toward the door and Sinbad nods.

The minute they are outside of the banquet they are walking quickly back to their room, breathing sharply.

"Do they kn-"

"No"

"But she was gonna?"

"Ye-"

"What do we do if she-"

"_I don't know_"

"We shouldn't-"

"Yeah"

"-Of come"

* * *

Sleep didn't come easily to her that night.

Catrina was on one side and Eren on the other, but she still felt lonely and...For the first time in a while, _frightened_. Memories kept coming back to her like waves on a beach, forcing themselves onto the sand and then pulling back, only to repeat the process again and again. And not good memories either. Memories of before she was saved by Aladdin, when she was with Al Thamen and didn't know anything about anything.

Chains, that's one thing she remembers well. When she was good they'd let her stay in the shadows of Gyokuen's quarters, and only when she was cloaked by black robed Priests on all sides was she allowed out to go anywhere.

Gyokuen always said it was because Bad was her precious daughter, and had to be kept safe from the world.

And the disgusting thing about that was Bad would then smile and reply that she was thankful for having such a kind mother.

Ah, how stupid was she.

But when she was bad, when she was seen by a servant or talked to passing errand boy, they locked her up in a place that Bad called a dungeon. And this was a _real _dungeon too, with cracked slimy walls and moldy floors, where a child's sobs could echo and echo but never be heard. When chains wrapped around her feet and clamped onto her wrists, and she had to apologize so many times, beg, and tell them again and again that she _learnt her lesson_.

Bad's eyes snap open and she braces the bed, gagging. By her side, two warm spots glow, and she gravitates toward the bigger one, eventually getting swallowed up by muscular arms.

"Gota sleep…" A low voice rumbles. "If anything bad happens, we'll protect ya"

"Mhm…"

But that's not right, because she's suppose to be protecting them.

* * *

"I love ships" Bad had officially changed her decision from a few months ago. The boat literally never looked so appealing to her, so hauntingly proud and noble. Sinbad laughs.

"Because we're heading back to Sindria?" He teases, and Bad grins.

_Because we're leaving Kou. _

"Why are we waiting?" Bad asks, crossing her arms. Her foot taps impatiently on the ground, her desire to leave stronger than ever before.

"The Princes are coming to see us off" Sinbad explains, scratching the back of his head. "Of course, I hope they come soon"

"Yeah…" Bad scans the port, the long dock down to the ship and the people walking to and fro in chaotic order. Eren jogs over to them from the dock, waving enthusiastically.

"The luggage is all packed away" He tells them. "And the Prince's carriage is heading toward us" From the distance, a pink carriage trimmed in gold heads down the street, cruising down the way so slowly until Bad just wants to fly over there, say goodbye, fly back and just be done with it.

Mentally she chides herself.

_Home stretch. You can do it._

The sun beats overhead as the carriage stops. Out comes Kouha, who instantly grins at Bad, and then Kouen who looks serious as always. Koumei looks dizzy when his face is met with the bright day and he looks like he wants to groan but pulls himself together. Sharrkan and Spartos on each side of Sinbad step forward with their King, and Bad takes a step back.

_Home stretch. Home stretch. Home- WhAT THE-_

Her robes are pink and black, showing off her delicate yet curvy body. Her short blue hair is styled by the breeze and her smile is large and motherly.

Bad wants to barf.

Eren chokes on his spit.

Sinbad smiles charmingly.

"Lady Gyokuen, I didn't know you were coming" Gyokuen smooths down her dress and sends loving smiles toward her step-sons/nephews.

"I decided it was only right to see off our important guests alongside my children" That's when Catrina materializes, having had come from the ship also. Her piercing gaze is steady on Gyokuen, analyzing her to the fullest of the Fanalis-Amala's ability.

_No priests?_

None. Kouen ignores his step-mother and walks forward, bowing slightly at Sinbad with one fist enclosed by the other.

"We thank you for coming to our Empire" His words are polite but come across sounding bored. Of course, it doesn't really matter because Sinbad's a master of not getting upset by the habits of others.

"Thank you for welcoming us." Sinbad replies, standing tall. Kouen straightens as well, the same height as the ruler of Sindria.

Once again, Gyokuen's eyes are stuck to Bad.

Bad ignores her, instead watching as Kouha makes quick silly faces at her in an attempt to make her smile.

It works somewhat.

Kouha beams, bowing beside Koumei toward the King.

A little bit of relaxation settles in her shoulders. It's not like Gyokuen would pull something now, right? It wasn't like she could stop her, there just was no way. It was _impossible_. She did everything she could to protect herself from being found out.

She made herself a ward of Sinbad, and allied herself with Sindria. She made taking over Balbadd unnecessarily hard and killed Marrkio's clone. She freed Judal and declared herself someone completely against the Kou Empire.

There's nothing Gyokuen can do, right? No words she can say that would snare Bad in her trap? Yes, she was safe.

Wrong.

There was one word she could say.

(Just one. How terrifying that a single word could capture her.)

_But she wouldn't-_

"I remember you"

_Oh God she would._

"It's been so long since I last saw you but…" Long? A year must seem like an eternity to her then. A sort of feral fear finds the time to attack her heart, unleashing a poison of anxiety mixed with horror.

A realization begins to hit the back of her head, and sends throbbing waves of words like 'my name' throughout her brain, scaling painfully over her muscles like a physical force. Gyokuen looks shocked, with a touch of happiness. Bad can't not look at her now, and Kouen stops his silent showdown with Sinbad in order to watch the Queen speak to the ward.

_You bitch, keep your mouth shut!_

"...You are…" Though her outer facade is still as stone and watching Gyokuen pretend to fake innocence in the matter, red eyes fill with a hidden message that promises torture should that cursed name slip through her mouth.

Pink hair is ruffled by the wind, and Eren and Catrina tense on either side of her, preparing not to attack but to stop Bad should she make a fatal and desperate move toward the Queen. Sinbad stares at the Queen and then back at the uncharacteristically quiet Badroulbadour, and his vassals scrunch up their noses.

Kouen's eyebrows shift with thoughts that don't quite make sense, and Kouha and Koumei both stare at their step-mother with exasperation and confusion.

The pinkette gropes for something to distract the Queen from the words she's about to speak in front of their party.

_Shutupshutupshutupshutup You can't say this in front of them! Not in front of Sinbad-!_

An awkward silence ensues. Kouha clears his throat and tries,

"Mother-"

"...You are Kouhime, right?"

* * *

"_...You are Kouhime, right?" _

Khadeja blinks and then looks off to the distance, where the deceptively innocent blue ocean sparkles over the vast distance and licks the cliffs of Sindria.

"Khadeja?" Ja'far asks, wondering why the woman had stopped in the middle of their argument. "What, silent treatment?"

Khadeja's black curls dance.

"No, I still think you're being stupid" She mutters quietly, distracted. She feels rather than sees the seal on her stomach begin to show, a pink and white design of a magic circle. She gulps as she feels her magic pound against it, the World calling for her in a panicking voice.

"_The Princess is in danger" _The voice is so unexpected that it makes her pale. She hadn't heard that sound of a thousand quiet voices speaking at once in so long that she almost loses her balance hadn't Ja'far rushed forward and caught her by the elbows. She continues to look out to the horizon, transfixed.

The World begins to speak quickly in a strained voice, the words slurred and blurred together due to the seal. Images come into her head, and she wonders how in the name of God has something so strong happened that it enabled her abilities to temporarily break loose and overwhelm her.

Pink strands of unsewn silk come to mind, only for her to realize it's hair. Matching grins and red pools like blood inherited by siblings, a terrible woman who has lived one too many times.

Fear pounds into her chest and Ja'far clutches her elbows tighter, saying something. The world is moving in slow motion as though it is being held underwater.

"_There is much to be done. Release the seal-"_

"Khadeja!" Ja'far yells and Khadeja snaps out of her reverie. Everythings back to normal, the housing papers for the newest citizens Sinbad accepted into the Kingdom forgotten on the wooden desk. She doesn't even remember what side she had taken on their debate over that, though vaguely remembers that Ja'far had growled something about alcohol. Swallowing, The black haired woman steadies herself and looks at the advisor and then back to the ocean.

"Sorry, um, I just…"

"You looked like you were about to faint" His lips pull into a thin line and the skin over his face seems to constrict. "What happened?"

"I got...A bad feeling, that's all"

* * *

_**Kouhime = Red Princess**_

* * *

***White Flowers**: Since Hakutoku's name means 'white virtue' and those with the name that starts with 'Haku-' will have the word white in it, I thought this would be a sweet little thing Hakuei could do for her father in honor of their similar names.

**Bad's a Ren!:** Aha...Ahahaha...AhahAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, DID YOU?! MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ahem. Sorry, I've been waiting to drop this bomb for months and it's been weighing on me. So, who here guessed that Bad was actually "Kouhime"? I mean, she's a pinkette...She has red eyes...She got very close to the Princes in the Other and in the Other Kou sent for her during the war...Plus she called Gyokuen "step-mother" for God's sake. Also, she did say her family lived in Kou and she never let Asad or Marrkio say her real name lest they reveal her heritage to Sinbad, who would probably freak. I bet half of you are screeching bloody murder right about now~! Love y'all *blows kisses*

***Jinjin's fiancee:** I shit you not, this is canon. I found it when I was searching the magi wiki for information and thought it was surprising and rather odd. I have no idea who the guy is but apparently they're getting hitched.

Also this chapter would've been out on friday but I went on a catholic retreat this weekend (which I promptly coined the term 'Jesus Camp') and I wasn't allow to bring _any _electronics. I probably have other things to explain in this chapter but I just don't really feel like it so...

Yeah, ILY.

BYE~~~~~~~


	20. Chapter 19: Back Down the Rabbit Hole

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**FIFTH ARC: **Sindrian Days

CHAPTER 19: Back Down the Rabbit Hole

* * *

"…"

"Lady Scherezade?" The Priestess just keeps looking out, her blue eyes slowly opening like the first rays of light in the east. She tilts her head slightly, as if trying to listening for someone whispering far away, and then hums very softly.

"I feel something strange going on." Scherezade sits herself back down onto the throne-like chair on the balcony, putting her fingertips to her lips. "But I'm not sure what it is"

"The Rukh are acting up?" The voice isn't as fragile as the Priestess's but rather deeper and more masculine. The man who had spoken lifts his sharp red eyes to the sky and smiles in a friendly way, trying to coax the white birds into showing themselves to him.

"They seem…Worried. I cannot describe it but the real Scherezade also sensed it"

"Has something bad happened?"

"Something 'bad' indeed"

* * *

"What is this?!" Judal coughs as Asad's purple Rukh start to spin like his swords in the air, their usual chirping changed into quick, tangled mutters. Yunan comes out of the house, blinking at the commotion, and he too studies his strangely gray Rukh prattling. Then, as fast as it came, it stopped.

Judal falls on his butt in surprise.

"The hell was that?" He asks, and Yunan develops a face of pure concentration and worry.

"Did you listen to the Rukh?"

"Yes, especially when they were going mental" He replies sarcastically. "Of course I didn't listen!"

"Oi!" Kassim opens up the top window of the house, glaring down at the two magicians. They stare at him, and he shouts, "I'm trying to do this stupid-ass reading shit that Yunan told me to do, so shut up!"

The window slams closed.

"The Rukh were…" Yunan looks to the sky. "I wonder if…"

"What is it?" Judal whispers, careful of Kassim's tempter, and Yunan walks over to him and pats his head.

"They were talking about 'the Princess'"

"What do you think happened?" Yunan sits next to the younger man and sighs.

"I don't know, but...I hope it was nothing 'bad'"

* * *

"The Rukh are…!" A woman stumbles back, watching her blue Rukh squirm uncomfortably, and rush about her. They fling themselves into the air and onto the floor, whimpering like kicked puppies. She picks one of the birds up, watch it flutter hopelessly in her palm.

"_Solomon help the Princess!"_

"What?"

"_Solomon free our Princess, like she shall us!" _The bird rushes into the air, it's voice like a thousands birds if a bird could speak. "_Princess, may you endure and overcome! Princess, and her beloved servants!"_

Suddenly those thousand voices are joined by a million more, and Yamuraiha puts her hands over her ears, trying to block out the noise. No matter what, like a beating of drums, the words resound inside of her chest and head like they were empty.

"_May nothing 'bad' come to the Princess!"_

* * *

Whatever she was feeling, it was like the world shifting under her feet. She barely had time to catch herself from slumping against the hard wall, and her little brother rushed forward to help her.

"Nee-san!" Hakuryuu cries, trying to steady her as she loses focus of her surroundings. "What's wrong? Are you going to faint?"

"N-no…" She tries, and that's when she sees the first bird. Tan like it was baked in a desert sun, the Rukh races around her, dizzying her, and begin to give a startled cry.

"_Oh lovely Feather, what sin has our Princess done?!" _

Hakuei almost, almost replies if it weren't for Hakuryuu's confused face.

"_Solomon, may the Princess live and free us!"_

"...Feel okay?"

"Y-yes, I'm feeling fine. Not 'bad' at all"

* * *

Asad was running down the hallway, rushing to his destination with a ferocious speed before coming to a dead stop. It happened so suddenly that Momoka, who was behind him, caught up and breathed heavily.

"Ma...Ster...Desu?"

"..." He watches his own Rukh tumble around like fools, running into each other and buzzing too loudly. "...What?"

"_...Incess…"_

"_...Stave…"_

"_...Help...Sh__adow…"_

He squeezes his eyes shut, and when he opens them again they're gone. Then he remembers why he was running and takes off again, racing toward Kougyoku's room.

_Sinbad is going to _die _if what Ka Koubun says is true. _

But the lingering sensation in his chest didn't leave, and he wonders if something 'bad' was going on.

* * *

Centola watches Alibaba and Aladdin do the pushups with amusement, sitting on the bench and mentally counting.

"49...50...51…" Aladdin pants like a dog, but Alibaba is going strong, his workouts with Eren saving him from failing on the last set. Centola's eyes flicker, and she watches the pink Rukh dance in the air, furtively trying to convey some sort of hidden message.

A strange pressure hits her back and she lurches, eyes wide. Across the field Aladdin collapses, his face snapping up to watch the Rukh, both pink and white, tangle together in a wild frenzy.

Then it stops, and Centola gathers herself together as quickly as she could.

"Aladdin! Come on, just a few more!" She gives him a beautiful smile and he pauses, confusion twinging his face before nodding and joining Alibaba in the last twenty pushups.

_Did...Something 'bad' happen?_

* * *

"_...You are Kouhime, right?"_

When that name was spoken, Badroulbadour remembered a great deal of things. Things that don't even make sense either, just memories of a girl called 'Kouhime'.

She remembered the way Gyokuen used to hold her on her lap. She remembered how her kimono sleeves crinkled, she remembered a man with blue hair saying that he loved her more than anyone else in the world. Then she remembered parts of a war that had been coming back to her piece by piece, of the deaths of the brothers she called 'En-Ren', 'Ha-Ren', and 'Mei-Ren'.

Suddenly Kouhime came into view from a third-person perspective, growing from the little six year old pawing at Gyokuen's dress to her age now, sitting quietly beside a pond with a sadly blank expression on her face. Then older, much older, the clothes she wore flickering from a beautifully embroidered kimono with many soft, heavy and pastel colored layers to something simpler that would allow her to kill the enemy faster than before. There's Aladdin, older and handsomer, saving her life and freeing her from the chains that only half the time were visible. Like time flowing backwards, she felt the breath of a life unlived on her face, the truth of what transpired between sides becoming clear as day.

And then, as though a veil was lifted and a burden was taken from her shoulders, she knew what she had to do. Fear had tied her down to that name, but now as it was spoken, Badroulbadour forgot why she was so scared of it.

_Names hold power._

No, names hold _connections_. Power is brought on from yourself, not from those around you. And while a name can seem like it means so much, only an arrogant person would use it as a reason to be held above the rest of the world.

_It ties you to them. _

And? There's no way they can keep her in the Empire, even if Gyokuen thinks it can. _Kouhime _belongs to her and no one else, and there's no way her own name will be held against her- not when she's around to defend and protect that shy, innocent girl in a kimono. They can't do anything. She'll just beat the crap out of everyone and leave with her companions in tow.

But then again, that's only if they can convince themselves now to try to keep her there.

So what does she do to escape the situation? Does she fight, deny, accept it?

What does she do?

(Think about it. What's something that Bad would do?)

She laughs.

Until her ribs are sore and Eren and Catrina are chuckling too. Sinbad looks really, _really _pale, and his vassals have their mouths hanging wide open.

Kouen's eyes are fixed on Bad with intense confusion, and Kouha looks faint, his eyes glazed over as he struggles for words. Koumei, surprisingly, is the only one looking a bit composed but he still does a study of Bad and- with visible astonishment- realizes that _they all look alike and how could he miss something so **glaringly obvious?**_

Then what does Bad do?

She points to Catrina.

"What are you saying? Catrina's not a Ren" Catrina is one of the two people in the world who understands how Bad's mind works the best. So, she smiles and nods.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint but my dad's a Fanalis…" She laughs. "Was it the red hair?"

Gyokuen looks taken aback, and so does everyone else. Bad giggles a little bit.

"I bet it was. Not everyone has red hair, you know" Sagely Eren nods.

"Probably. Or your attitude made them think you were a part of their family"

"How does that work?" Catrina asks, knitting her eyebrows. Eren smiles cheekily.

"Because ya treat everyone so kindly- like family"

"Aw!" Catrina hugs Eren and Bad pouts.

"Don't I get a hug?"

The Royals stare at the group with bewilderment as they blatantly ignore them. Then Gyokuen tries to save face by laughing slightly behind her sleeve.

"Actually Badroulbadour, I was talking to you" Bad fakes innocence.

"Eh? Me?"

"Why is it never me?" Catrina questions no one, playing with her hair.

"Because I'm special" Bad tells her and then faces the Rens again. "Um, yeah, no."

Koumei's jaw drops.

"...What?" Gyokuen asks, and Sinbad looks on the verge of disowning her.

"Sorry, your Highness, but um...No. My name is Badroulbadour" She grins, pointing at herself. "But goodluck finding the real 'Kouhime'. She sounds awesome" Okay, that last part was just plain unnecessary.

"Yeah, good luck! See you all soon!" Gyokuen's mouth opens but no words come out, and Kouen recovers from his shock. He strides forward but then stops himself, looking to Sinbad as if debating questioning the King on this matter. He decides no, that's _not_ a good idea and then glares at Bad.

"Mother" The word comes off harsher than necessary. "Why do you believe this girl is my sister?"

"I already said I'm not…" Bad says, but she's ignored.

Gyokuen sighs deeply.

"About eleven years ago, I met Kouhime's mother" Bad bristles at the mention of her mother, stomach churning. She contemplates saying once more that her name is not Kouhime, but she refrains. "She was a kind woman, a descendant of an old eastern clan that had dwindled away. I found that she was pregnant with Koutoku's child, but she didn't say a word about it, except that she planned on calling the girl 'Kouhime'. She later left Kou, but a few years later I met a girl who looked much like my husband and you. That's when I realized that that girl was a Princess"

Bad considers telling them that 50% of that is complete bullshit that Gyokuen made up, but she doesn't. Instead she hums.

"Yeah but there's just one problem with that…" Kouen turns his piercing eyes toward her, even from a distance towering over her petite stature. "...I've never met you before in my life"

The Ren monarch smile wavers for just a fraction of a second. Of course that's a lie, but what is she going to say? "_You lying brat, I met you in the Dungeon that I went to to try and take the Divine Staves" _Or "_Of course you're Kouhime, I helped you get _conceived"

"I'm sorry" Bad apologizes, shaking her head. "I believe this is just one big mix-up. I don't doubt your Highness's word, but I can assure you that I am in no way, shape or form related to your husband. On my honor." Of course, her 'honor' isn't much to work of off, but it does sound flashy to say in front of so many people.

Sinbad watches her, composing himself, and then nods.

"Forgive me, your Highness, to bring back up the memories of a lost child" Sinbad adds a look of sympathy. "But I trust my ward's word on the matter, and can vouch for her truthfulness. Please forgive what has transpired"

_Oh, vouching for my truthfulness~ You're a pretty good liar, Uncle~_

"But…" Gyokuen looks to Kouha and Koumei to help, but they're both too wrapped up in analyzing Bad and trying to clear their heads to be of any use. Bad internally thanks God and whoever else controls thoughts for letting her get herself out of that one.

Until she sees Kouen's face.

And realizes he doesn't believe her.

"I see. So it wouldn't matter if I brought it up to the Emperor?" Bad keeps her composure, and Sinbad quickly takes a peek at Bad. He looks at her and not only sees that yes, there is a _major_ resemblance but also a chance that she may _actually _be this 'Kouhime' that the Queen speaks of.

Bad lifts her chin and grins widely.

"I don't mind at all. I have nothing to hide" Oh, what a liar she is. And oh, what a _good _liar she is. Catrina sneaks up beside Bad and lays a hand on her shoulder in support.

"Oh, is our boat leaving?" Sinbad looks back to see a few sailors come down the dock and come up to Spartos, who clears his throat and speaks to them in a hushed tones.

"Your Majesty, the boat is ready for departure" He announces, and Kouen frowns deeply. Sinbad just seems relieved, and nods his head.

"We'll leave in a few moments" Sinbad bows his head at the Kou Royals and gives a charming smile. "Once again, my stay in your country has been very eventful. I shall come again another time"

Kouha stares at the dirt and then back up to Bad, who looks away from his confused and troubled pink eyes. Koumei looks like he's not sure how to feel, fanning himself with his Metal Vessel. Kouen himself stands like a marble statue, eyes glued to Bad.

The ward and her companions bow.

"As my Lord said, I will come to Kou again some day." They turn and begin to follow Sinbad down the dock. A deep rumbling voice says,

"What if the Emperor says it's true?" Bad stops, and when they're a little bit in front of her so does her two companions. She turns her head, gives them all an excited and dark grin, and replies in a low voice unlike the light one she had been using,

"Then you'll know where to find me, ne~?"

And then she left. She went down the dock, skipped up the ramp with the innocence of a child, and the second she was on the ship, she fell to the wooden floor and groaned.

"Holy _cheese_ my heart is racing" Eren falls next to her, chuckling breathlessly.

"We were almost caught!" Catrina is the last to go down, putting an arm over her eyes.

"We _were _caught"

"Care to explain what the hell that was about?" They all lift their heads to see a pissed off King.

Bad groans again.

"Gosh darn it I knew I should've stayed in Sindria" Then she sits up, meets Sinbad's caramel eyes and states clearly, "I lied."

"I know" Sinbad growls. "But about what?"

Bad grins.

"Don't be so offended Uncle, I always lie about something. You'll have to ask me specifically what it is you want to know. "

"Who are you?" He demands, and Eren and Catrina sit up as well, smiling on either side of their leader. Badroulbadour lifts her chin in defiance of power and says without an inch of fear or ashamedness,

"My real name is Kouhime Ren, and I'm the Ninth Imperial Princess of the Kou Empire"

She tilts her head and with sweetness adds, "Did I forget to mention that~? Oh dear, my head is just so scrambled up~!"

* * *

Sinbad just stares at the pinkette.

_She's a Princess. _

She waits for his response.

_She's from Kou with connections to Al Thamen. _

Her legs are criss-crossed now, and she sits with a shred of childishness in her actions.

_She's a liar and a blackmailer._

He finds himself smiling a little bit.

"Let's just keep all that on the down-low, okay?"

And the ship sets sail.

* * *

"Ships are great!" Alexio excitedly exclaims, leaning over the railing. Zeina giggles at his childish actions and uses a guiding hand to keep him from falling over.

"They are indeed, dove" Zeina pat his cheek. "If you didn't like it I would have to send you to my sister's home in the south-east."

"I wouldn't go" Alexio states, putting his shoulders back. "I'm going to stay with you and protect you! My name means 'defender' after all!"

Zeina's eyebrows lift.

The expanse of the sea glides out in front of them, gentle waves lapping at the fresh brown wood of their boat. The sky is outmatched by the navy of the ocean, which in turn is beaten by Alexio's neon blue eyes.

"Oh? You would do something so kind?"

"Of course! I'll repay Zeina for all she's done for me" Zeina chuckles.

"All I've done? I haven't done much"

"But…" He gets quiet, and from his pocket pulls out an oversized ring. Zeina stares at it for a moment before recognizing it as the item he asked to get before leaving his hometown. He rubs it and then looks into her eyes, his brown hair swishing in the wind. "...Zeina gave me a better life. Even if that life is as simple as this ring, it's still something precious to me"

The Temptress admires the boy's sudden maturity.

"Hmm, that so? I was right then" The eleven year old's eyebrows wrinkle.

"What?"

"You _are_ special"

* * *

"Go to sleep!"

"Nooooo" Koumei whines, slipping down from his desk and grabbing the parchment he had been reading before he fully submerges underneath the wood. Ting Mei's eye twitches. Silently she treads over to his chair, sits down calmly and asks Koumei,

"Can you read down there?"

He doesn't reply at first, but then half of his face comes into the light, and an almost pouty look is shown.

"...No"

"Are you feeling tired?"

"..." Like a careful gopher, the second Prince's head comes out inch by inch, warily surveying his girlfriend. "Your calmness is scaring me. Make it stop."

Ting Mei sighs and delicately fixes her bun of shock-white hair.

"Well, compared to Asad's unwavering procrastination and rebellious streak, your tantrums don't hold a candle" Koumei's shoulders burst through at this piece of information, his red eyes narrowing.

"Oh?" His voice is chilling. Ting Mei suddenly catches the tone and glares down at him.

"So help me Koumei if you _think _about trying to out 'brat' Asad-"

"You call him Asad" Koumei catches, studying his parchment with a very sharp gaze. His observation is achingly familiar to what Asad said on the day that Ting Mei first showed up to his gloomy and desolate quarters. "It took you three years to start calling _me_ Koumei"

Ting Mei starts to speak but then snaps her jaw shut when she realizes she doesn't _actually _have a good reason for calling Asad by his first name. It sort of made her feel like a hypocrite, especially since she gave Momoka such a hard time about how to address her new Master. In fact, as Ting Mei brushes a hand through her memories, she's never really called Asad by any title.

And it's not as though they were close. Acquaintances when she was a teenager yes, but he was a known 'trouble child' even at the age of ten, and she wasn't foolish enough to think that someone his age couldn't do any real harm. Though- as she realizes with a start- they often bickered and she called him names like 'stupid' and 'idiot' with ease despite her reputation as a sophisticated and well mannered lady.

Strangely, Ting Mei has always thought of Asad as Asad. There was nothing more to that, no hidden emotion or attraction. Oh yes, she admits that his dark and mysterious looks are just below that of the King Sinbad she saw parading through the halls, but she's not _attracted _to him. He's like...Like…

"A kicked puppy" She states, blinking. Koumei forgets his jealousy for a moment and looks at his girlfriend like she's crazy.

"...What?"

"Asad's like a kicked puppy" She reinstates, a small smile forming on her lips. "A poor lonely little boy"

Her hand finds her way into Koumei's tangle of hair and she laughs.

Ting Mei knows her laugh isn't delicate like a court lady's or hard like a bar-goers, but rather a bit childish and whispy. That's why she doesn't do it often, but now looking at her puzzled boyfriend she just repeats,

"A kicked puppy that is, as a reminder, _six years younger than me_" Koumei pouts but then crawls out from under the desk, standing up. He brushes the jealousy out of his face when he runs a hand over it, and then something along the lines of 'younger than me' catches his attention.

"You know, um, I think I met my sister today" He tried to sound casual, but fails epically. Ting Mei raises an eyebrow.

"Kougyoku?" She asks, poking his side. He shakes his head.

"No, someone else" This make Ting Mei perk up.

"You have _another _sister?" Koumei shrugs but nods.

"I think so" Ting Mei raises an eyebrow.

"You 'think' so?" The Prince scrunches up his nose.

"Get out of my chair" He ushers her up and sits down, smoothing the papers he had crumpled in his grasp out over the desk. "And yes, I 'think' so. This girl...Okay, have you met King Sinbad's ward?"

An white eyebrow is raised.

"I saw her following him, yes" Ting Mei is far from dumb. She connects the dots _very _quickly. "No!"

"Yes!" His arms are spread wide. "Do you see what I mean?!"

"_Yes_! Holy-" She composes herself. "Ahem. Alright, so this girl is your long-lost sister?"

"Well, here's the weird thing." Koumei leans forward, and despite herself Ting Mei lowers herself down to his level. "_Mother _was the one to recognize her"

"Gy- the Queen?" The way the second Prince cringes at the word 'mother' shows his disdain on many levels for Gyokuen Ren. Ting Mei suddenly feels very silly for gossiping with her boyfriend, but can't help that it actually feels pretty fun.

"Yeah. So we were seeing the King off-"

"I remember you tried to get out of that"

"(Kouen smacked me for pretending to fall asleep, but that's not the point here)- so then _Mother _decided to come with us." Ting Mei raises an eyebrow. The Queen would do that? "And that's when she decided to say that this ward- Badroulbadour- was actually 'Kouhime'"

Ting Mei's hand flies to her mouth.

"'Kou'-hime?"

"Yes"

"And...You believe it?" The fun atmosphere slowly disintegrates from the room.

"I don't know" He says quietly, staring upwards. It hurts the assistant to see him look like this.

"I'm sorry, Koumei" The white haired woman sighs, unsure of what to tell him. "I wish I could've been there with you"

"No...It's alright" He straightens. "My brother and King seems to think that she is our sister however, and will speak to our Father tomorrow"

"...Oh…" Ting Mei was never quite comfortable when talking about the Emperor, her eyes often wandering over the study whenever the subject of her boyfriend's father was breached. Koumei shifts uncomfortably as well, knowing exactly why she didn't like to talk about Koutoku and suddenly feeling extremely awkward.

"Um, yes, so that's that" The reason behind why the redhead had broached the subject flutters away from them, and as an unfamiliar silence settles over the pair Ting Mei gives a small smile.

"So...Ninth Princess?" He studies her with an amused expression on an otherwise lazy face.

"Ninth Princess"

* * *

**1 Month Later**

* * *

"_Kouhime"_

_A raspy voice, coming from a pool of dark sticky liquid. The little girl is sobbing heavily, her tears making the pink of her eyes bleed onto her cheeks and blend until they're the same color. _

"_Kouhime, please l-listen…" Kouhime tries to obey, biting her lip and whimpering. She comes closer to the woman, and leans over the body. _

"_Mommy...W-why would y-you do that?" She asks, reaching out as if to touch the woman's wounds but then retracting her hand. _

"_...I've...I've started to real-ly hate myself" Kouhime freezes at her mother's words. _

"_M-Mommy?"_

"_I'm so dirty and filthy...Kouhime, I have little time left. So I'll tell you now...I'll tell ya the truth of how you were born…" The girl forces herself to nod. _

"_O-kay…" Her mother reaches out a hand, pats the child's cheek and whispers,_

"_Before you were born, I had a husband whom I loved more than life and a daughter who was as valuable as gold" Kouhime flinches, staring at her mother with wide eyes. No matter how much she tries, she can't imagine her mother having any other children. _

"_Sister and...Father?" Of course, this is just a confused question. The truth is, Kouhime already knows who her father was. She knows because this isn't her first life, this isn't the first time living in a Dungeon. _

_But in the other timeline she never knew how her mother died._

_Now she does._

"_No. Your sister alright, but not your father...Your father is a truly selfish man. And I hate him so, _so _much" The daughter of a selfish man balks, shaking. _

"_O-oh…"_

"_Kouhime, listen" Her mother growls, tightening her grip as the pool of sticky liquid grows larger. "You have to listen. This is what happened…"_

* * *

Bad was sulking.

It was sort of strange to Eren to see, especially since the pinkette is the kind of person who bounces back from practically everything. But the newly-revealed Princess of Kou had suddenly and unexpectedly fell into a strange aura of dark angst.

She refused to answer any of Sinbad's prying questions, and spent most of her time at the very top of the masts, watching the open ocean with a hooded gaze. Eren sighs.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Sinbad asks, and the urge to snap at him overtakes before it subsides.

"Well…" Eren shields his eyes against the sun. He tries to look upwards, but then drops his gaze to the deck, choosing to study her shadow instead. "…Bad's just a little upset"

Sinbad's face doesn't change, but a flicker of impatience passes quickly over it. He wants to cringe at his choice of words, but instead he turns his full attention to Bad's shadow.

"Bad's...Young, ya know? People don't give her enough credit for being able to handle as much as she does"

"Handle?" Eren barely keeps himself from growling low in his throat.

"Bad's taken care of everythin' since I've met her. _She_ took me to the Dungeon. _She_ saved Catrina's life. _She_ outsmarted those thieves who stole your Metal Vessels" Eren gives him a quick, sheepish look. "Sorry for that, by the way"

"Bad...Seems to have done a lot"

"Oh yeah" Eren laughs breathily. "She's amazing. That's why…"

It's suddenly hard to swallow.

Sinbad smiles comfortingly.

"That's why it was hard for her to have had to return to the place she hates" Sinbad's eyebrows jump quickly.

"She hates Kou?"

"Not Kou exactly, but what it represents to her"

Eren walks over to the mast, looks upwards, and begins to climb. Sinbad comes up casually, watching him go up, up, up, and then whistles.

"You're as quick as Masrur" Eren spares a peak down and grins.

"Thanks! Looks like Bad's trainin' is still in my bones, eh?" Then he scales up the wooden post, up and up, past the billowing white sails until he feels like Jack in the Beanstalk. It's like he enters the sky, the wind ruffling his neat hair and spreading over his chest as an endless expanse of polished blue wraps over water and land, surrounding the earth.

Soon he's toward the top, and he swings himself onto the wooden plank holding the sail, his height coming into play with reaching Bad.

Sure, his head only reaches her middle, but it's good enough.

The sounds of a ship crashing onto the water and making a path toward Sindria hit their ears repeatedly, becoming a faraway melody.

"You okay?"

"Fine" Her voice is clipped, but her eyes are far away. Eren wraps his hand around the wooden mast, wondering how the girl was able to sit on the flat top without a single bit of discomfort.

"Ya look sad"

"Why do you think I'm up here?" Eren puffs up his cheeks.

"Okay brat, let me rephrase that!" He stares hard into her face, but she doesn't move to stare back at him. "What are ya thinking about, at this minute?"  
She moves to snap at him again, but then he continues. "I swear to God, Badroulbadour, I will throw ya off this mast if ya don't tell me" Bad turns to pout at him, and a bit of the Chandlen brightens to see her looking at least a bit more like herself.

"Fine" She groans, swinging her legs back and forth. "I was...I was thinking about my, um, _birth mother_" The pinkette says the name quickly, as if to avoid choosing a tone to go with it. A bit of bitterness slips into her face.

"I see" It's no secret to Eren how Bad's birth mom died. The brat had let hints and bits of the puzzle out to Catrina and him over the years, until they pieced together the story and Bad confirmed the truth to them.

_Of course, we didn't get to experience it like Centola._

Eren pushes the strangely sour thought away, and instead focuses on Bad's swaying body.

"I...I was thinking about how she died. I've been thinking about a lot of things, lately" Eren nods, rubbing the girl's back.

"That's a good thing, Bad girl" The Princess shrugs, looking down.

"It doesn't seem like it"

"Trust me, it is" Though the reason evades words, he tries to convey it with a smile. "It's like...Being able to…"

Bad takes a look at him and smiles a bit.

"Thanks, big Brother" The Mountain beams with pride. "I just...Feel a little strange, is all"

Eren sighs with mock-annoyance.

"Geez, what a needy brat"

"Shut up!"

* * *

Alexio doesn't know whether to faint, burst with happiness, or play it cool. He goes with the latter, but a hop in his step speaks louder than words or personalities.

Zeina caught him though with one of her coy smiles, and he can't help but puff up his chest and pretend to be older and stronger than he is. He took the name "defender" after all, so he might as well play the part well. But he can't help the childish smile that overtakes him the moment they take their first steps onto the dock, with Zeina stretching out her arms and sighing contently.

"It's beautiful, Ma'am" He states in awe, eyes raking over the crowded streets and the flush of citizens veiled in clean cloth and flowers. They come up and welcome the tourists with flower leis, laughing and greeting them with gusto. One, a pretty woman and a man with a crooked nose turn to pull one over Zeina and Alexio's necks. They both freeze when their gazes drop on Zeina, both awestruck.

Of course, Alexio isn't very surprised. Zeina is more than just easy on the eyes, she's full of inner light and a sort of exotic feminine grace despite her pale skin and blond hair. With long crisping curls and enigmatic eyes she might be, he realizes,the most beautiful woman in the world. Which is why, with silent reverence, the welcomers come timidly toward them and the woman- because the man is blushing too hard- gently places the lei over Zeina's head and onto her swan-like neck. To help, Zeina smiles brightly and pulls her hair over the flowers, admiring them.

"May I have an extra to wear in my hair?" She asks, and the woman nods, suddenly energetic and hyper. She runs over to the basket she had left ontop of some crates and pulls a spare white flower out. The flower is handed to Zeina, who thanks her and places it behind her ear. The man is dumbstruck with a sudden crush, but he still places the sweet smelling necklace over Alexio's neck.

Alexio huffs.

"Ma'am, our bags are over here!" He tells Zeina, shooing away the staring citizens. As they walk away, a sigh of longing is heard behind them. Zeina laughs.

"Oh dear, are you worried I'll be getting a boyfriend while we're here?"

"Wh-what?! No!"

"How cute! My little dove wants only the best for me!" The little dove blushes and shakes his head furiously.

And thus, Zeina and Alexio arrived in Sindria.

* * *

"Oh- I'm sorry are you hurt-?"

"No I'm...Say, aren't you that girl?"

"I-I, um, yes. What are you doing here in Sindria?"

"I could ask you the same"

* * *

Masrur first smelled her, a mix of freshly bloomed lilies dawned with dewdrops and then the contrasting warm earth of the roads she's traveled. Then when he slipped out of the Palace and followed the wafting, wonderful scent, it lead him down to the market. He saw her next, the most beautiful woman in the world surrounded by trinkets and suitors and merchants. His presence scared most of them away (he ignores the childish part of him that thinks Sinbad would be proud of him, and then the part that thinks that none of them are good enough for her). Her maroon eyes flickered up, though she already knew he was there, and she said,

"I knew you'd come first" The redheaded man looks down, staring at Zeina's feet. "You'd smell me"

"I didn't forget it" Zeina blinks, and then unleashes a miniscule smile.

_Her scent._

"That's cute" She giggles and stands on her tip-toes to pat his hair down. Masrur doesn't stop her or look up from his view of her feet, but his gaze does soften at the feel of her hand smoothing down his red locks.

"..."

"Are you going to tell on me?" Zeina asks playfully, but a bit of a melancholy edge pokes out from under her tone.

"..." Masrur shrugs, his adult demeanor melting away in front of the woman that, before she left, he considered his own mother. Suddenly he's a child again, sitting on her lap when she's telling him and Sharrkan a bedtime story so they'll be good for once and sleep away their childish energy. He shifts, lifting his shoulders up in a shrug.

Zeina laughs a wind chime and twinkling star of a laugh, and Masrur digs his heel into the dirt.

"I should" He tells her, finally showing his red eyes. "Sinbad and Ja'far would want to know." Zeina isn't surprised by this, and she reveals her pearly teeth.

"Because I might establish a hold in this country?"

"Because they miss you" He's blunt, but a bit of hurt flashes quickly through him. "They're mad, but they- we miss you"

It's true. At first, when they figured out that the Temptress's room was empty and a report told that she had entered a ship on her own, all they wanted to do in a cloud of confusion was go after her. Sinbad almost did, and when he was finally convinced by Hinahoho that he was a _King _and not a _tracker_, he sent out Ja'far and Masrur to go investigate instead. Sharrkan threw a fit for not getting to go.

That was the first time Masrur saw Sinbad snap at the young boy so harshly.

It seems that they deeply underestimated Zeina's power.

Not only was she a user of Temptation magic, but her 'business' did more than generate cash that she used to finance some of Sinbad's journeys. It hid her. She was the boss, and she was untouchable.

Ja'far, an ex-assassin, wasn't used to not being able to find someone and he nearly collapsed in fatigue after a month of dead ends.

When they returned back home to Sindria empty handed, a sadness wafted over the palace. Ja'far blamed himself for not finding Zeina, Sharrkan felt like he was abandoned- especially since he was so young. Masrur, a little boy younger than the swordsman in training, took to sleeping in the forest, close to the lilies that she smelled of. Later in life, after a small rebellious phase stemmed from a feeling of being misunderstood and lonely (and motherless) he'd run away from Sindria for a short while. Hinahoho and Drakon- who were some of Zeina's best friends- spent most of his time trying to force everyone out of their funk, with only half the success.

Sinbad didn't know how to deal with it. He alternated between emerging himself into work during the day and drinking at night. The young King often looked up at the stars and wondered why she left, sometimes aloud when he thought no one could hear him. But Masrur always could.

It wasn't a quick grief to pass, but soon they did move on. Sinbad and the others lapsed back into their past attitudes, but no one who knew Zeina ever forgot her.

The blonde beauty slightly bows her head.

"Yes, I missed you all as well" Then in an effort to steer the conversation away from the sad situation, she burns with a smile. "I think that's the most you've ever spoken to me in a conversation" Masrur stoically stares at her, but from behind his eyes mirth dances.

"How cute!" She exclaims, and then she grabs his arm, trying to pull him forward. "Come hang out with me! I'm staying with this sweet girl and I want to introduce my newest pup to one of my oldest sons!"

Masrur reluctantly falls into line, partially swayed by the idea of once again being considered this exciting and mysterious woman's son. The closer they get to the newest home of the Temtpress, the more guilt weighs on the Fanalis's shoulders for not telling Ja'far when he first smelled moon caressed lilies and crisping leaves. Then even more guilt crushes him when he realizes that the reason he didn't tell Ja'far was because he wasn't sure he wanted Ja'far to know.

The moment Masrur saw blond curls, he should have raced back to the Palace and tattled. But it just felt…

_Wrong_.

After all, this is…

He knows who this is. So he lets her drag him through the street, ignoring the stares directed at one of the seven generals walking arm in arm with the most beautiful woman in the world.

* * *

Huh. This is the house?

"Anyone home?" Masrur has to duck to enter the home Zeina's staying in, a small little thing not as large as some of the places he's seen her produce for them with a flick of her hand.

"I'm busy!" Comes a feminine yell. He realizes there's a ladder leading upwards to a loft, and the slightly annoyed voice comes from there. Zeina pouts, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Alexio?" A little boy's face appears from over the loft, his head upside down so that brown hair hands. He starts to smile at Zeina before catching sight of Masrur, taking in his massive build and strange appearance, and then scowling.

"Hello Ma'am. Who's this?" Proudly Zeina lays her head on Masrur's bicep, an action that can be perceived many different ways but to Masrur is heartbreakingly motherly.

"This is my son!"

"WHAT?!" Another voice joins the boy's, and a head of a pretty- but paling in comparison to the De Coverna- bluenette appears. The woman's face changes from interested surprise to genuine surprise to...Recognition? Then it's blank again. The boy- Alexio, scrambles down the latter and rushes over to Masrur, studying his face and then Zeina's.

"He doesn't...Look like you. And- wait, he's like twenty!" The other comes down carefully, brushing invisible dust off her blue dress and striding over to them with a slower step. The De Coverna shrugs.

"Blood-related, not blood-related...What's the difference?"

"For one thing, genetics" The bluenette tells her, smiling slightly despite her deadpan tone. Casually Zeina pats Masrur's arm lovingly.

"Well it's not my choice he got so tall. He was so tiny the last time I saw him" She sighs sadly, patting his arm once again. Masrur resists the urge to ask her why she left if she was so upset about it, but refrains.

The woman wearily stares at Masrur.

Then it clicks.

"You're Yunan's disciple." The Fanalis man half-accuses, half-states. Yamuraiha- a magician he realizes- pauses but then nods. She's grown since he last saw her years ago, her face turning from the teenage uncertain angles into a lovely shape- if not a bit pointed around her chin. Her hair is longer than before as well, ending a bit under the middle of her back and held over one shoulder in a side ponytail. The seashell she wears on her neck is the same, though she added a few smaller ones onto the necklace, and now wears two golden ones over her ears.

"Yes" Masrur doesn't say anything more, but looks to Zeina. The woman giggles.

"Well, we were walking along looking for an inn when we ran into her. She offered us a place to stay and we accepted" As if sensing his now dark mood over her sharing a place with _Yunan_ of all the people in the world, she rolls her eyes. "Stop being so protective you worrywart. Yunan isn't even here"

A quick glance at the magician's sad expression confirms this.

The magician clears her throat.

"That's right, Yunan isn't here. He wouldn't want to come to Sindria anyway" The last part is said casually, but Masrur feels the jab behind her words. Zeina smiles, but this time it's a bit more hard- as if sensing the animosity and wanting to stop it before having to pick a side. Of course, neither one is a win for her: Sinbad's side where she'd probably lose her living situation or Yunan's, in which she'd be betraying Sinbad.

Masrur winces internally. She's already betrayed them by leaving, so why does it seem like she still cares about them? At first Masrur thought that she just was pretending to care again, but the way she looks at him is so wistful and happy. With a start, he realizes she's not looking at him but...But him as a child. As _her boy_.

That's a bit painful and uplifting.

"Well!" She announces. "Would you like to stay for dinner, Rory?" The old nickname makes him answer before he knows what he's doing.

"Sure" Yamuraiha seems surprised, but shrugs it off.

And thus began the most awkward dinner of Masrur's life.

* * *

Zeina sighed happily. It had been two days since the dinner with Masrur, and the Temptress had finally gotten around to going to visit the palace. Secretly, of course.

She had charmed some maids to help her into the Palace, and then had gotten directions to where Sinbad's guests were staying. She knew that Centola would be staying here because the girl had told her she would.

That made the woman pause and purse her lips.

_How did Centola know that Sinbad would invite her as a guest?_

It was a bit of a puzzling question to Zeina, since her niece had sprung this plan on her almost a year ago when she left to return to Balbadd. The younger Temptress had a odd look in her eye, one of knowing. A look that she'd seen that tiny girl that visited them a few times also got. What was that girl's name? Ah, that's right, Badroulbadour.

_Full moon of moons._

Flickering her sharp gaze around her, Zeina continued on, skillfully avoiding the open windows and making her way toward where her niece would be, boredly wondering if she'd ever find the girl-

On the training grounds, two boys are running. And surveying them is a girl with strawberry blond waves and a perfect stature.

_My pretty, wonderful niece~!_

Smiling, the woman turns around and heads back to the stairs she had passed a while back, coming onto the first level and practically skipping toward the girl, coming up quietly so she didn't distract Centola.

Then, when she came close enough, she called,

"Really, Centola, you didn't even notice you're aunt?" The girl turns to her in a flash, mouth hanging open in shock.

"A-Auntie? You came!" Centola flings herself into the older woman's arms, pulling back to kiss both her cheeks as Zeina does the same.

"I've missed you, my girl"

"And I you" She replies properly, straightening herself so she's up to Zeina's teaching standards.

"Head" Centola lifts up the back so the rest is level. "Good girl, you've been practicing"

"I've done my best training without you, Auntie"

"I'm proud"

"Cent? Who's..." The two boys who were running come to lap around Centola and then stop, staring at her with wide eyes. One is a little blue haired boy with pretty sky eyes and the other a blond with two different kinds of shoes. The younger Temptress moves so they have a better view of Zeina and then ushers to her.

"Aladdin, Alibaba, this is my aunt Zeina De Coverna. Auntie, these are my friends Aladdin and Alibaba" The boys nod their heads dreamily, and Zeina laughs knowingly.

"Oh, what cute men. Are these who you've decided to spend time with, Centola~?"

"Mhm" Her companions blush heavily and nod their heads.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss" Alibaba tells her, and Aladdin looks too starstruck to speak.

"The pleasure is all mine. Friends of my niece are friends of mine. Please, call me Zeina" They nod. "Now, I believe you have more running to do?" The two start jogging again but continue to stare at the two Temptresses.

"Are they always like that?"

"Hm?"

"The little one kept staring staring at my chest" Centola blinks, and then bursts out laughing, blushing a bit.

"Yes, sorry about that" Zeina smirks.

"Don't worry, I love quirky people"

* * *

Ja'far was minding his own business, working and shifting through his paperwork while walking down the hall.

Then the she-man came out of nowhere, appearing by his side and casually walking along with him.

"Hello stupid"

"*Sigh*. Hello Khadeja" Next thing he knows his papers are on the floors and his throat is stuck between the wall and her forearm. "What the hell-"

She eyes him suspiciously.

"Did you just call me a she-man in your head?" He freezes and then relaxes.

"No"

"You're lying" Her mouth hangs open and she presses harder. He presses his hand against the side of the arc, hating the fact that theres no glass for him to push himself forward with, instead the edge of the wall.

"How are...You so strong?" He wheezes, hating the fact that she catches his movements and pulls his hands together in her tight grip. "Like a...Ape"

"You..." She glares, and then lets go, instead hooking her arms around his neck and pulling him close. The shift in position leaves him awkward, surprised and flustered beyond belief. "...Interest me. You are my type of man I guess."

Ja'far just stares. His hands are both free but his body refuses to move, and his arms extended out stiffly like he's not sure what they're suppose to be doing. Is this a confession? What?

_What?_

_WHAT?_

For some reason, he's proud of being her 'type of man', whatever that is. Mentally he shakes the thought out of his head.

"I-I, uh, I don't have any interest in romance, sorry"

"Who said you have a say?" She questions him, pressing closer and smirking like a lion at their prey. "You're too cute when you think I'll ask for your permission"

"I don't want a girlfriend!" He shrills, but Khadeja just studies him, hard, and tilts her head.

"You like me" The statement makes his mind go blank.

"What? What makes you think that?" Khadeja gives him a look that says, 'are-you-stupid?'.

"I'm a great guesser, duh" Then she rests her cheek against his collar bone. Ja'far realizes how thin he is for the first time, how pale and sick-looking and serious. How he's constantly wearing a tidy uniform and his frail-like body is hidden underneath layers of cloth, along with his red wires and sharp silver knives. But the reassurance of his weapons do nothing for him at this moment, and it's almost like she knows it.

Like she knows everything about him, everything that makes him whole. She could pull him a apart piece by piece and study the parts of him she likes, holding up to the light and and then digging deeper until he's made of the things she wants and nothing at all. It's terrifying, it's thrilling.

He's an ornament in her palms to hold and cherish and-

Whats wrong with him? Why is he not pushing her away?

"Fine. Because you're a pain in my side, I'll ask properly. Would you like to date me?" Her bluntness is so sudden that he wonders why exactly she chose now to ask him this. Date her?

That's impossible. He's too busy with Sindria and running the country to do anything- not to mention the matter of technicalities of politics that he has to maneuver so Sin can come right on through and take center stage. He has too much paperwork, too much responsibility, too much fear-

_Fear_?

When did that come in?

He's never...Dated a woman. Is that weird? He's never been interested anyway, but he realizes now that he doesn't know what he'd do as a boyfriend. He winces at the word 'boyfriend'. That's an odd title, it's unsuiting to him. But more than that, how would he treat Khadeja? He's polite enough now (not including the times she's gotten him into some nasty arguments) but would he have to be nicer? Well, she's _Khadeja_, so she'd probably want him to pay attention to her and not say a word about her strange timing and accurate 'guesses'.

Khadeja sighs impatiently, her breath bringing a chill to his skin.

His arms awkwardly make jerking movements towards her and away, as if in a physical struggle.

"I...I..." Then her warmth is gone and she's a few steps away, straightening her clothes.

"You took too long" She explains, continuing down the hallway. His arms are frozen. Then he's scrambling to pick up his papers and rushing after her.

"H-hey, I didn't even say anything!"

"I don't like waiting" She explains loftily, green dress fluttering.

"But you don't know what I was gonna-"

"You'll have to wait until I ask you again. _If _I ask you again" He sputters and then goes red, embarrassment and humiliation filling him a bit _too _much.

"Fine" He growls. "But the answer was 'no', you moronic-"

"Is that Mistress's Mistress?" Ja'far stops, and then looks the same way as her, out the arc-windows where Centola trains Alibaba and Aladdin. Beside her, chatting idly, is Zeina De Coverna.

The blood starts to roar harder in Ja'far's ears.

"ZEINA?!"

* * *

"ZEINA?!" Centola jumps a bit, looking upwards towards the second-story where Sinbad's pale advisor yells at them. Centola raises an eyebrow.

"Why is he-"

_Oh wait. _

That's right...The De Covernas and Sindria aren't exactly on very good terms at the moment...

"Hmm...Should you be going now, Auntie?"

"No, I want to see how this pans out" The Matriarch smirks, linking her arm with Centola. "I hope you know that I'll be using you as a scapegoat."

"I can live with that." The younger laughs, watching the advisor take a jump from the second story and landing safely on the grass below. "Impressive! I forgot he's one of Sinbad's household"

"Ja'far!" Zeina greets the pale man storming up to them warmly, giving him a wide award-winning smile. "I haven't seen you in years! You've grown so tall"

"Don't you 'you've grown so tall' me!" His white cheeks fill up with a pinkish-red mixture like he ran ten miles to get here. "What in the name of God are you doing here?!"

"Shouting, shouting." Zeina sighs, flipping one of her curls over her shoulder with an elegant head toss. "Let's use our inside voices"

"We're outside!" He yells as an retort, and Centola pats her aunt's shoulder, unlinking their arms.

"Ja'far, may I ask why you're so upset?" She asks, trying her hardest to seem genuinely confused. "Auntie came to visit me. If I knew there would be a problem I would've met her in the city instead" Ja'far pauses at this, opening and closing his mouth as if debating yelling some more or apologizing for behaving this way in front of Centola.

"No Centola, it's no problem" Ja'far grits out, glaring at Zeina who keeps on smiling. "It's just that Sindria and Zeina have some bad history"

"'Bad history'?" Zeina echoes, still appearing calm. Centola wishes that her aunt's feelings could be pronounced in some way on her face or in her body language like how Centola sometimes shows, but there's nothing but a composed, powerful woman beside her. It's sort of awing how Zeina's posture is always relaxed and graceful, making her akin to a swan. And no matter what comes out of that mouth of hers, it's delivered in a matter-of-fact, smooth way no matter how insulting or inappropriate.

_"Appearances are deceiving," _She had once said, "_And they can __deceive the ear as well."_

It's admirable, but she doesn't know why.

_**Because you're like her, girl. Because you might become her.**_

_Shut up._

"Well then, forgive me for any slight I might have caused you and your country" Zeina bows her head slightly, and then lifts it, still smiling. "If it pleases you, I was just coming because my dear niece asked me to come."

"Forgive you?" He repeats quietly, danger flickering in his eyes. "You-"

**Smack!**

Next thing they know, Ja'far's on the ground with hands over his head and Khadeja standing over him with her finger in a 'chop' position.

"You left in the middle of our conversation, idiotic albino" She reasons, kicking his back. Then her amethyst eyes flicker up and a grin takes over her face. "Oh, my Mistress's Mistress! Nice to see you again"

"Yes, nice to see you again as well, Khadeja." The Matriarch laughs, watching Ja'far struggle to get up. "Are you alright, angel?"

"Mhm, I'm fine-" He stops, realizing that she called him that nickname from when he was young, and then clears his throat. "Well, I would like to know how long you'll be staying in the palace"

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not." Zeina waves her hand. "I have a friend in the city that I'm staying with. She's a doll" Ja'far's face twitches.

"Alright then." His clipped tone is bristling with unwelcomeness. Zeina tilts her head slightly, and Centola can imagine the ways she's thinking of wooing him onto her side already.

"Mistress, are you training those two runners?" Khadeja asks boredly, pointing to the panting Aladdin and Alibaba who lap them for the third time since their conversation began. Centola winces, having forgotten about them.

"Boys, take a break!" She calls, knowing that they've gone over the amount of laps they were suppose to run. The two collapse in thanks, breathing heavily on the grass.

"Well!" Zeina smooths out her dress and smiles at Centola. "Shall we begin our training, my girl?" Excitement over takes her, and she instantly comes to attention. Training with Zeina was always fun, and the things she's learned from the older Temptress has come from a wide variety of subjects. Sometimes they lounged on couches and talked about philosophies of every kind, and other times discussed the political deals and relations between countries. She remembers tasting foods of many kinds and reading books filled with new, interesting plots.

Zeina taught her about Temptation magic and handwork, along with how to correctly deal with annoyances from within the family business and outside. They spent hours multitasking on bills and new plans, and she memorized the names of all their bars and brothels and taverns, along with their few marketplaces, inns and restaurants.

What else is there for her to know?

When it comes to Zeina, the answer is _everything_.

"Mhm! Let's!"

* * *

Zeina smirks to herself.

_You think I'll let you stay angry with me, Ja'far? _

_Hell no. _

* * *

Ja'far was on a rampage.

Well, _his _version of a rampage, which included going through paperwork with the same gusto as a fat man does a all-you-can-eat buffet, and rushing into other general's offices to do theirs once he ran out. Khadeja wasn't around to argue with him and get his anger out, so Masrur had to tail the black-eyed man and stand close by as the generals questioned by Ja'far was acting so strange.

Hinahoho for instance.

"What's uh, what's up with Ja'far?" The imuchakk asked, laughing nervously.

"Zeina's in town"

"Ah." He nods, stops, and then whips around to Masrur. "WHAT?! ZEINA?!"

"Yes"

He pauses, and then his face splits in a grin.

"Sinbad's gonna flip" Masrur almost smiles at that prospect, no matter how sadistic it seems. Hinahoho's easy (well, easier than most people's) acceptance of Zeina's arrival just highlights how much he cares about the Temptress.

_Well, they were best friends. _

Hinahoho watches as Ja'far fills out five papers in 0.8 seconds and then turns away.

"I'm gonna go see her. Later!"

Then there was Sharrkan.

"Has he snapped? Let me guess, it has something to do with Khadeja"

"Zeina's back"

"I knew it! Ja'far's obsessed with that nut-baaaaaaaaa- WHAT?! Z-Z-Z-Z-" The swordsman was out the door faster than Ja'far went through paperwork, running down the hall and screeching something about child abandonment.

And Drakon, who said nothing.

Then Masrur said nothing.

Drakon said nothing.

Masrur said nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

_Nothing_.

"Zeina's here, isn't she?" It's more of a statement than a question. Masrur stays quiet. "I knew it." Drakon casually cracks his scaly back.

"She's here and...Stupid woman...Calling me tall..." Ja'far starts talking to himself.

"I'll go tell Zeina me and Sahel got married. She'll freak" Drakon goes to greet the Temptress, too.

Then there was Spartos, who heard the name 'Zeina' and tilted his head. The memory of a pretty woman beside his older brother and Sinbad must have flashed over his brain, because his mouth forms an 'oh'.

"I see. So she's visiting?"

"Mm" Spartos said he'd welcome her later, when they had time.

Finally, there was Pisit, who had only met Zeina when she was a little girl.

"Who's Zeina?" Masrur blinks down at the tiny woman. He questions how to explain this to her, wondering how she's never heard of the Temptress. Masrur smirks a bit internally, and says in his regular stoic manner,

"Sinbad's first girlfriend"

"First?! Omg, like, his first love~?"

"I guess."

"Aww! That's so cute! What's she like?" Masrur shifts a bit.

"...I don't know." He knows, but that doesn't mean he's gonna break his stoic-ness to tell Pisit about her. Pisiti smiles largely.

"Then I'll go meet her!" So Pisti goes to see the Temptress. Only when she leaves does Masrur realize that Pisti generally doesn't get along with women who take away her men's attention.

_Oops. _

And that's how all the generals went to welcome the Temptress, whether it's to reunite or meet for the first time.

All because Ja'far had a bit of a mental breakdown.

* * *

**One Month later**

* * *

"His Highness King Sinbad, Returns!"

_Ugh. _

The march back into the Royal Palace of Sindria was less than pleasant for our favorite pinkette. Bad's shoulders felt heavy, her back ached, and her feet were calloused all over. It was strange that she felt so tired after a long journey, having had taken many trips across seas and land with Catrina and Eren despite the short amount of life she's lived so far.

She wonders if it's the after affects of stress that were inflaming her usually casual, harmless symptoms.

_It's certainly been effecting my attitude. _

Bad tries not to wince outwardly at that thought. While it might seem that the girl is in the dark about her distant and moody personality during the trip, she's actually quite aware of the way she's been acting. But being aware doesn't mean that she doesn't think it's childish, rude and unnecessary.

_Please tell me I don't have to apologize to Sinbad for snapping at him the other day._

Probably not, seeing as the King took her harsh words like they were water off his shoulders. Which was another thing about her sudden depression: It made her tongue less sharp. Her insults used to be precisely aimed at the chinks in the armor, designed from the memories of the Other where she met and found the weaknesses of all these men and women. Plus, she thinks amusedly, her new found perceptiveness has been hard at work sharpening these nicely formed blades with the new information gathered from slip-ups and sloppy actions. But now it's like her mouth is detached from her body, invisible hands refusing to grab a knife to throw.

Which is frustrating beyond belief, considering that it's her only way of pushing people straight into her manipulation.

_And my only way of pushing them away._

The entry hall is filled with bowing servants on the left, their matching green outfits and turbans crinkling as they do so. On the right, soldiers swathed in blue cloth and metal armor do the same, some peaking up to smile loyally at their King. She catches a few staring at her and her companions as they stride in behind Sinbad, but they don't send her suspicious glances.

Aparently word of her new status as a ward hasn't reached the Palace yet- unless that ruse was only for the Kou Empire's ears. Bad discretely cracks her back, thankful for the silent **pop **it emits.

Eren chuckles quietly behind her, but doesn't speak. She rolls her eyes at him and his face breaks into a grin, and Catrina wiggles her eyebrows. It's strange how the only people who can tolerate her sudden attitude are a Fanalis and Chandlen, but then again they _are _the two people in the world who know her the best. Maybe Centola could be put on that list too, should she start responding to Bad's persuasions. Catrina and Eri are sort of like...

_Like Aladdin in the Other, but not foolish enough to get caught up in their love for me. _

Now that she's off the cursed boat, perhaps her strange mood swings will ease themselves back into their normal, controlled ones. Being able to act is a very useful trait, Bad finds. Especially since she's going to need them to woo Sinbad into thinking she'll be manipulated easily. Well, perhaps not _easily_, but surely manipulated with some elbow grease.

Oh, when did the pale snake and Sinbad's mix-cultured generals show up?

A dragon man (Drakon), a tall man who beats Eren's height (Hinahoho), a midget with startlingly happy eyes (Pisti), a worrisomely man (Ja'far, who else?), and…

Yamu's spot is empty.

(She forgot for a second)

"Welcome home. I'm glad to see you are safe, King Sinbad" Ja'far's gaze slips to Bad, a casual slight that Bad files away safely in her mind.

_I'll remember that you son of a-_

"And Lady Badroulbadour, I'm glad you are back in one piece as well" Whelp, now is as good as ever to get back into her groove. There are people to intimidate, generals to fool. She unleashes a friendly smile that matches Pisti's, bowing slightly to the Sindrian generals.

"It's a pleasure to be back in Sindria" She lifts a hand to her heart as she raises herself back up. "And an honor to stay in the Palace with you all and King Sinbad"

Sinbad looks almost amused at her words, but still presents Bad forward with a wave of his hand.

"Lady Badroulbadour will be staying in the palace with us from now on" He shifts his gaze over the curious looks of his generals. The older ones know better than to show their confusion at his wording, but the younger one: Pisti, lets her curiosity play games on her nose. Her puckered lips tell of her wanting to ask questions, her eyes wonder why Sinbad called her 'Lady Badroulbadour' instead of the informal 'Badroulbadour' that he uses for guests.

The generals take this in quickly.

"I see." Says the tallest, smiling down at the pinkette who cranks her neck and meets his gaze easily. "The eight generals welcome you, Lady Badroulbadour"

"Oh, that's much too long!" Bad gushes. "Just call me Bad, okay? That's what everyone does"

"But most figure it out on their own" Adds Eren, humor in his tone.

"Ye-" She stops and whirls on him. "That's mean, Eren!" The Chandlen just grins widely and Catrina giggles, putting her hands together.

"But accurate!" She teases, and Bad lets her cheeks get pink.

"Not true!" Ah, their routine. Eren's brotherly teasing, Catrina's gentle joking smile. Their sudden 'dominance' over the youthful leader makes her appear as young as she is, easily overcome by her older companions and highlighting her "childish" and "sweet" nature.

It's not entirely fake, but it sure as hell provides for a good show to convince Sinbad's companions that she's as harmless as a rose.

They definitely won't think of her thorns unless Sinbad warns them.

His half-smirk half-frown tells her that they've pulled it off perfectly, and that he's sort of impressed but mostly annoyed with the burden of having to convince his friends that no, she's actually the Princess of Kou with connections to Al Thamen and yes, I _did_ just say she's a Princess of Kou.

_With maybe another no, I didn't kidnap a child goddamnit. _

Ja'far doesn't buy it, but he does let it slide. For now.

_Fine with me. You're getting water dropped on you later anyway for that insult earlier. You thought I forgot, right?! Well _hell _no I didn't forget and your ass is toast dipsh-_

Good thoughts, she reminds herself. Kittens. Aching back on a fluffy bed. Aladdin's azure, beautiful eyes. Centola's face, Catrina's constant presence, Eren's protectiveness. Mama's spells, Papa's warm fireplace. Her sudden spike in wanting to unleash her KI on the advisor passes, and she lets out a breath. Turning back to the King and his generals, she blushes and pretends to be embarrassed at her companion's actions.

"Shall we?" She offers, and Sinbad nods, ushering her forward.

"Were there any problems in my absence?" Sinbad asks, and Ja'far shakes his head.

"None. No mishaps"

"Good"

"Hey Eren, are you a swordsman?" Sharrkan asks casually, and snippits of their conversation mix with the others as they walk along.

"Catrina? That's a nice name! Mine's Pisti…"

"...A Fanalis? You and Masrur must get along well…"

"...You're an archer? Dude, swords are _waaaay _better…"

"...Aladdin and Alibaba are doing exercise with Centola overlooking them" Ja'far tells Sinbad, and Bad focuses on their words. Definitely not because they said 'Aladdin'. Definitely not. "She's a good trainer, surprisingly"

"Oh really?"

"Very. I asked her what sort of strange methods she was using, but she responded with 'that person's personalized-training-from-hell'. I asked for her to be nice to Aladdin, he's such a small boy" It's not Ja'far's mother-hen worrying at the end that makes Bad grin, but rather the fact that Centola remembered the training that Bad had briefly shown her during that night in Balbadd, when Bad's memories were shared with her.

The Sindrian Palace is as beautiful as Bad remembers, though she views it with a different pair of eyes than before. The high ceilings swoop in elegant arcs like a paintbrush dipped in white paint, and the stretching, long hallways are made by smooth stone and plush red carpet. She knows that not all the hallways are like this, but being it's one of the main arteries of the palace she treads while mentally thanking the architects.

The large open windows show a serene and picture-perfect view of Sindria, the city on the hill sprawling lazily downwards, melting into suburbs and flat farmlands that sink into the crystal waters that slink in from under the rocky arches of the jagged and abruptly starting mountains. The spear like rocks placed on the top of these mountains provide a demonic and threatening feel to the island country, but then the warmth of both the sun and flower haired citizens melts away any suspicion one would have before entering the place. The air is tinged with salt, but mellowed by the smell of freshly picked flowers and the deep, sharp and wild tropical forest where undoubtedly Masrur and Morgiana are picking their way back from the black and green undergrowth.

They pass by normal sitting rooms, and a glance in one would provide a view of the luxurious and richness of Sindria. The carpet is a deep royal blue, with pristine gray couches and chairs around an oak table. The pure artistry leaves Bad breathless, though she's seen it before, and she admires the detailed craftsmanship all around her while trying not to seem too enticed or mesmerized.

They finally come across a split in the path, where the generals say their goodbyes and head back to their jobs and duties. Bad and her troop follow Ja'far and Sinbad through the paths of the palace, glad to see that it's not as much as a maze as Kou is.

They come across a large table on an outdoor sitting area, where Sinbad offer them to all take a seat. Ja'far remains standing, crossing his arms under his robe.

"Did your negotiations with the Kou Empire regarding Balbadd go well?" Sinbad doesn't exactly frown, but his face does lift up in thought and become quite serious.

"Well, as for that...Balbadd will be apart of the Kou Empire, but also maintain its autonomy as a republic" Bad sighs.

"I wish he had taken my gold instead"

"They want land" Sinbad replies, shrugging. "It is disappointing that he didn't take the bait"

"I see...Six months ago, when the Kou forces arrived in Balbadd, I thought it meant war"

"Yes, I was worried too"

"But Kou never wanted to destroy Balbadd. They wanted them to join the Empire. I could've guessed that, but I was hoping they wouldn't use force" Bad tells them, loving times like this when she can act like an annoyed informant. Sinbad nods along, ticking off the ways the Empire tried to upheave Balbadd. From the political marriage to instigating a revolution to even setting up the citizen enslavement policy.

"The Kou Empire planned the whole thing…" Ja'far frowns, his nose flattening.

"Yes but I did all I could as King of the Seven Seas, with the support of Bad" Sinbad's serious atmosphere is broken only by his recounting of their stay in Kou and the bargaining with the Emperor.

"Of course, it helped to have your influence, Bad" Sinbad says, looking to the pinkette. She shrugs, crossing her legs. "It never occurred to me that you were a Princess of Kou"

"WHAT?!" They all jump, and Sinbad turns his gaze to his shocked advisor, who slams his hands against the table. "SHE'S _WHAT_?!"

"Oh, that's right, you don't know. Oops." The King shrugs this off, and Bad sighs, trying not to tighten her knuckles. Her annoyance with the purple haired male skyrockets, but she keeps herself calm, despite not wanting anyone else to find out about her position.

"SIN!"

"Alright!" Sinbad throws his arms up in mock-defeat. "Bad?"

"He's right, Ja'far. Though I'm not recognized as the Emperor's daughter, I am a Princess of Kou" Bad spreads her hands calmly. "But I gave up my title and name as a child when I refused the Queen's offer to live in the Palace. Instead, I left with Eren, so I hold no connections to Kou. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't call me by my real..._Other_ name, Uncle" Of course, that's a partial lie. The Queen was going to force Bad into a cell and Al Thamen, and the word 'escaped' fits what she and Eren did much better than 'left'.

"All in all, no one in Kou, including the Emperor, knows that Bad is a Princess. Only the Queen and the three oldest Princes know" Catrina adds, smiling.

"By now I'm fairly certain Kouen told the Emperor though" Bad sighs with annoyance. "And if the Emperor knows then I'm certain the court does. Of course, I'm the _ninth _Princess. It's not like they'll care if one Royal disappears from the set- not to mention a bastard they never met. Why bother?"

"True" Eren agrees, lifting and lowering his shoulders. "But Kouen _could _push the matter. All your brothers (with the exception of that messy one) seem very taken with you"

"'Taken' isn't the best choice of words" Sinbad chuckles at Bad's wording. "They won't do shit. They're too afraid of messing up relations with Sindria, especially now that I'm Sinbad's ward"

"What?!" Ja'far exclaims again, glaring daggers at Sinbad. Sinbad throws up his arms once again.

"Oh yeah, I made Bad my ward to show off political strength. Forgot to mention that too. Oops."

"Sin…" Ja'far half-hisses, half-groans. He hangs over in defeat. "Fine. I'm done. Continue."

Bad giggles.

"Aw, you're so cute Ja'far! Hey Uncle, we should tell Alibaba and the others about Balbadd!"

"Yes. Aladdin and Alibaba should hear about this" Morgiana and Masrur enter, giving a quick hello. Catrina's out of her chair in an instant, squealing.

"The Fanalis Trio reunites!" She shouts joyously, hugging Morgiana hard (though the girl doesn't look like she's going to suffocate like Bad often does) and forcing Masrur into the hug as well. The older man blinks down at the girl but doesn't move away, and though she remains blank faced Morgiana's skin brightens.

"We're glad you're back" The pure blooded Fanalis tells Catrina, and the mix blood goes to the moon in joy.

"I'm glad to be back!" Eren chuckles, and Bad feels a bit of her heart soften to see her big Sister look so happy. She stands, and with Sinbad, Ja'far and Eren they pass the Fanalis Trio who break up and trail after them, Catrina describing Rakushou to the stoic other two.

* * *

When Sinbad laid eyes on Alibaba and Aladdin, he expected to fit youths with bright, determined eyes. After all, they were the heroes in Balbadd who fought bravely and furiously to work toward a better future. They impressed him in a very respectable way, different from Bad who instead of fighting outright used underhanded methods and negotiation tactics. That's not to say that the Princess didn't impress him, just he saw her in a more useful, realistic light, and he began to feel that she resembled him in some way.

So what did he see instead of those two bold boys?

Two corpses.

At least, that's what it looked like. He had heard that Centola had put them through training but sweet_Godarethosehisribs?!  
_

Alibaba looked dead tired, and he was collapsed across a sofa, his head drooping as though he was sleeping with his eyes open. He manages a polite smile that reminds Sinbad of a deep frown as pain fills his golden orbs.

"Sinbad...Welcome back..." Aladdin, from his position curled up on the floor under Alibaba lifts his head like a sleepy puppy, he looking the same amount of _too thin _and _too tired _to actually emit a real greeting.

"Yeah, long time no see..." Sinbad says, coming forward, his entourage comes with, surveying the boys with slack mouths. Bad is one of the first to recover, going over to Aladdin and helping him sit up, worry etched across her face. The magi sits up partially and then falls back into the pinkette's lap, laying his head there.

"Bad's lap is like a pillow~" He mutters dreamily, and before she can turn her face away Sinbad catches a blush on her cheeks.

"What happened to you?" She asks, and Alibaba has at least enough energy to wheeze out,

"Way to ignore me"

He's ignored by the fussing pinkette.

"Yeah, what did you two do all this time?" Sinbad questions curiously and worriedly. Did they relapse into their depression over Balbadd's defeat and refuse to eat?

"Well...Cent's been busy..." Alibaba starts. Aladdin continues, his calm voice faint and wispy.

"...And so we thought we'd do our training by ourselves..."

"...But I don't think we did it right..." Alibaba finishes. Bad glares at him, full of malice that's unusual even for her.

"You idiot! You're not suppose to do _my _personalized training from hellwithout someone who's undergone it supervising! Otherwise you'll mess it up and do something stupid like, _not eat enough calories_" Eren nods.

"Yeah, you should've waited for Cent to finish her studying or whatever. She might not have done it herself but she's smart enough to know about the basic regulations and formulas"

"Formulas?" Says half the people there. Bad sighs, annoyed, and Catrina giggles.

"Yes!" Catrina chirps. "I don't really understand it, but Bad made a formula that states that as much as you work out, you have to eat as much calories split between each of the food groups to maintain muscle. Otherwise you'll pretty much become like..." She motions to the two stick-thin boys.

"Is that so?" Sinbad smirks, staring at the two. "Well then...Start eating."

* * *

After setting Aladdin and Alibaba up with a feast to devour, Sinbad left Bad and her crew to catch up with them and started down the hallway accompanied by Ja'far and Masrur. Suddenly the two exchange a glance and stop.

"My King" Sinbad pauses, lifting an eyebrow at Ja'far, who avoids his gaze and shuffles. His lips twitch with words and his gaze is surprisingly sharp and worried.

"Yes? What's wrong?"

"Well…" Ja'far clears his throat and lifts his chin, deciding to just spit out the words. "As you know, Lady Centola De Coverna is in Sindria. Because of this, for worry of her niece's well being and to better Centola's training as a Temptress, her guardian Lady Zeina De Coverna has come to Sindria"

_No._

_Fucking._

_Way._

"Zeina...Lady Zeina is here…?" Ja'far licks his lips and nods. Behind him looking ashamed is Masrur, but he stoically keeps his head held high. "In the Palace. Here."

"Yes?" It comes out like a question, but Ja'far meant it as a confirmation. His worry over his King reaction practically palpable. For a second, silence takes over as this new information sinks in.

"Here." Now worry over the King's mental state overtakes Ja'far.

"Yes. Here."

"For how long has she been coming around...?"

"...A month" Ja'far winces at the words, and Sinbad tightly presses his lips together, staring at a blank wall with fierce concentration.

"What's she been doing?"

"She's been living in the city, but has come to train Centola and borrow some books…" Ja'far mumbles under his breath. Sinbad points to his ear but awkwardly the advisor can't say it again. So Masrur, in his rumbling even tone states,

"She's been spending a lot of time with the guests and the generals" A bit of shame titters on the outskirts of his voice, but by using 'the generals' he's able to deflect the full force of the blow. Ja'far goes red.

Betrayal really stings, you know.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ja'far's not weak, but the guilt makes his lips go down.

"I wanted to but you were at sea. We didn't have much of a choice, and it's not like we could just kick her out!" They could've.

_They should've._

But the threat of her magic combined with Centola's is a very high risk, and there would be a mass of problems arising from the forcing of an extremely beautiful and seemingly innocent woman to leave Sindria, the city praised for it's freedom and acceptance of everyone. But there was another feeling underlying Ja'far's tone- the opposition to the idea. The feelings toward Zeina De Coverna.

The sound of wounds being healed, of a friendship and familial bond that was broken being fixed with a fragile piece of glass. A walkway between them being rebuilt, slowly. Masrur nods slightly with this, and it's then that Sinbad realizes that within the month that Zeina came back, she began to win everyone back again.

He begins to wonder who's being swayed, and who's already allowed Zeina back into their good graces. The list comes easily. Masrur and Ja'far are being swayed, obviously. Hinahoho forgave Zeina- this one is easy- they were best friends, and Hinahoho never could stay mad at the Temptress. Sharrkan, for all his pouting whenever the 'Z word' was mentioned, will soon be lured back and Spartos- God _bless _him- will be conflicted since he doesn't even know Zeina that well. Pisti, well, she'll be pissed that Zeina's taking all the men's attention.

_Like hell she'll win me back._

But no one could ever say 'no' to Zeina De Coverna.

So, taking stock of his troops, he lifts his head and asks to be lead to where the Temptress lies in wait.

* * *

She looks different.

Not in a bad way, Zeina could never look different in a bad way. It's just that she's changed since he last saw the girl who grew with him into a beautiful woman. Now she looks just a few years younger than him, her heart shaped face smoothing over her high cheekbones, the skin looking soft like a finely made blanket. Her big maroon eyes are captivating like he remembers, deep and lined with thick black lashes. Her long, blond curls are gold in the afternoon sun, actually shorter than when they were young.

All in all, it's impossible for him not to say that she's nothing less than gorgeous, even though she wears no jewelry and her cream and lilac dress is simple (which is surprising, since she's only ever worn the latest in fashion).

He had resolved to keep himself calm. He decides he'll handle this situation with the patience of a grownup, and speak to her in a stiff but polite manner. He'll show her that over the years he's grown into a good King, and perhaps she'll be impressed. Perhaps she'll leave quietly with a tiny apology, and finally all those unresolved issues that have stung him for so long will disappear.

So when he enters the sitting room where she was (surprise, surprise) sitting down in a comfy looking chair, tracing the lines of a book, he only smiles and expects her to rake her mysterious, enticing eyes down his body.

Instead, she glances up, sees him, and goes back to her book.

"Oh, hello Sinbad"

His patience snapped instantly.

* * *

"Oh, hello Sinbad"

"Hello my _ass_!"

"Hm, I sense you're upset for some reason. Care to expand on what ails you, friend?"

"Well, for one thing, you're in _my palace_" Sinbad hisses, spreading his hands around him. Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Zeina refuses to not smile, somehow finding his furious reaction familiar and oddly welcoming.

"Are you sure, Sin? I have been staying in Sindria for a while. I might know it better than you" A darkness creeps into his expression. Then it lightens considerably, as if remembering a little thing called politeness.

"How long are you staying for?" Zeina crosses her legs.

"I'm not sure" She admits, making circles with her wrist. She tries to calculate this, thinking about Centola, Alexio and how long the De Coverna Network would hold without her micromanaging. "Perhaps...A few months?"

"If you wish to establish new 'businesses' in Sindria, I hope you'll go through the proper channels"

_So you can stop me?_

By the look in his caramel eyes, that's exactly it. Zeina pouts.

"You're mean Sin. What did my businesses ever do to you?" Sinbad looks conflicted, coming up beside her.

"You shouldn't stay in Sindria, Zeina" Her face retains it's coolness, and the King stares past her.

"Oh? Why's that?" He looks at her, his handsome face far from warm. She remembers a time when staring at him was akin to feeling the sun's rays. "As far as I know, my businesses would benefit Sindria's flourishing economy"

"Then…" He looks like he's at a loss for words, clenching and unclenching his jaw. "You just...You can't just come back, Zeina!"

"Come back?"

"Come back here like nothing ever happened, like you didn't completely ditch everyone all those years ago! That's not fair to us, and that's not fair Sindria" He's growling at the end, eyes flashing. Zeina stands slowly, hating that she has to stare up at him. "Do you know how long it took for me, for everyone, for _Sindria _to get over you?! You were an essential partner in Sindria's economic growth, not to mention that the government's original administration relied heavily on your input. Our workload doubled when you left!" But that's not just what's in his tone. The unspoken words come to her from underneath his blabbering about the country's reliance on the De Covernas.

_We needed you. We _loved _you. Hinahoho was one of your best friends, and he and Rurumu were so sad when you were gone. Masrur, Ja'far, and Sharrkan all viewed you as a mother and you _left _them...They were crushed, Zeina. You left me, despite the fact that I, that we...How could you do that to us? You hurt all of us so, _so _badly._

The weird thing is, despite all the anger and betrayal written across his face, there's a bit of hope and relief there as well. She doesn't know exactly why, but if she could take a guess it would be because know he didn't have to worry about her anymore. She can almost imagine it- him, working but then sliding his eyes out the window, wondering if that blonde girl he used to be friends with was being killed by men in black cloaks. The hope could be that now there's a chance that she could stay again, be safe behind his Djinns from those demons in the dark if even for a few months.

A dull ache from a scar over her heart starts to pound, peeling back the tissue and reopening a closed wound.

"Sinbad, I didn't come back for you" Sinbad's shoulder flinches, but his face is stone. Zeina keeps her voice soft, starting to feel the sting of the necessity of hurting him again. "I came here because Centola asked me to, not because I believed that I could rejoin the Sindria Trading Company after all those years of absence. Do you honestly think that I don't feel ashamed for leaving? Because I do. There's nothing I feel worse about than not telling you I wasn't coming back."

Zeina's eyes close. She can hear Sinbad's deep breathing.

"I wish Masrur could say I was his mother like we did when he was a child. I'm sorry that Ja'far had to shoulder the full burden of the national administration we used to work on together. I should've seen Sharrkan grow up to be the silly ladies man he is now, and I desperately wanted to say goodbye to you, too. But apologizing will do nothing now to change what has happened between us all. I've accepted that. I know I hold no right to be in Sindria."

"Telling us where you went might help ease things" He whispers, that hope and relief shoving itself forward in his thoughts. The sound of his voice is closer than before. She smiles a little bit.

"I wonder if it would" She whispers back, bobbing her head forward so blond curls brush against her cheeks. "I'm just not sure if it would make up for anything."

His fingers brush her curls back, and with them her face. She opens her eyes and stares at the only man who she'd ever wanted to stay with indefinitely. But his smile is so practiced and easy that it's like she had told him that the weather was going to be wonderful today.

It's scary how unfazed he looks from her words, from her confession of guilt and shame. But from behind tawny eyes that could melt a woman's heart, she can see the flicker of the flame of pain, the controlled anger he pushes onto himself to keep from falling apart. She analyzes him, sees that no, he's in no way, shape or form okay with what just transpired. But he's too good of a King of angels to keep a Queen of monsters from breaking his heart all over again.

Zeina wonders for a moment if that's the way he sees her, too. Because a flash of doubt tiptoes over his brow and he drops his fingers, stepping away to maintain the diplomatic distance.

_I wonder if he was trying to see who'd crack first._

Of course, that had always been Sinbad's specialty when it came to Zeina. They'd start out a day peacefully and then by the end of the night have pushed each other so far that they were crossdressing (Sinbad looks surprisingly good in a corset) and drunk out of their minds. It was then up to Hinahoho to pick each one of them up under his arms and carry them home, grumbling.

But the memory of their youth doesn't lift her spirits like it usually does on the trail, and now only deepens the serious atmosphere around them. She gulps down her feelings.

_A Temptress's rule: never let anything show._

"By the way, I hope you don't mind but I've been keeping my plants in your room" Her casual voice mixed with the edge of a clogged throat. Sinbad jolts back like he's physically shocked, his mouth open with a mixed of childish possessiveness and incredulousness.

"You're joking, _right_?" It occurs then to Zeina that maybe only _Sinbad _is allowed to use the King's bedroom.

"...Yes?" Sinbad groans, covering his face with his hands. Then a memory floats back to him and he snatches his hands out of his face, studying her hard.

"Please God tell me you didn't let that stupid ivy plant grow onto my bedposts _again_"

"Um…" He stares at her, and in an instant they are both racing down the hallways to the room, Sinbad shouting threats about what he's going to do to that 'bug infested, disgusting plant' and Zeina yelling back that it's her precious baby and if it annoys him he should switch rooms.

"It's the best bedroom in the palace!"

"Exactly why my plants need it!"

* * *

"So…My Mistress's Mistress is your mom?" Ja'far shakes his head, trying hard to ignore the woman behind him. She tuts, boosting herself onto the window sill of his office. "She seems like she loves you, though"

"I don't know about that" Ja'far replies, and he can hear her breath on the window, her body pressed against the glass.

"She loves you. She's sorry for what she did…And she knows that she can't be forgiven"

"Khadeja-!" He stands up, hating the stabbing pain in his chest from her words- words about things she couldn't possibly know. "Sto-! H-hey...Don't cry"

"What?" She pauses, lifting a hand to her cheek, startled to find the shiny water coming from her amethyst eyes. Funny, he had assumed in the black of his mind that her tears would be lilac as they spilled down her red cheeks, but instead they were clear as day. "I'm…I didn't realize…"

He opens a shelf in his drawer and awkwardly passes a handkerchief to her. She sniffles and takes it, dabbing at her eyes. He shifts, clearing his throat. Khadeja speaks softly.

"It weird…It's like my chest is tight and I can't breath…This sort of sadness is so heavy…" Khadeja's lower lip quivers and she turns her face away. "I…"

Ja'far lowers his head, unsure of whether to leave or not. Khadeja slips off of the sill, and she pads over to him. She pulls on his sleeve so he looks at her as she whispers.

"She's so sorry…She wants to be forgiven…" The lurch of his shoulder brings reality back to Khadeja, who blinks away her sobs and places his hanky onto the desk.

"Khadeja…?" He wants to know how she knows so much- how she is able to _feel _the emotions of a person they were talking about. The servant avoids his gaze tiredly, a hand placed over her stomach as she winces.

"Sorry to bother you" She mutters, and Ja'far watches the crazy woman hurry out, not knowing why frustration was building up inside of him.

* * *

"Yamuraiha!" The call makes the turquoise haired woman stop and pause, smiling back at the man running up to her. Her boss returns her gesture and holds out a small pouch of coins. Gasping, the magician holds out her hand and feels the weight press into her palm.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" She exclaims, tying it onto her belt.

"For such a smart girl, you sure forget things a lot" Her boss laughs at his own joke, and then waves goodbye, walking away. Yamu watches him go, looking to the merchant stall where she's been working these past six months since she left Balbadd.

_And Yunan_.

Yamu coughs when she thinks the name, turning walking briskly back toward her small house. It was one of those places that in the Other Yamu would have never stayed in, cramped with the three people staying there. But having no where else to stay Yamu used the coins she received from Yunan before she left and got herself a home and a few cots.

She inhales, and lets her worries fall off her. No matter how strange it was being separate from the blond magi for the first time in years, she had slowly adapted to the solitary life of a wandering traveler. Of course, that was her cover.

At the moment she was in a country she knows better than any other place.

The afternoon sun sent cascades of light over the street, warmly greeting her bare shoulders and illuminating the flowers around every citizen's neck and in every woman's- including Yamu's- hair. The stalls she passes now are brightly colored in every shade, but the houses are are of clean wood and smooth cream colored stones.

Sindria.

She's in Sindria.

She stops herself as she starts up the path toward the palace, chuckling darkly under her breath. She turns away from her old home, and continues on.

The merchants call to her as she walks by, but Yamu doesn't notice. She's busy chiding herself for forgetting that she isn't a general anymore, and thus doesn't sleep in the palace with the others.

But do you know the bad thing with not paying attention? You don't watch where you're going. Yamu didn't know anyone was behind the group of passing girls, but she should have realized it because of the flirtatious catcalls. She saw a flash of dark skin before her eyes are squished shut against another's chest.

The person stumbles back, grabbing her shoulders as a reflex. She pulls away,

"I'm sorry-"

The words get stuck in her throat.

"_Idiot swordsman!"_

_An empty room, suddenly filled with gasping breaths._

_A door opening, her name called casually._

_She tries hard to call out._

"_Stupid seawitch!"_

_His hands appear first, then that cocky sword of his._

_His green eyes burn and shift._

_It's hard for her eyes to even stay open._

_Lungs filling and stopping, heart stuttering._

"_Yamu, why're you on the floo- holy shit!"_

_Arms grips her shoulders, pulling her up._

_Lips forming words, terror filling a face._

_She's being carried like a bride,_

_But instead of a dress it's her that's white._

"_Yamu"_

_Healers, healers._

_Sinbad's purple hair,_

_Sharrkan's long fingers in hers._

_Then, quickly, things happen in rapid succession._

_Aladdin arriving to Sindria, and with him a beautiful young woman_

"_H-hi, I'm Kouhime Ren"_

_A long braid hunched over papers._

_Kouhime taking her thin hand, closing her eyes in concentration._

_A cure no one can find._

"_It's just not going to work, Kouhime. Tell Aladdin to stop pushing himself"_

_White hair and white sheets._

_He looks up at her from under his snowy locks._

_He asks her that fateful question._

"_You're not…Gonna survive, are you?"_

_She bites her lip._

_Gently her fingers search for his._

_He smiles emptily._

"_I'm sorry"_

"_It's fine"_

"_No, it's not"_

And there he is, holding her shoulders. Goddamn Sharrkan.

She keeps the terror off of her face and coughs, trying once again to step back from the Heliophatian and leave. Unfortunately, Sharrkan decides it's 'harassing women' day, and gives her a cat-like grin.

"Excuse me, miss. Are you alright?" Yamu gives him a soft, nervous laugh and nods.

"Uh, yes, thank you" She slips out of his grip, but he's suddenly walking next to her, matching her long strides.

"What's your name?" The magician gives him a side-ways glance and looks forward again.

"Yamuraiha" She answers stiffly, praying he'd take the hint. But of course, this is _Sharrkan_ we're talking about.

"That's a beautiful name," He doesn't seem bothered at all by her standoffish attitude. "It's suiting for such a beautiful girl"

Pinpricks of red appear on her cheeks, and she internally screams at herself.

"Thank you" She mutters. He takes it as a win for him.

"Where do you live?" Yamu wills herself to stay calm in the face of his idiotic prying.

"I'd rather not say to some one I don't know" Her words are coated with ice, but of course that just makes him more interested.

"You don't know me?" He asks, feigning surprise. "You must have recently come to the island!"

"Well," The blunette replies smoothly, "I traveled here six months ago"

Sharrkan's teeth gleam like a shark's.

"Well Yamuraiha, my name is Sharrkan, one of King Sinbad's seven generals!" She stops herself from rolling her eyes. She's seen him do this sort of thing to other women before- flaunt his title and position like it's a trophy. She lifts her eyebrows and stops.

"Sharrkan? Oh, I've heard of you" His lips lift up at her tone.

"Oh? So you've heard of my sword skills?"

"I've heard that you're not all that good in bed" She deadpans, and continues on at a faster pace.

"Wha- wait up!" He runs after her, pitifully trying to continue his suave front. He laughs a bit, as if to wave her comment out of the air. "Rumors!"

"Sure." She says slowly, smirking. "And I'm sure the ones about you hitting on uninterested women are completely untrue as well"

"They are indeed" He replies, regaining his arrogant confidence. "I only go after _beautiful_ uninterested women"

"Uh-huh" Yamu mentally hits herself for enjoying his flirting. Then she hits herself for flirting back.

It slams into her like a brick wall, and it's everything she can do to keep walking.

A face, with gentle blue eyes and pale skin, a small smile and a long blond braid. The two story house, navy blue at her insistence, the darkness of the rift but the brightness of their fireplace. She remembers all the books on the shelves, the different experiments they've done together. There's a tiny pinkette that calls her 'mama', and young man with green hair who polishes his arrowheads at the table. Not to mention the little Fanalis-Amala who makes Yunan laugh with the irony of her parentage.

Memories upon memories of her magi, of the life she lived with him for close to eleven years. Guilt crashes through her for reasons she can't explain, and so she smiles crookedly at Sharrkan and stops. He doesn't register this until she slips into an alley and his shouts for her to wait are drowned out by the bustle of other citizens.

It just had to be her ex-lover she ran into, didn't it?

* * *

(I've decided to post a few 'Fun Facts' after every chapter from now on)

**Fun Fact: **Bad's original character design was very different than what she looks like now. While the clothing and petiteness was still very much present, she was written to be an albino with silver hair and dark purple (almost black) eyes and she was actually going to be a good-guy with white Rukh. This was taken out due to Sparrow-Chan then deciding she should be a Ren, depraved and for her likeness to Asad.

**Fun Fact #2: **At one point, Masrur started calling Zeina 'mom'. At that time, Sinbad demanded to be called 'dad' and Ja'far got a little jealous of their relationship.

**Fun Fact #3: **Khadeja type of man is one she can intimidate. If she were to ever be in a relationship, Khadeja would 'wear the pants', and she's more fatherly than motherly.

**Fun Fact #4: **Ting Mei has strategy skills that rival Koumei's, but instead of becoming a general herself she was placed into a position as Koumei's assistant, which is how they eventually became involved. (Though she loves Koumei to pieces, Ting Mei has yet to get over her resentment at being demoted because of being a woman, a ward, and embarrassing Koumei in the court)

* * *

***Wanted to say goodbye to Mystras: **I'm calling it: Myst-chan dies. Sorry y'all, but the author did hint that something terrible was gonna happen to Spartos's Onii-chan and Ohtaka stated that a tragedy in Sindria when it was just founded caused one of Sinbad's friends to die. It's Myst-chan. Officially called. Roar. Btw does anyone else ship Parsine and that buff dude? Cause I do. Hard.

**Jafar X Khadeja?:** This was a surprise to me too. Originally Khadeja was just suppose to be Centola's loyal servant, but then I read online that Ja'far likes _loyal servants _and this is the way they have become. Whether or not they'll actually get together is sorta up in the air though, because Ja'far is loyal to Sinbad and Khadeja dedicated herself to Centola. I just think writing about how Khadeja intimidates Ja'far is hilarious.

**Yamu X Sharrkan?: **Yup, it happened. In the Other, Yamu's bae was Sharrky-kun. And I absolutely ship Sharryamu, but at the same time I ship Yamu with everyone so Yunan ain't out of that circle. Will Sharrkan win Yamu's heart back? Or will the memory of her kind magi keep her aloof? Ah, romance~!

**Zeina Returns to Sindria!: **Okay, let's talk a little about this: Sinbad and his generals are far from trusting Zeina again. To tell the truth, while some of them (Masrur, Drakon, Hinahoho) are happy that she's back, they are weary of her intentions. Of course, Zeina's not stupid and she knows that because she left them all they're not going to welcome her back with open arms, Sinbad especially. But she's also not going to make excuses either, and will try hard not to hurt Sindria again - even if it means not getting close to them.

**Two Magis, One Kassim: **So, yeah, this is a trio-thing. I kinda dig it. But it's hard to juggle this many canon characters and OCs (I knew I shoulda cut a few!) and plot points at once, so they're not getting focused on for now. Say goodbye to those three for a short while!

**Also Not Showing Up**: Along with my beautiful new Magi-Kass Trio, I'm not gonna be focusing on the Kou Empire except for Asad and a short Gyokuen update. Sorry Xia fam and Rens, you're all dead to me for the next few weeks. Sadly the KhadejaXJa'far is getting downsized 4 the moment as well. Tengo muchos OCs en mi libro (bc I don't know how to say story)! Necessito matar algunos! (BTW my spanish sucks XD)

Got any questions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~

PS. Sorry for not doing an 'Easter Special'. I forgot lol. Also, sorry for being a week late. I was having a struggle writing this chappie haha. Btw I want to thank Girl Who Loves Her Cartoons for making me some fan art, I haven't seen it yet but I'm uber pumped! One is of Juliet (from Beneath the Stars, my side story) and the other is of Catrina! I hope I can find a way to post it on my profile...


	21. Chapter 20: Heartbeats

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SIXTH ARC: **Half a Year in Sindria

CHAPTER 20: Heartbeats

* * *

Clearing things up for y'all because...Idk I guess because I literally love all of you so much? Yeah...

In order to keep from revealing that she knows what will happen in the future and also that the seven souls she had 'redo' their lives and get 'reborn' with the knowledge of Magi, **Bad will lie her arse off to Sinbad and Kouen to manipulate them. **This means that the real story of Bad will be written, but the parts that she'll reveal to main characters will be (sort of) a _lie_. For instance, while you all know that Bad was freed from the Dungeon by Eren and then ran away from Gyokuen with him, Bad implied to Sinbad that she grew up in Kou and pissed off Al Thamen, and had to run away because of that.

Bad will tell a different version of her life- a version that makes sense with the rest of what she's said and will say and explain her motives in a way other than '_she'll kill my friends and destroy the world in the future so I have to stop her_'.

Bad needs to come across in a way that'll appeal to people. They'll know she's capable of atrocities, but she appears harmless. Her intentions are dark, but her past is heartbreaking. All in all, Bad will twist the truth into something that these people will understand- something that will explain and sooth their questions without arousing too much interest. Just wanted to clear things up so that when you read Bad telling someone something different than what I previously wrote, it's because she wants them to believe her lie, not because it actually happened.

It'll be fun to write, ne~?

* * *

**11 Years Ago...**

"Push, Push, Push!"

Thus with a grating gasp, Kouhime was reborn. With a blinding spiral of white Rukh all around her, she realizes that she can see. She realizes that she can see _herself_, too.

It's not even a realization anymore, but a understanding.

_I'm dead._

Not quite.

_My Rukh are outside of my body._

That's better.

_My body doesn't have any Rukh._

More or less correct, yes.

She wouldn't call it 'dead', exactly. It's more like...Hm...Her body is alive, but without a soul. And said soul is spiraling up and down and all around in the form of hundreds of pure white Rukh. She can see everything.

_Everything. _

From each 'eye' of the Rukh she can witness the events taking place, but she can also focus in on one point, hover about and on the skin of others. Her mother laying on her back, for instance, inside of a tent like-structure. A woman beside her coos out 'good work' as her mother sobs heavily.

Then Kouhime confronts the task at hand: getting back into her body.

She hovers over her baby-self in the form of white birds, surrounding and landing on the silent child's body.

_Am I stuck like this? _

The thought brings a panic into her, and once again her Rukh is flying up to the sky and back down again, unsure and unsteady. The older woman holding her baby-self studies the Rukh.

_She can see me?_

Apparently.

"W-why isn't she crying?" Her mother half-whines, half-sobs. "My baby…Is K-Kouhime dead?"

"I'll be back in a moment, dear" The old woman tells her in a soft tone. "Don't worry, your child is fine"

"Mother, is everything alright?" The midwife asks, and the older of the two just smiles crookedly as she steps outside with Kouhime.

_Grandmother?_

No, Kouhime doesn't have any grandparents. None that she knows of anyway. Plus, this woman is so small and has closed, old eyes, a round face. Kouhime finds no physical connection between herself and the grandma, and none between her mother and the elderly woman either.

"My name is Chagan Shaman. But most people call me Baba. I'm a witch-doctor"

_Baba? That's familiar. _

One old eye is opened.

"Now dear, how about you get back into your body and stop scaring your mother so bad? Causing such a fuss is not usual for such a small baby"

Kouhime tries to answer, but she can't speak. Once again she settles herself onto the baby, but with no success.

She wants to scream. She wants to know what's going on. She wants to understand why things are the way they are.

She wants Aladdin.

A-UAh...What a punch in the...Gut…

That's right...Aladdin's not here. Aladdin's _not here. _And neither is Ha-Ren or Mei-Ren or En-Ren-

And Yamu's dead- poor, tragic, beautiful Yamuraiha!- and gone, somewhere under Sindria's burning flesh. Not to mention her ex-lover Sharrkan and the other generals, slain and decaying, seven casualties on the list.

Eight little tally marks.

And Sinbad, oh handsome devious devil, gone, gone, gone. Kougyoku was first to go, the sister Kouhime never met under the dirt as well. And Hakuryuu, poor chained Hakuryuu...Kouhime wants to cry and pound the earth.

_Why? WHY? What good is their deaths? Why'd _they _have to die?!_

Then there's Yunan...Last she heard they cornered him somewhere in the west after a confrontation in the Great Rift. Not to mention Titus...Oh...Titus…

That pretty girl, Marga, and Sphintus, and his family, and Reim and Partevia and all the other nations that she doesn't want to name.

People, so many people.

Why? Why? WHY?!

How is this fair? How is this okay?! Why is she here but no one else-!

_Buh-bump._

...A heart beat?

_Buh-bump. _

It's so…

"Hm? Something wrong dear?" Baba asks, stroking her cheek with one finger. She speaks to the baby, but Kouhime knows that she's addressing the Rukh.

An explanation hits Kouhime.

She has too much Rukh.

Didn't Gyokuen say that before as well? Something like, "_Kouhime, you were born with too much Rukh"_. Then that means…

_Buh-bump. _

Ah...What a calming sound. Is that her heart? No...No, it's not her's. It's also not Baba's either, or her mother's, or the midwife's. But the more she listens to it, the more she realizes that it's too strong to be a single heart beating.

It's multiple.

Kouhime calms herself, and her Rukh form a column around Baba.

"Coming back inside?" The woman asks jokingly, and Kouhime feels herself warm up to the elderly witch-doctor.

Then she's in the sky. Not really, because a part of her is going back into her body, but there's a split and her Rukh race off.

The clouds become a blur, and the first group go down to meet a little girl. Her hair is short and strawberry blonde, her eyes a reflective green light.

_Jane Hullburg. _

Jane opens her arms wide, lifting her face to Kouhime's Rukh. And Kouhime becomes one with Jane.

Words.

Words of every kind, words from languages that make her head spin. Numbers fitting into slots, becoming equations and answers to impossible questions. A clash of cultures, modern furniture and a dirty house filled with Mom's singing.

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, glittering in the color of love, pink as a blush.

Then there's a couple.

A man with a blonde braid and a girl with blue hair and a seashell necklace.

_Y-Yamu and Yunan?!_

That's right. This is...This is the _past_.

No one is dead…

No ones dead!

The two stand staring at her with awe, and Kouhime becomes one with the magicians.

Magic.

Magic of every kind, filling and filling and filling her head like water, water from Yamu's staff, learned from the old pages of a book that was given to her from Matal Mogamett. The hand of a magi being offered, the acceptance of a challenge being taken.

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, gleaming in the colors of the ocean, silver-gray as the seafoam and blue as the seemingly flat surface.

"Is that you, Kouhime?"

A boy.

Her vision is obscured, but she crashes into him all the same, unknowing of who he is.

_Charlie Mason. _

Charlie? The Mountain? She knows what he looks like! He has green hair and an alarmingly tall stature. She doesn't know when they'll meet like she does the others, but has seen him with her.

But for now, he's just an eleven year old boy, and Kouhime becomes one with him.

Arrows.

Arrows and bows and brothers and sisters, family, family, _family_. Makin, Azzam, Tawil, Wasim,Haroun,AzusenaZaynaZafirahHanif. Uzza. A car speeding towards him, a manga spiraling from his hands, Jane Hullburg's cold gaze.

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, shining in the color of spring, as green as pine and grass.

A familiar face.

_Hakuei! _

Hakuei's here! Hakuei's _safe_! She's outside her bedroom in Kou, holding a sleeping little boy close to her. For a startling second, Kouhime thinks it's Alibaba and her's son, but then remembers that Hakuei's too young.

_...I guess...Not everyone made it out of that burning world…_

So…That means that the child is Hakuryuu, right? Good. She's more than joyous to see him safe as well. The boy misses the scar from his face, but that's because it's a year before Hakutoku dies. Kouhime's stomach lurches.

_What will you do now, Feather?_

Hakuei looks like she's about to cry, and Kouhime becomes one with her.

White.

White like their names, white as the flowers that Father loves. Father and brothers, Yuu-Ren and Ren-Ren, hugs and kisses and _love_. Such love surrounding and wrapping around Kou, blessing it and absolving all sin, but a black knife in the form of Mother stands close by. Hakuryuu held close, "_I'll_ protect _you_ this time".

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, burning in the color of passion, tan as the baked sand in the desert.

Silver hair on a young boy.

He pays her no heed, his onyx eyes filled with unshed tears. He spreads his arms like an eagle, biting his lower lip.

_John Steiner. _

A knife clatters from his sleeves but he doesn't notice, and a single tear escapes the clutches of his eyes.

John whispers a name, and Kouhime becomes one with him.

Hope.

Hope blossoms in Judal's eyes, so beautiful and inspiring on an innocent face. The younger brother in white hidden behind the folds of the older brother's black robes, looking up with joyful smile. There's a knife in his hand, like the one he dropped, and he's training to protect, to save, to kill, to kill, to murder, to _**destroy**_. A throat is easily sliced, like the stem of a yellow and red flower.

"_Marigold"._

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, cutting with the color of secret grief, as purple as the clouds in the west during dawn.

The final one is a girl.

She's tiny, she's the youngest. But she's strong and redhaired, with a toddler's grin. Her arms outstretch like she wants to hug Kouhime, and she lets out a childish laugh.

_Alice Marsden. _

She's so cute~!

The cute girl looks so happy, and Kouhime becomes one with her.

Fire.

Fire everywhere- rampaging, hurting, _burning. _Red roses, so beautiful, glowing in the illumination of the flames. Mama's special soup, cold milk in a warm house, whispers from disgusted adults at the child in the Amala's arms. But it's okay, because family is family.

Rukh mix, Rukh combine, and Rukh change.

Their Rukh free themselves from the bonds of fate, changing into the color of determination, as orange as a tangerine.

The girl jumps into the sky as if to touch the darkness above but then drops back down, only to repeat the process again and again, laughing.

And then, Kouhime Ren is back in her own body. She opens her baby mouth, and begins to cry like her mother wanted her to.

* * *

**The Night They Returned to Sindria...**

_The End came. _

_Bad remembers the End now. _

_If she'd map out that last Great War, it's be something like this:_

_(Kougyoku dies)_

_Letter from Kou. _

_Aladdin begging her to stay._

_Going to Kou._

_Fighting. _

_Fighting. _

_Fight. _

_Day of the Wind Goddess's Fury._

_(Hakuei dies, and so does her son)_

_Harder. _

_Aladdin comes to save her. _

_Fight._

_The Second Magi Summit._

_(Yamu dies)_

_Fight._

_(Morgiana dies)_

_Why. _

_(Three of seven generals die)_

_Fight. _

_Final Speech of the Desert King._

_(Alibaba dies)_

_Won't._

_("Sinbad...Please don't look so murderous…")_

_Fight. _

_(Ha-Ren dies.)_

_Battle of the Split Division._

_You._

_(Two of four generals die)_

_Fight. _

_(All generals die)_

_Recruiting of the Masses._

_Die?!_

_(Mei-Ren dies)_

_Fight. _

_(Sinbad dies)_

_Battle of the Seventy-Two Moons. _

_(Many, many people are killed)_

_Keep going. _

"_Al, when this is over, can we just stay together in a place far away?"_

"_Mhm. Together...I don't want to fight ever again"_

"_I'm sorry I did that...I'm sorry I-"_

"_It's okay. When you die, I'll die with you" _

_Blood. _

_(En-Ren, too)_

_Kristallnacht._

_(Lets start over)_

"_I love you, Kouhime"_

That night, Bad woke up screaming. Catrina snapped up from her place beside the Princess and held the girl down, forcing her hand over Bad's mouth. Teeth met skin and Catrina hissed but held strong, waiting until the girl was only shaking to remove her bleeding hand.

"A-Aladdin…"

"Bad…"

"Brother En…I should've..."

"Bad."

"Why? Brother?!"

"_Kouhime_!" Time stops, clarity returns.

Bad chokes, reaches out like a little girl, and attaches herself onto the Bird. Catrina smiles a little and rubs the girl's back with one hand, allowing the other to bleed onto the blankets.

"It's okay, it's okay"

"B-b-but…"

"It's **fine**. I'm here. Eren's here. _We will protect you_. Nothing could ever harm you as long as we're by your side" The shivering child allows herself to be held all night, clutching at the warmth and appeal of a Fanalis's strong arm to wrap around and around until she's cocooned and _safe_.

"You don't have to sleep, but you won't feel better tomorrow if you don't"

"But…"

"I'll stay awake, okay? I promise I won't sleep"

"Catrina...I love you…"

"I love you too, Bad"

* * *

The next morning, Catrina didn't say a word. She didn't explain why she bandaged her hand up, she didn't respond to Masrur's worried glances, and she certainly didn't yawn to show that the bags under her eyes were from keeping her promise.

When she changed her bandages in the afternoon, Catrina didn't tell a gaping Morgiana that "yes, these are bitemarks" but instead laughed and waved her other hand as if it was normal. Eren took a glance at her during dinner, smiled a bit and then patted her shoulder.

"It's our duty, right?"

"To keep her safe from the monsters? Yes."

"Be more careful next time. Try loosening her jaw- that always works. I'll sleep with her tonight, you go to bed early. She doesn't have nightmares twice in a row but she'll feel better if I'm there."

"Thanks, Brother"

"Anything for my Kid Sisters"

* * *

**A Few Weeks Later...**

"You two are looking better!" Sinbad's proclamation is proven true by the now healthy-looking Alibaba and Aladdin.

"Yeah! We ate a lot!" Aladdin dreamily looks backwards toward the kitchen. "I can't wait for dinner now~!"

"If you guys wanted to train you should've called for me" Centola laughs, and Bad nods.

"Prince-y is an idiot" She states, and Alibaba gets a tick mark.

"What did you say, brat?!"

"Going deaf now too?"

"Hey, you guys" Sinbad gets inbetween the parties, sighing. "Stop fighting like children! Now that you all are here, we have to use our strengths together to protect Sindria"

"Yeah, yeah." Bad yawns, hugging Centola around her waist.

"Protect Sindria…?" Alibaba asks, both interested and questioning. The pinkette snuggles into Centola, who lays a hand on Bad's head, still smiling pleasantly.

"That's right, you two don't know yet" Sinbad gets a bit serious. "Centola, Bad, will you help me explain?"

"Of course" Centola agrees easily and Bad rolls her eyes.

"Whatever." Then she glares at Alibaba. "But I swear to _**Jesus**_ if you start to bother me about it I'll fuck you up"

"Language" Sweetly she cuddles into Centola once again.

"Sorry, Big Sister~! I'll be better from now on, okay?"

"_**Jesus?**_" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows. "That word...You know it sounds a lot like-"

"Shindobado, are we going to get on with this or will I have to do things myself again?"

_Okay, quick note to self: Don't speak like that a King again._

Sinbad's easy on her but there's only so much annoying-kid he can take. The King rolls his eyes and motions to them to take a seat at the round table around them.

"Even before Sindria was established, we've had connections with a certain organization and have fought countless times" Bad kicks her legs as Sinbad speaks.

"No matter what country you go to, you're bound to run into them. The only place they're not in is here, I guess." She tells the boys, waving her hand lazily. "They're like a world wide plague"

"Exactly." The purple haired man nods along. "I mentioned the abnormalities of the world, right? War, poverty, discrimination, all these are spreading at an increasing rate everywhere. And this is not happening by chance"

"They are planned by the Organization" Centola chimes in, closing her legs like a lady and sitting perfectly straight. Despite her aunt only being her for a month, Centola has returned to the proper mannered and elegant young woman she acted like in Rayide. "They invade the center of countries as merchants, political advisors and court ladies, manipulating history from the shadows."

"They have no real name" Bad tells them solemnly, face dead serious as she flickers her bloody gaze over them. "But we call them Al Thamen"

"Al Thamen" Aladdin echoes, tasting the name. Bad nods, and Sinbad sits forward, linking his fingers.

"Alibaba, Aladdin, since you're involved now, I'll tell you straight. At Balbadd you caught their attention"

"That means…" Alibaba's voice is shakey.

"That's right. The man who claimed to be a Banker pushed Balbadd's economy to dire brinks. Not to mention Judal and Asad, who hide behind the Kou Empire and cause destruction are apart of Al Thamen as well."

_Excuse me?_

That's HER Asad and Judal you're talking about, Sinbad. Bad almost says something before biting her lip and letting it pass.

"They also are the reason Kassim turned into a dark Djinn" Centola adds quietly and a shadow passes over Alibaba's eyes, his fists clenching tightly.

"They might have started the civil strife as well. And now they're doing this all over the world…" Sinbad's voice trails off as Alibaba stands up unconsciously and grinds his teeth. Then he realizes what he was doing and sits down.

"Alibaba…"

"I'm fine. Please continue."

"I can't forgive them. That's why, to fight against such a powerful opponent, I need more power." The Sindrian King motions to Bad. "This one has already agreed to help me"

The trio's eyes widen.

"Bad?" Centola asks, partial awe and all worry. "You're going to fight?"

Bad wiggles her eyebrows, grinning.

"I made a deal with Sinbad. I'd like you to help as well, if you don't mind" Centola tilts her head in hesitation and then lifts her shoulders gracefully in a shrug.

"Well...I don't mind helping you, Bad, but I'm planning on continuing my training in Temptation magic, so I'm not sure how much of a help I can be"

"That's fine. I just like knowing you have my back, Sis~!" Bad kicks her legs.

"Are you sure you should be fighting, Bad?" The not-quite magician faces Aladdin.

"Why not?" Aladdin doesn't have an answer, but he still looks oddly uncomfortable with the idea of Bad fighting this 'Al Thamen'.

"I want to help" Alibaba declares, straightening. He nods to Centola. "I want to know what we all can do to help fight"

"Well, to get completely involved with fighting the organization...Right now that's impossible" Sinbad smiles apologetically. "You're both still weak. You need to do more training- and not just the physical training you have been doing"

"But you said Bad and Cent could fight" Alibaba interjects. The purple haired King nods.

"They can. Centola, while in training, is still the Temptress that in Balbadd put the entire square of rioting citizens to sleep. She'd do fine if she's paired with Bad, who's a skilled magician and strategian"

Bad smugly smirks at the blond Dungeon Capturer.

"That's right, Prince-y~! Cent and I are way stronger than you!" Sinbad rolls his eyes.

"Alibaba, your Djinn Equip is still far from complete. And Aladdin, your magic isn't mastered yet"

"You're right. In Balbadd, I still felt like my magic wasn't enough. I want to learn more about magic, but I don't know what to do…"

"Magic, huh? Well, Sindria has a magic center and plenty of magicians...Maybe they can help you-"

"Wait, you need a magic teacher?!" Bad hops onto the table and lands next to Al, pulling him up. "Don't worry Uncle! I know just the person to teach Al!"

"Wait, who?" Sinbad stands as well, trying to ask a question before Bad races off with Aladdin in her grasp.

"The teacher who taught me!" Bad tells him, grinning widely at the shock on his face. "My mom!"

* * *

"H-her mom?!" Alibaba exclaims as soon as Bad drags Aladdin through the doors. "Her mom is here?!"

"That is...Unexpected" Sinbad looks displeased to say the least.

"Well, the person Bad's talking about isn't really her mother" The attention shifts back to the still sitting Temptress. Centola gazes toward the closed doors with fondness. "A long time ago, two magicians found Bad and Eren, who were both pretty much travelers at the time. They adopted them as their own children, and ever since Bad has called them 'Mama' and 'Papa'"

"I see…"

"Mhm. No need to worry, Sinbad. Bad's adoptive mother is a brilliant magician who taught Bad _almost_ everything she knows about magic. Her name is Yamu"

"While we are on the topic of Bad, Centola, I was wondering if I could ask you something" Centola nods. She already knows that this was going to happen, she's heard about it from Eren and Catrina. The Sindrian King has gone about asking about who Bad really is, and next on the list is Centola.

"Ask away." Alibaba sits back down. Sinbad stares at him for a moment and then asks Centola,

"Were you aware of Bad's connections to Al Thamen and the Kou Empire?"

_Did you know she was a Princess?_

"I am fully aware" Centola replies smoothly, and Alibaba looks like he was hit in the head with a shovel.

"What?" He asks, looking back and forth between Sinbad and Centola. "What do you mean Bad has connections to those guys…?"

Centola keeps her mouth shut.

_No more secrets between us, but Bad's secrets aren't mine to tell. _

"Alibaba." Sinbad gives him a serious gaze. "What I'm going to tell you is not something you are allowed to spread around, do you understand?"

"Y-Yeah, yes" Sinbad studies him for a moment longer before nodding.

"Bad's name isn't really Bad. She's actually a Princess from Kou" All blood drains from Alibaba's face.

"What...? Is that why those guys in Balbadd listened to her?"

"Yes. But Bad has renounced her title as a Princess and left Kou, choosing to instead oppose them and Al Thamen. Alibaba, I want you to get along with her"

Centola closes her eyes.

"Cent...Why didn't you tell me that Bad was-?"

"She's my friend" Centola states firmly, slowly revealing her green mirrors. "King Sinbad, Bad doesn't want to be thought of as a tool to use against the Kou Empire. She's more useful if you treat her the way she is, a skillful magician. I fully believe with the entirety of my being that Badroulbadour is no threat to Sindria or anyone. She has an intense hatred for Al Thamen, and is no way, shape or form a member of that organization"

"How would you know this?"

"I traveled from Balbadd with her when we first met. I lived in Rayide with her for half a year. We underwent many trials and adventures together, and not once has she ever expressed a desire other than to escape Al Thamen and protect Eren and Catrina from their wrath." The Temptress sits tall. "Bad is a magnificent person. Even if she isn't royalty, I still respect and am willing to follow her for all she's accomplished."

Sinbad smiles, though it seems lopsided.

"That's quite a speech, Centola. Even though Kou took over your home, you're willing to align yourself with a Princess from there?" Centola blinks and then looks down, feeling her hair swish over her shoulders.

"For a while I wasn't sure. I knew...Bad told me that the Kou Empire had been expanding and set their eyes on every resource they could stretch their hands to, but I didn't know they picked Balbadd until we caught word that Al Thamen was there…" Centola bites her lower lip, fisting her hands. "But then I realized that…"

"Cent…" Alibaba reaches over and takes one of her hands. The De Coverna looks up at him, sees his understanding eyes. She begins to smile.

"Then I realized that Bad wasn't all bad. She can't help what Kou does, she has no connections to them anymore. Bad is my friend." Sinbad crosses his arms, seemingly satisfied.

"I see. You have quite the passion, Centola." The Temptress knows her cheeks must be going pink.

"Not really, though I thank you for the kind words. Now if you excuse me, I'll be going to meet with my aunt" The King's face darkens considerably.

"Centola, if you could, please tell Zeina that she has until tomorrow to move her plants or I'm throwing them off the roof"

"Oh, that's right, Zeina said that if you do she'll stand next to you during the next festival and intimidate all the girls into staying away from you" Sinbad's mouth falls open and then he scowls.

"Well played. Well played."

"Sinbad, I could move the plants if you'd like. I'm going down to Zeina's house anyway, and it's really no bother." Sinbad shakes his head.

"I appreciate the offer, but this is a battle of personal moral and grudges" Sinbad stands and gains the face of a determined warrior. "I will win this war!"

"...But I don't think Zeina'll ever move the plants if she doesn't want to…" Centola comments, and Alibaba squeezes her hand.

"...Lets go, Cent. I don't think he's listening anymore…"

* * *

Yamu's house was crowded.

And she didn't exactly like it all that much.

It's not as though she didn't have room- no, she had plenty. Enough for her, Alexio and Zeina all to stay together and live pretty comfortably. It's just that...Well…

"I'm gonna explode if you don't put your damn plants in the corner, Zeina!" Zeina pouts.

"Both you and Sinbad...What am I suppose to do?"

"Put them on the roof?" Alexio suggests, sitting on the floor next to the low table. On it is his 'homework', in which he practices writing and reading. Yamu is on the verge of ripping her hair out.

"Why didn't you say that sooner?!"

"Why didn't you think of it first?" The magician lets out a groan and goes over to one pot. She picks it up and goes toward the ladder.

"Zeina, please, get the others and help me set them up upstairs"

"You have a roof entrance? Haha, we could have done this days ago!" A tick mark appears on her forehead, but she calms herself.

_You're fifty-eight mentally...Calm yourself…_

A deep breath is released.

She finds the panel in the corner of the loft and used a ladder concealed near the other ladder opening to push it open. It's true that Yamu doesn't always use the upmost level of the house, but that's because to her it's too bright and the sun is really hot-

_Gasp. _

Is she...Becoming Yunan?!

"Yamu? You look a little pale. Need me to make you some medicine?"

That's just making it worse!

"I'm pale?" She asks shakily, setting the pot down, the leaves trembling against her arms. "I-I-I-I-I-I'm pale?!"

"...Yes?"

Yamu drops to the ground, making loud groaning sounds.

"Yamu?! Are you okay?!" Zeina rushes over, quickly putting down her plants and shaking the woman's shoulders. "Come inside-"

"It's no use!" The bluenette lurches up and hugs Zeina's neck. "I'm doomed to be pale and sickly and sunburned forever because of that stupid guy!"

"Huh?"

"That stupid, stupid guy!" The Temptress sighs in relief and annoyance.

"Alright, I'll bite. What guy?"

"Yu-nan!" Yamu can hear the blonde's eyebrow quirking.

"Oh~? Your boyfriend~?"

"Yes- no- what?!"

"Kidding, kidding!" Yamu breaths out in defeat.

"We always lived in the Rift, so it's not like I ever got any sort of tan. Ugh...I'm doomed…" Zeina pats her head.

"There, there. Come help me make a garden up here and I'll share my secrets of pale-skin" Yamu blinks up at her with hopeful, blurry eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes. Now please let go of me"

* * *

"Hey Cent?" It was quiet as Alibaba and Centola walked down the main road from the Palace. It was a nice silence, because the two had been friends since they were young, but it was also filled with a sense of anticipation.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?" Centola looks over at Alibaba, watches how he's staring straight forward. Her lips quirk into a small smile to see how focused he appears.

"Of course."

"...What does Bad want?"

"Hmm...That...I suppose I know, but it's not something easily described." Alibaba's mouth opens a little at this. "Bad...Would like to create a better world"

"A better world" Alibaba repeats, looking upwards. "A better world?"

"...The rest I suppose you'll have to ask her about."

"Cent?"

"Yes?"

"What do you want?"

"Me?" Centola is genuinely surprised by that. "I'm not sure. Auntie wants me to be her heir since she doesn't have one, Bad wants me to join her and I'm sure so does Si-"

"But what do _you_ want?" The Temptress hums.

"...I just want to see my friends happy" Alibaba walks closer to her as they enter into a thicker part of the central market. Centola's mind flashes over Bad's memories that were showed to her, of a tiny girl growing up alone, of becoming freed by the man who'll become her love, and then having all the friends she made being taken away one by one in front of her helpless eyes. "I want to be able to cherish each moment I have with them"

"But what about the future?"

"What about the future? We live in the present, yes? Even as this conversation happens, the idea that we will continue to speak to one another tomorrow, the day after that, a year from now, continues. I know I won't stay in Sindria forever, but that's why I want to spend my time here with you and everyone else being happy. Our futures can be planned, but that doesn't mean we can sit around worrying about it. I want to just enjoy what I have for a little while"

Alibaba's face brightens, and he beams at her.

"That...I like the sound of that!"

"Yeah! Let's focus on training and enjoying this place, okay?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

"Run, run, run, run, run!"

"H-hey Bad, s-slow down!"

"Come on Al~ Don't be a slow poke!" Alexio lifted his eyes from the book. The shouting had come from outside the door, and then a grunt and heavy breathing greet his ears. Pleasant knocking ensues.

Alexio sighs and rubs the back of his head as he stands up and goes to answer the door.

"Hello-" His words are suddenly stuck in his throat.

The boy there was the source of the annoying breathing, his blue braid shaking as he inhaled and exhaled. His eyes looked up at him wearily, since he was shorter than Alexio, but the brown haired boy ignored him completely.

What he really focused on was the pretty- no, _beautiful_ girl in front of him. Her eyes were red as roses, like two fresh petals plucked from the vine and placed on an angel's face. She had pink silk for hair, tied back into a ponytail and hanging over her shoulder. And- Lord!- her smooth, soft-looking skin had a tiny flush from the running. From one ear a white hoop earring hangs against a pink cheek, and gold bangles clink against her wrists.

She smiles a saint's smile at him.

"Hello there, is Yamu here~?" Oh, her voice is so sweet and delicate! He snaps himself out of his daze and coughs.

"Yeah, um, who are you?"

"I'm Bad! Well, not really Bad, but Badroulbadour. And this is Aladdin!" She pulls him forward by their held hands. Alexio suddenly feels the urge to punch the boy in the face and doesn't know why.

"Um, hello. We're looking for Bad's mom, um, Yamuraiha" Alexio's eyes widen, and an overpowering burst of life explodes in his chest.

_God, is this fate? If so, _thank you _so_ friggin' _much_.

"Sure, she's here." He turns and beckons them inside with a casual wave of his wrist, and he clambers up the ladders. He pokes his head out onto the roof, and sees Zeina and Yamu finishing up with the make-shift garden.

"Alright! Now I'm going to teach you about how to seduce that magi of yours~!"

"What? I thought you were going to teach me the 'secrets of pale skin'"

"_Riiiiiight _*wink, wink*"

"Hey-"

"Miss Yamu?" The bluenette turns her attention to the youngest. He opens his mouth and then gains a slightly dreamy expression on his face. "Bad is here for you"

"Hm? Okay- BAD?!"" Alexio hops onto the roof as the magician barrels down the ladder. Zeina eyes him amusedly and then giggles behind her hand.

"What's that expression you have, Alexio?" Alexio shakes his head furiously and crosses his arms.

"Ma'am, I don't know what you're talking about"

"Oh dear, have a crush on Yamu's guest?" She hums to herself and fiddles with her flowering plants. "That's cute!"

Alexio pauses, and then shakes his head again.

"No way. I don't have a crush on a girl I only just met!"

* * *

The second Yamu's feet touched the ground, she saw a flash of pink hair before her waist is cinched by arms and a head is buried in her stomach.

"Mama~!" Bad greets her in joy.

"Bad!" Yamu leans down and embraces the girl tightly, feeling her motherly love overtake. "How are you dear?"

"I'm good! I'm happy to see you again" Bad pulls away to beam happily at Yamu, whose heart does little summersaults to see her daughter's face again after so long.

A blue braid makes her look up.

"Who's your friend?" She asks, still smiling so much that it hurts. But of course she knows this boy. He's her beloved disciple, after all.

"This is Aladdin. He's a magi"

"A magi?" She feels the light interest, of 'how is he gonna act this time' flicker up into her chest and fill her up. "That's amazing! It's a pleasure to meet you, Aladdin-"

Then she sees his face.

_Oh sweet God no-_

And next thing Yamuraiha knows, Aladdin was shoving his stupidass child face into her chest.

.

.

.

Bad looks-

_What the _hell _is that_ _emotion?_

Yamuraiha regains herself.

"W-what are you d-d-doing?! S-stop-!" He doesn't reply, and seems to sigh contently.

_The hell?!_

Her staff was leaning right beside the ladder...So close...

"DESIST, FOUL BOY!" She feels the magoi enter and exit her body the minute she grasped her staff, and Aladdin flies off of her, squirming with thick white steam hovering over his body. Aladdin rolls around on the floor like a worm, and Bad turns away.

"U-um, Bad, are you okay-?"

"_Fine_" The voice she uses is low, monotone and lacking light. "_Everything is perfect_"

"Y-you don't seem okay…" Well, she did just see the boy she's in love with fondle her mother's breasts…

Okay, that just makes her really pissed off at Aladdin.

"Stop being dramatic, it's just steam!" The magi pops up and blinks as- yes- water soaks through his clothes and lathers his skin.

"It's just water"

"_Yes, Aladdin. It's just water_." Aladdin worriedly looks to Bad, who's now standing in the corner of the room, facing toward the walls.

"Are you okay, Bad?"

"_Fine. Life still has purpose._"

"Um...Okay then…"

"Oi, brat! Let me tell you...If you try to do that again, I'll evaporate you from inside of your body!" Aladdin seems more crestfallen than frightened.

"Miss...You seem gentle but you're kinda not…" Yamu glares at him and then sighs.

"Seriously...I was so excited to see my daughter again, and I was happy that she actually made a friend her age- and a magi at that! I guess it was for nothing" Her annoyance fades slightly, but dark vibes start to come from the corner where Bad crouched down and started to rock back and forth on her heels.

"_*mumble, mumble*_"

"...Still okay, sweetheart?" Bad seems to fold in on herself even more.

"_I'm in good health. My heart is in one piece still_" Her reply makes Yamu shiver.

"A-all right then…" She turns back to Aladdin, who seems to as well feel her discomfort.

"Is being a magi something to be happy about?"

"Well, they're on a higher level than us sorcerers, so it's actually quite an honor for my girl to become an acquaintance of one. Now I see you're just a perverted brat, though."

"What is a sorcerer?"

"...You don't know?" Aladdin smiles up at Yamu, seemingly not bothered at all that he just touched her chest without permission.

"I want to know! Please teach me, Miss." The bluenette blinks and then feels the beginnings of a smile start on her face.

"Alright then. I'll teach you-"

**Slam.**

The magician steps back as Bad comes out of nowhere and stomps- _hard_\- on Aladdin's foot.

_Aaaaaannnnnd he's not wearing shoes. _

"YOU KNOW WHAT?! I'M _NOT _FINE!"

"We could tell, sweetheart"

"AaaaaooooOOOOooowww!"

"YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU TOUCH MY _MOTHER'S _BOOBS! STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I HATE YOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!"

"W-wait, Ba- ow, Ow, OW, Bad!"

* * *

Centola pauses.

"Bad?" The pinkette was running up back toward the palace. She spots Centola and then changes course, jumping into the older girl's arms.

"My life is _terrible_ Cent!"

"W-What happened?"

"I- He- Al- Oh hi Alibaba" The blonde boy raises a hand and scrutinized Bad.

"Hey Bad, I want to talk to you-"

"Oh, join the goddamn club!" The girl crows, throwing her hands up. "Everyone wants to talk and question and make deals and _politics, politics, politics_! I hate it! _And_ Aladdin decides to be a stupid pervert! SO, if you'd excuse me, I'm going back to the palace to set up highly elaborate pranks, eat all the sweets I can regardless if I get _fat_, and lock myself in my room to grow MUSHROOMS. Good crappy day to ya, ALI-BAKA!"

And with that, Badroulbadour begins to race up the hill with the speed of a Fanalis.

Centola blinks.

"I...Guess her meeting with her mother didn't go well?"

* * *

"Y-Yamu?" Centola opens the door to the simple-looking house, her voice timid. Alibaba wasn't sure to expect with Bad's adoptive mother. Would she be as bothersome and cruel as her? Would her tongue be as sharp, her eyes be as fierce? If there was one thing Alibaba was envisioning, it was an old hag with a scowl.

Instead, he walked in on a seemingly gentle woman bandaging Aladdin's wounds.

"There, see? It doesn't hurt at all! You should see Bad when she's _not _holding back" Her voice was strong and firm, but her curves were- _damn_\- and her hair soft-looking.

And blue.

He wasn't thinking of blue.

As were her eyes, when she greets Centola and him.

"Hello, Centola. Who's your friend?"

"This is Alibaba. We saw Bad heading back to the Palace and...is she well?"

"I missed her" Zeina sighs out from her place at the low table, flashing Alibaba a flirtatious smile that makes him blush. The boy beside her with brown hair sighs sadly.

"Me too"

"What?"

"What?"

"Yamu, what happened to make her so upset?" Yamu rolls her eyes.

"Aladdin touched my chest and Bad got...Weird. Then she basically crushed his foot and left"

"Oh. OH. Oh, Aladdin, that's mean!"

"W-What did I do?"

"One: never touch a woman's chest without asking" Zeina tells him, winking.

"Two: never touch a woman's chest without asking and being in a relationship with her" Yamu supplies next, annoyed.

"Three: don't do it in front of that woman's _daughter_" Centola finishes, stressing the words. Alibaba goes toward Aladdin and pats his shoulder sympathetically. "Poor girl. She's probably traumatized!"

"W-what? I didn't know that!" Aladdin cries, looking troubled. Alibaba pats his shoulder again.

"It's a rough world we live in, Aladdin. A rough, rough world." Centola rolls her eyes.

"You're pretty stupid if you didn't know that" The brown haired boy tells Aladdin, his bright blue eyes striking them with their oddly natural intensity.

"B-but no one ever told me that…" Aladdin tries, picking at his bandages. "I wouldn't have done it if I knew Bad would get upset…"

"Idiot, no one ever told me and I still knew. You have to treat a woman with care! Think about poor _Bad_" The boy sets down his book, glaring now. The way he said 'Bad' was filled with a sort of wistfulness. Zeina giggles.

"Alexio, your jealousy is cute~!"

"J-jealousy?!"

"Anyway, Aladdin, do you still want to know about magic?" Said boy looks up at the magician. Alibaba studies Bad's mother, finding her to be very youthful.

"You're still willing to teach me? Even after I violated those rules?"

"You seem genuinely apologetic for upsetting my daughter. If you apologize to her, I'll be sure to teach you, okay?"

"Y-yes! Thank you!"

"Yamu, something has been bothering me" Zeina rests her chin in her palm lightly, her maroon eyes matching the blooming flower in her hair.

"Yes?"

"Of all the times that Sin and I encountered you and Yunan, you never had a child with you. Plus you're twenty-three right? How do you have a daughter?" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows.

_Yunan? And doesn't she know that Bad's adopted-_

"You're right. Yunan and I adopted Bad...Oh, four years ago? She was six or seven and Eren was seventeen. We took them in and they traveled with us. Then Catrina came along and we adopted her as well" Zeina 'ohs'.

"I see. Centola, then my assumption that this 'Bad', 'Eren' and 'Catrina' must be the kids that came with you to Rayide then, yes?"

"Yes. We met by caravan and they decided to come with me to Rayide- though we had to have a pit stop at Kou first."

"Interesting~ then I've met this child of yours, roommate!" Yamu rolls her eyes and flicks her fingers in a 'good for you' gesture. Then she picks up several books laying around and motions to Aladdin.

"Well then, let's start our lessons Aladdin! I heal up your foot with a healing spell, okay?"

Alibaba stands.

"Bye Cent. I have to head back to the Palace, Sinbad said he wanted to talk to me about my Djinn Equip" Centola smiles widely at him.

"Of course! Bye, Ali. Thank you for walking me here" Zeina grins mischievously.

"Aw, Cent, you didn't tell me he was your boyfriend!" Both teens goes red, and Alibaba suddenly hates the heat of his face.

"What?! No, Cent and I-"

"Auntie, Ali isn't-" Zeina laughs, touching her fingers to her lips.

"Oh~ I'm so jealous~" The brown haired boy- Alexio- rolls his eyes.

"Get serious, won't you guys? It feels like one comedic situation after another…"

"Which reminds me! Alibaba, tell Sinbad that if he wants those plants moved he could always pay me"

"Pay you? How much?"

"Well, the amount I was thinking of is…"

* * *

"_THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH!_"

* * *

Posed and sweating, the two girls' crimson gazes meet, both preparing to launch.

"Ready, Sister Mor?" One of the two, with a serious face and strong profile gives a sharp nod.

"Ready, Catrina" The other has a more excitable face, and a quick flash of a smile flickers like a candle on her face, fading in and out of illumination.

An older man on the sidelines surveys each of the girls and then leans against a tree.

"On the count of three." Comes his low voice, a rumble like the earth quaking. "One, two…"

The anticipation builds, filling and choking any bystander nearby with a sudden twinge of a red tenseness.

"…Three" The very millisecond a sound was uttered both girls' ears twitched. Their leg muscles built up energy and released it, their breaths were sucked in.

And by the end of the word, their legs were connecting midair, slamming into one anothers with fierce passion. Realizing that they were equal strength, Catrina pulls her leg down and Morgiana's leg continues in it's direction, making her spin in the air. The second her other foot hits the ground Catrina's there, swinging her leg around the ground to sweep Morgiana of the ground.

Their ankles connect, but Mor's reflexes kick in and she jumps into the air, pining Catrina to the ground as she lands on one hand.

Quickly the Fanalis-Amala unhooks her foot from her target's and pushes herself backwards, gaining a little distance to recover as Morgiana backflips herself upright.

Again they attack one another, using their fists this time as Catrina sends punch after punch in Morgiana's direction, which the pure-blood dodges with frightening speed.

Finally their knuckles connect, tearing a bit of skin, and the force of their connection resounds in a slap that echoes in the forest. Digging her heels in, Catrina gets serious. As if sensing her opponents change in tactic, Morgiana flips back to the original distance, flexing her bruised and cut knuckles while studying Catrina's similar ones.

The orange eyed fourteen year old flicks a few droplets of blood on the ground, lazily surveying the landscape. They are in a good sized clearing, lined on every side with sloping, large green trees. The grass is short and thick like moss, but a bit _too _soft for her to get a good grip with her feet. Catrina blinks, and then is off.

Morgiana had anticipated this. She watched Catrina race off like a bird, leaning forward and ducking her head for max speed. Instead of coming straight towards her from the middle however, the other Fanalis had chosen to loop around, add a tilt to her oval-shaped flight path. Morgiana darts straight forward, forcing the other to change course to a more circular shape.

_Wait...But why did it seem like she was preparing to do that?_

Masrur's eyes tighten, narrowing a bit at the fighting girls. The wind ruffles his hair, and he easily pushes one heel into the slightly moist ground.

Catrina and Morgiana trade blows once more, eyes scanning and shifting and jumping to read each other's muscles and movements. Tense in the right forearm? Block, she's preparing to strike. A harsh jerk of her thigh? She's sidestepping, follow, pursue the opening. Graceful tensing of the ankle? She's about to kick, watch out for her knee. They do it for so long that the actions become a coordinated dance, their movements fluid.

Then, in a jerk that Morgiana wasn't expecting, Catrina falls back a few feet. Morgiana hesitates, but then steps back as well, waiting to see what she's going to do. They're now on opposite sides than before, Catrina can tell by the smell of her droplets of blood behind Morgiana.

The Bird smirks.

Masrur raises his eyebrows.

Morgiana gains an ominous feeling.

Catrina darts forward. The pureblood prepares for her to throw a right hook, but instead a foot in front of her she dives downwards and presses her split knuckle into the ground.

_What?!_

Her body is stiffly straight, until her legs spread outwards and she spins them around like a propellor. Morgiana flinches and then quickly reacts, jumping above the legs into the air. Catrina's fingers were digging themselves in and out of the dirt, applying the force that makes her spin around. Morgiana lands close to the tree line, breathing hard.

Catrina jumps back up, also sweating heavily.

Mor runs toward Catrina, who sidesteps and then places a kick to force the pureblood to back up once again.

Then, Morgiana's foot stumbles.

Her head snaps toward the incoming ground, only barely spotting the source of her losing her balance.

A hole.

And next thing she knows, despite trying hard to pull herself up, Catrina's there, sitting on her stomach and slamming her wrists down with one hand. With the other she poses it in a fist above Morgiana's face.

Stillness creeps over the clearing.

"I win, Sis!" She whoops, and the pureblood's adrenaline disintegrates, instead choosing to stare in awe and confusion up at Catrina.

"You...You won" She whispers out as her muscles relax. Catrina stands up and offers Mor her hand. Mor reaches out and grasps it, allowing the other to pull her up. Then she pauses, staring at the mix blood's hand. "Ah, your knuckles are…"

Her knuckles were worse than Morgiana's, a malicious purple and furious red, blood trickling out from slashed-open gashes crisscrossing over the protruding bones. She barely gives it a glance and shrugs.

"You know Mor, sometimes to win you have to be willing to give up something" Mor tilts her head.

"Willing to...Give up something?" At that moment Masrur joins them.

"Good job. Congratulations, Catrina" Catrina giggles.

"Thanks! I'm happy that I was able to beat Mor, she's so strong!" Mor shakes her head.

"No, I went down easily. Back then, too, you were better…" Catrina blinks and then feels the memory come to her. Balbadd, six months ago, when the two girls worked together to defeat a horde of monkeys and their evil boss.

"Eh? What are you talking about? That doesn't count! I used my magic, so it's not fair ya know!" Mor shrugs, still disheartened. Masrur looks to the bright sky and then scratches the back of his head.

"Morgiana...It's not that Catrina is stronger than you" The pureblood girl looks to her master. "It's just that she outsmarted you"

"...?" Mor tilts her head. "What do you mean, Masrur?"

Masrur motions to the hole in the ground.

"During the beginning of the fight, Catrina tested your strength. She realized you both were equal. Then, she tested the soil in the ground to see if it was soft. Deciding it was, she flicked blood from her hand to mark the place. That way, she'd be able to smell the place she chose. After that she lured you into the middle of the clearing. She figured out that you could be lulled into a pattern, and got you to take steps back toward that marked place. Then she used that propelling kick to dig a hole with her fingers. Once again she started the pattern, and made you trip"

"S-she planned it the whole time?" Masrur nods. Catrina tilts her head.

"Guys, I'm right here…"

"Sorry. You planned it the whole time?" The Bird smiles crookedly.

"Yup. Bad always told me that if my opponent has the same strength as me I should use my head instead of my brawns to win" Masrur cracks his back.

* * *

Catrina and Masrur were walking besides one another back to the Palace, Morgiana having had left quickly when she told them Sinbad wanted to speak with her at noon. The bright blue sky stretched above the world, shining over the tops of white residential houses and the colorful overhangs of the bazaar. Masrur seemed content with the silence, but it was sort of bothering Catrina, who pouted and fiddled with her bruised hand.

She winced when she poked too hard at her index finger's bone. Then she tried to make a fist, feeling the hissing pain soar through her arm and-

Masrur catch her wrist in his big fist and gave her a look that said 'I'm-not-gonna-change-my-facial-expression-but-are-you-stupid?'.

"Stop that. You'll break it." Catrina pouts some more, shuffling her feet.

"But I've only broken a bone a few times." She slightly whines. He raises one eyebrow.

"You want to break it another time?"

"No, but I think it's cool that I got so hurt during a fight. It hasn't happened before. Well, not with people other than my friends." Masrur keeps on holding her wrist, even when it goes limp, just so she doesn't try to irritate it anymore.

"Oh?"

"Mh! Is it because Mor's a Fanalis? If so, then that's really cool! I want to do even more training with you guys!"

"Yes. Which reminds me…" The twenty year old looks down at her with a strange gaze. "...How were you able to keep up with Morgiana?"

"Hm?"

"You're a half-blood, right?"

"Um..."

"Even a half-blood wouldn't be able to keep up physically with a pureblood. But for some reason you were able to. Despite not being a full blooded Fanalis, you still had the strength of one. Why is that?" Catrina blinks.

"Whoa, you talk a lot" His eyes narrow in annoyance. "Sorry! It's just that you don't seem like the type to talk so much~. Ahem. Okay, well, I'm not sure why I'm as strong as a full Fanalis. It's weird, I know, but I can't help that I'm strong."

Masrur ponders over this, and Catrina lowers her gaze to the ground.

_Could it have something to do with…?_

A small squeeze on her wrist makes her look back up at her master. He nudges his head toward the market.

"Want to look at something?"

"Huh? Really? You...You want to shop with me?!" He blinks at her sudden excitement, the way her eyes shine. She jumps up and hugs him, laying her temple against his before falling back down to earth. "I love you, Masrur!"

And she drags him through the bazaar by holding his hand, not knowing that her words are the reason his jaw slackened and mind went completely blank.

* * *

"I love you Masrur!"

_...What?_

_What?_

_WHAT?_

Masrur made a choking noise.

"Something wrong?" Catrina asks cheerfully, holding up scarves.

"N-no…"

_YES._

* * *

**Knock, knock, knock. **

"Bad? What the hell did ya do with those mushrooms from the kitchen?" Eren huffs, staring at the large door.

"Life is really questionable right now Eri. I need time to reflect"

"Oh my God what are ya, _**Ghandi**_?"

"Shut up. I'm deciding my religion"

"…I'm gonna hate myself for this but what religion are ya choosin'?"

"I've decided to worship the Dark Lord Satan"

"…Alright"

"I made a shrine."

"Can I see?"

"No"

"Why did you decide to worship Mr. Satan?"

"Because the only one who can understand the darkness of my soul is the darkness itself"

"Okay emo, cry me a river"

"Greeeeeaaaat comeback"

"Thanks!"

"IT WAS SARCASM DIP"

**Knockknockknockknockknock, knockknock**

"Stop."

**Knock knock knoooooockknock!**

"_Stop._"

**Knock tap knock tap**

_"OH MY GOD FINE_"

Triumphantly Eren enters through the door, picking up a squirming Bad and entering the dark room. From under his arm Bad pouts.

"By the way, ya said God"

"Satan is my God" Eren rolls his eyes at the girl and takes a look around, squinting.

"Hmm, nice alter"

"Thanks. It's made of mushrooms, old books and ink I found and make chill designs with." The Chandlen sighs.

"Okay, what happened?"

"What do you mean?" Bad asks innocently. Eren sets her on the bed and goes over the curtains.

"Three…"

"What are you doing?"

"Two…"

"Wha- Eri! ERI LET GO OF THE CURTAIN!"

"One!"

The curtains are ripped apart, light landing on a hissing Bad who shakes and then flops herself off the bed.

"ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT! I GIVE!"

Eren allows the curtains to swish closed.

"Talk."

Bad crawls back onto the bed, peeling open the covers and cozying herself inside, making a nest of pillows and white sheets.

"Hey Eren, when do boys get serious?"

"Hm? Whatcha mean?"

"When do they start acting like mature, normal people and not careless sacks of shit?" Eren whistles.

"Language. And uh, I don't know. When they're eighteen or twenty? In our...In _**Charlie's **_world, boys took years to get serious. But in this one it don't seem like they have much of a choice on when their childhoods end...So, I guess, I'm not really sure."

"You got serious when I met you, and you were sixteen!"

"Not really serious...More like responsible. I'm not quite serious about anything other than doin' what ya want ya know" Bad peaks out with rosy eyes.

"...Eren...Do you think that Aladdin...Aladdin doesn't like me?" The Chandlen strolls casually toward the bed, feeling around for it in the darkness and patting Bad's form under the sheets.

"I'm sure he does. But you don't want him to, right?"

"Yeah...I...Don't mind being his friend. I want to be his friend, even though I know it'll cause nothing but problems. I can't understand it. I also can't understand the reason that even though I'm fulfilling that desire it still..._It still hurts_…!" The green haired man reaches under into the nest, warm from her body heat, and pulls her out. She's like a puppy waking up from a sleep, unable to resist strong arms and curling into the lap she's placed on. "Eri...Eri why do I feel like this? I was so resolved...I know what I'm meant to do...So why…!"

Eren clears his throat.

"Do ya know why our hearts beat?" Bad blinks.

"Why...They beat? To circulate blood."

"Yeah. But why?"

"Why?"

"Why do they hafta to beat? 'To circulate blood' is what a scientist would say. But I don't think that way, ya know. I think our hearts beat because stayin' alive is what we all want to do. Our hearts aren't just physical, they're symbolic. They tells us when we're in love...They tell us when we're sad...They tells us when we're hurtin'. They know us better than we know ourselves. That's why you're hurtin' right now. It's because...Because you have a problem with your logic. Because you're questionin' what you're doin'. Because Kouhime still loves Aladdin, the Rens, even Sinbad and his crazy generals. Your mind might be 'Bad', but your heart will always be 'Kouhime'. Does that make sense?"

The split little girl looks slightly awed. She nods slowly, pain flickering over her face.

"Yeah but...But I don't wanna be Kouhime anymore. I wanna be Bad. I'm done trying to pretend that I can be both of them, because I know that's impossible. They're two different people, Eri. Kouhime is gentle and shy. Bad is charismatic and war-like. I just- I don't know which one to be anymore! If Kouhime loves Aladdin, then what should Bad do to stop her? I can't...I don't know…!"

Eren holds his sister tight, at loss for words.

"Maybe...I don't know, Ba-Sis. I don't know. But ya have to understand that Catrina and me- we don't _care_. It won't bother us if you are Kouhime or Bad. Ya know we couldn't give less of a shit about if ya want war or if ya want peace. Nothin' you do will make us love you any less than we do."

"Ye-yeah?"

"Of course." He tells her strongly, patting her head as she pulls back to look up at him. "Does it matter what name ya take? You're still you! You're a sister, a thief, a leader, a blackmailer, and have a resume longer than my body! Catrina and I love you. Nothin'll change that, got it?"

"G-got it!"

* * *

Catrina hums happily, skipping down the long hallway of the Palace with Masrur beside her.

"Ne, ne, Masrur! Do you think Mor is done yet~? If so I wanna show her the things we bought!"

"I'm not sure…" He replies, clearing his throat and looking away. Catrina tilts her head at him but then finds the answer quickly.

_He must be awkward with new friends! Well no problem, I can certainly deal with that!_

She coughs, and then gives Masrur the biggest, friendliest smile she can muster. The older Fanalis looks a bit struck, a bit unsure and...Er...That's kinda weird…

"Masrur, I really like spending time with you! Let's do it again, alright?" He makes a noise in his throat.

_Aww! He's speechless about our friendship!_

"U-uh sure" He looks away, throat looking really tight. The Fanalis-Amala beams happily at her success.

"Awesome! It'll be so fun!"

* * *

Masrur is stoic.

He is a statue, a model Fanalis with a brave face and kickarse strength.

But at the moment, he is at an utter loss at what to do with his disciple. First, she _hugs_ him. Then, she proclaims she _loves _him. And now Catrina asks to spend more _time _with him. And he AGREED.

Masrur is stoic.

But on the inside he is flipping. _His_. _**Shit**_.

_What do I do?!_

"Awesome! It'll be so fun!" Uh yeah, when people get over the fact that he's dating his _student_. They'll think he's taking advantage of her or something stupid like that. Plus Sinbad'll never let him live it down and _Sharrkan_ will try to harass poor Catrina.

Masrur lifts his gaze to the ceiling.

How did he even get himself into this mess? They hung out on the ship, yeah, and also trained together a lot but it's not like he ever hinted to her that he liked her. Nor did she! In fact, Catrina really was nothing but nice and talkative to him and Morgiana.

_Was her friendliness the way she showed attraction?_

If so then why is she nice to everyone?

_Is she _attracted _to everyone?_

Masrur sighs. Well...Maybe he'll be able to let her down easy. Yeah...He'll ask Sharrkan or Sinbad. That way they'd know about it but won't be able to annoy him or Catrina once he tells them he isn't interested.

It's a good idea...Right?

"Lord Masrur!" A few soldiers in blue come running up to the two. "A Southern Sea creature has been spotted!"

* * *

"Yamu~! Aladdin~! Look, it's a Rampaging Moray! Let's go~~~" Yamu hears the words, twisting around toward the front door. Zeina's waving her hand pleasantly as if asking how she is, and Centola looks a bit pale.

"I-I didn't know it would be so big..."

"What do you mean, Cent?" Zeina asks expectantly, and instantly Centola's skin is back to it's usual glowing luster, her smile brightly lit.

"I am pleasantly surprised by this guest."

"Ha! Good girl. It'll be a while before you can act like me and say whatever you want" Centola shrugs elegantly.

"It will be good training, Ma'am" Proudly, Zeina links their elbows, smiling.

"My girl is wonderful, right Yamu?"

"Wait a...Rampaging Moray?!" Yamu jumps up from the low table, grabbing Aladdin's wrist and pulling him out the door. Alexio pokes his head out from the top of the ladder and then climbs down it like a monkey, rushing after the group to see the 'moray'.

"What's a Rampaging Moray?"

"A Southern Sea creature that sometimes appears off the cost of Sindria and comes ashore" Yamu explains to him as they follow the crowd in racing down to the farmlands to see the action. "They're really popular with the natives because after one of the Eight- sorry, _S__even _Generals kills one the meat is divided amongst the people and the rare parts are sold to merchants, which generates a great deal of profit for the economy."

Zeina nods along, a skip in her long strides.

"This is going to be a great deal of fun, no?" Centola nods, eyes scanning expectantly to spot the giant monster again.

"Of course, Auntie"

"Look there's-" Aladdin's voice dies, and Yamu knows why. The sea monster was _huge_. Bigger than she remembers actually. It doesn't scare her of course, she's seen it many times before, but it does bring back surprisingly fond memories. Memories like fighting with Sharrkan over who'll kill the monster, memories of the festival where she danced and ate and had lots of fun. And, with a pang that she hates herself for remembering, it was also at one of these festivals that Sharrkan first asked her out.

They arrive close to it, and Zeina 'oohs'.

"That's even bigger than I remember~!" She claps her hands in admiration. The beast was like a serpent, long and blue with murderous red eyes and slippery, scaly skin. It's teeth were so long and sharp that they poked out from it's mouth and it had to keep it's jaws spread apart in order to keep from impaling it's own gums. Aladdin and Alexio both look pale.

"That's uh...A nice looking tourist attraction ya got there..." Alexio tries for comedy, laughing a little while Aladdin does the same.

"Um...Wait, there's Alibaba!" Aladdin races forwards toward Morgiana and Alibaba, who stand staring in shock at the beast. Zeina drags Cent and Alexio closer as well. Yamu feels the arms around her waist before she hears the voice.

"Mama, don't worry, I'll protect you~!"

"Bad!" Yamu twirls around and hugs her daughter again, glad to see that her face is free from the scary look it held earlier. "I though you were going back to the Palace?"

"I was, but then Sinbad interrupted Eri and I's awesome bonding moment and made us come down here." Bad pouts. "I had just convinced Eri to join my cult..."

"What-?"

"Nothing." Bad looks to the screeching sea monster and whistles. "Now _that _is a Southern Sea creature. Last time I saw one was when...Nevermind" Yamu raises an eyebrow at her daughter.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah...It was after you..." Oh.

_The Other. _

"I...I see." Bad means the last time she saw a Rampaging _anything _was after Yamuraiha died in the other. Yamu tries not to shiver at the idea.

"Where is Eren? I haven't seen him in about seven months!"

"He saw Catrina and ran off to go look for Prince-y. He suggested I come with him but I said I'd rather burn in the eternal flames of my new God than play with that little blond imbecile." At this point, Yamu's staring to feel a little worried for her daughter's newest 'religion'. Alexio looks over from Zeina's side and notices Bad's presence.

"O-Oh, hi Bad..." He stutters, smiling slightly as he totters over. Yamu blinks at him. He hardly ever acts this nice...

"Oh, hi, um...I'm sorry, what's you're name?"

"Alexio" He supplies, and Bad beams at him.

"Alexio! Have you been taking good care of Zeina and Mama~?"

"Y-yeah! It's been fun..." Alexio looks like he's forgotten that there's a wailing monster in the background, scratching the back of his head.

_Is he blushing?_

Yamu's starting to get suspicious.

_Aladdin, don't be stupid and let Bad go! You may not know it but I'm a secret Aladour shipper!_

* * *

Aladdin blinks, his worry and fear over the Rampaging Moray suddenly disappearing.

"What's wrong, Al?" Alibaba asks, looking over with a creased brow at the blank-faced Aladdin.

"I don't know...I suddenly feel..." Aladdin's face takes on an emotion that Alibaba's never seen him have. "...Jealous."

"What?" The Balbaddian Prince squeaks.

"Someone...Someone's trying to..." Aladdin stomps his foot. "Urgh! I don't get it but I _really _wanna punch someone in the face!" Alibaba slowly turns away from him.

"Um...You do that, Al..."

"I'm serious! Someone's trying to steal my woman!" Morgiana blinks.

"Your woman?"

"Yeah! I...I UGH!" Aladdin pulls on his braid. "This is weird! What's going on with me?

At that moment, Eren came up with Catrina, who tackles Mor and cuddles her 'older sister'.

"Sis, what's going on?" Mor pointed to the Moray who seriously isn't getting enough attention despite crushing several fruit trees. "Oh, that. It looks kinda cute~"

"Ehhh? Ya think so?" Eren asks, tilting his head. "Well...I guess I see it"

"You _see _it?!" Alibaba squawks, mouth hanging open. "All I see is a monster that people are cheering on and _ignoring_!"

"This actually isn't that unusual, Alibaba." Alibaba furrows his brow at Catrina, who smiles.

"What do you mean? This happens a lot?"

"Well yeah-"

**Dum, dum, dum, dum.**

The pounding of drums interrupt them, and they look toward the cliff above where the shoulders pound on drums and line up around seven figures.

"They're here!" Someone calls.

"Our King...!" A woman sighs.

"...And his Seven Generals!"

"Whoa..." Catrina claps her hands together, stars in her eyes. "...They all look really cool~!"

Eren shakes his head, sweat dropping.

"Ya get very fangirly, ya know that?"

"Decide today's hunt with your sword, Sharrkan!" Eren lifts his head up.

"Oh hey, there's the guy that said that swords were better than arrows." Then under his breath he mutters, "That prick."

"Did you say something, Eri?"

"Not at all, why?"

"I'm a Fanalis, idiot"

* * *

While the crowd 'oos' and 'ahs' at Sharrkan's cutting up of the Moray, Yamu rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"Why do they like him so much? He's just an attention seeker" She whispers to Bad, who giggles and nods.

"He's the worst, but he puts on a good show!"

"Everyone, share it harmoniously!" Yamu scoffs.

"Stupid." She rolls her eyes, but holds Bad's hand while heading up toward Aladdin. Alexio walks beside them, to preoccupied with looking star-struck at Sharrkan's antics to notice their conversation.

Aladdin perks up at the sight of Bad and Yamu.

"Oh, hey guys! Um, Bad, I'm sorry for-"

"It's fine." She tells him, but looks through him to the swordsman walking towards them with Sinbad and her words are covered in ice. "I don't care at all"

"B-but-"

"_We shall never speak of it again_" She declares huffing, much to Aladdin's ire.

Sinbad reaches them, barely noticing Yamuraiha and instead skipping straight towards Alibaba.

"Alibaba, this is Sharrkan. He will be your swordplay teacher."

"Nice to meet you!" Sharrkan declares, shaking Alibaba's hand and leaning in close, a wide smile on his face. "I've heard that you want to improve your swordplay no matter what, right?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Sharrkan nods his head triumphantly.

"I see...So you like swordplay that much! In understanding the value of swords, you have promise!" Sharrkan hooks his arm around Alibaba's neck, suddenly buddy-buddy. "Erm...What 'Baba' are you again~?"

"I'm Alibaba"

"Alibaba! For men it has to be swordplay, right~?" Yamu feels irritation bubble up with her, but then remembers that if she gets in a fight with Sharrkan a serious of bad things will ensue. So instead, she sighs with annoyance. Which is when he notices her.

_Goddamnit. _

"Hey, you're that chick from before!" Masrur pretends to not know her, but the rest of the Generals and Sinbad focus in on her. Bad holds her dress for reassurance. Yamu gains a cool expression, raising an eyebrow.

"And you're that creepy guy who was hitting on me." Yamu sighs, rolling her eyes. Sharrkan pouts, but he still tries to salvage some dignity.

"Hey, now that you've seen my sword skills, you have to admit that it's really awesome right~?" Yamu smirks.

"Eh, mediocre."

"M-MEDIOCRE?!" Hm...Maybe this style of annoying him is more fun than the other kind.

"Miss, who are you?" Sinbad asks suspiciously, and Yamu almost internally sweat drops.

_To get caught this quickly...*Sigh*. _

"My name is Yamuraiha. I'm Aladdin's new magic teacher." She explains, smiling pleasantly like she doesn't know him at all. Of course, that's a total lie. At this point all the Generals zero in on her, and from the sidelines Zeina giggles in pleasure.

Realization in 3...

2...

1...

"EHHHHHH?!" Ja'far steps forward the same second Sinbad does, their eyes narrowed.

"Yamuraiha, as in Yunan's apprentice?" He asks in a low voice, and Yamu stares unflinchingly up at him.

"Yes. I moved to Sindria about six months ago." She supplies, tilting her head to the side. Bad instantly steps in-between the two, grinning devilishly.

"Yeah Uncle! This is Yamu, she's my mom!" Sinbad blinks, and the second realization takes over. The first one was just realizing that she was the same blue-haired mage from his encounters with Yunan, but the second is remembering that Bad had stated that she was taking Aladdin to 'Mama' and Centola saying that Bad's adoptive mother was named 'Yamu'.

"Mom?" Sharrkan asks shocked on the sidelines, and the rest of the generals have their mouths hanging open.

"Yes, I adopted Bad five years ago." Yamu casually tells them, patting Bad head with motherly affection. The child in return takes the hand stroking her hair and holds it, beaming upwards.

"So Bad, if your 'mom' is Yamu, then who is your 'dad' you mentioned?" Sinbad asks it pleasantly, his smile tight and misleading. Bad blinks up at him innocently, but Yamu's gears are already turning.

Sinbad knows that Yamu is Yunan's companion, but what will he do now? Bad said she'd take care of it, but there's no way that the Sindrian King would allow her to continue to teach Aladdin, right? But Aladdin won't get as good of an education if his teacher isn't Yamu, and Al admitted in the Other that Yamu's teachings really helped him in Magnostadt. Not to mention that he'll need to magoi suppressors later as well!

Yamu bites the inside of her cheek.

_What will you say, Bad?!_

"Papa? His name's Yunan, of course!"

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Aladdin caught himself one day daydreaming about holding Bad's hand. He proceeded to bang his head against a column for unknown reasons. Alibaba asked him if he was okay and Aladdin replied with, "WHAT IS PUBERTY?!"

**Fun Fact #2:** Bad's bite is worse than her bark. (Pun much?)

**Fun Fact #3: **After Bad's 'personalized-training-from-hell', Eren could beat Catrina in a physical fight (yes, that's how hardcore the training was), but as he's gone so long without the training regimen Catrina is now the stronger of the two again.

* * *

**Magi 264/265: **(CONTAINS SPOILERS) Okay, the ish is goin' on? First, is Alibaba dead? What? I guess the plot armor is down...? But then again that means he won't be able to return to his body since- yes- the Judal + Ali adventure-time theory is correct. Plus I saw my baby Aladdin crying and I just wanna hug him **_so _**hard. Plus Hakuryuu looks BADASSSSSSS. All hail the edge lord! I really hope that some of Kouen's crew dies, I literally despise half of them (except for medusa-hair, he's pretty kickarse). Hopefully pig-guy dies, because honestly he's loud, annoying, and always smiling with his black teeth which sorta disturbs me.

**Comedic Chapter!: **Sorta, I guess. I don't know, there's only so much drama you can drop without needing some comic relief situations, and it feels like Bad and the gang really need some relaxation time before shit gets real. Of course, I also added some Kouhime up in this ish and made Eren give a 'heartbeat' speech, both of which are the reason why this chapter is titled 'Heartbeats'. Oh, and guys?

NEXT CHAPTER IS THE MAHRAJAN FESTIVAL!

**AlexioXBadXAladdin?: **Suggested by Girl Who Loves Her Cartoons and taken because writing this is going to be hilarious! Plus, Alexio needs some friends. Granted he'll have a crush on one and the other will be his 'love-rival' (Juvia, anyone? ;)) but still, they'll be his friends. Plus I feel a little bad for Bad (pun) and Aladdin, who've never really had a friend their own age. Plus there's Alexio, who lived on the streets until he was taken in by Zeina and had to struggle to survive. With these three together, they'll all have a _semblance_ of a childhood, at least.

**Bad's Angry With Al:** Aladdin done effed up, lol XD. He'll need to win back the heart of his woman! Go forth, you adorable chibi you! Btw, I was laughing soooo hard during the scene with Aladdin telling Alibaba that he felt really jealous for some reason. Poor Aladdin, you don't have to understand it~ Just go with the ship~!

That's it for chapter 20, everyone! Thanks so much for reading, and a special thank you to Girl Who Loves Her Cartoons for being the most amazing person in the entire world and creating a beautiful picture of Juliet Chandlen from my side-story Beneath the Stars! Go look on my profile for the picture, it's uber purty~ She's also working on a picture of Catrina which I shall post with great honor once I see it, and she's considering making one for Eren, which would be _adorable_.

Got any questions **or suggestions**? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	22. Chapter 21: Scars

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SIXTH ARC: **Half a Year in Sindria

CHAPTER 21: Scars

* * *

Bad whooped from her position on Eren's back, legs swinging this way and that as their group moved through the crowd, laughing and chatting to one another. Catrina was in a deep conversation with Khadeja about how to cook certain recipes (turns out they're both food-nerds, who knew?) and Yamuraiha is trying to convince Zeina that setting up an underground gambling tournament will only lead to trouble.

Centola holds Bad's hand as the little girl uses the other to form a rough hold on Eren's hair, who winces at the action but doesn't tell her to stop. Alexio stares up at Bad, a weird feeling in his eyes.

_Meh, must be admiration._

"Cent, admit it, I'm a _boss_!" The Temptress rolls her eyes in exasperation, but she's still smiling widely.

"You're a _boss_, bad-girl. But try not to be this pleased next time you win a 'word battle' against Sinbad." Zeina drops into the conversation, maroon eyes glittering.

"You did use some good distractions against Sinbad." The older Temptress sighs dreamily. "It was beautiful~!" Khadeja nods.

"I liked Ja'far's reaction. It was cute." She states firmly, and Zeina's head snaps toward the servant.

"'Cute'?" She repeats, slowly inching toward the black-curled woman. Khadeja nods, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, why-"

"_Are you dating my son_?" The blonde asks with a slow smile, a sort of wild curiosity in her eyes.

"No." Khadeja shrugs. "I only sort of like him half of the time. Sometimes I think he's adorable, and others I want to strangle him for having such a large stick up his ass."

The group holds their breath as Zeina, Ja'far's self-proclaimed mother, stares does down Khadeja, Centola's self-proclaimed servant. And just when they're sure it's about to get nuclear up in this bitch, Zeina starts laughing.

"You know what? I give you my permission. Go forth you silly girl and date my precious angel! He's all yours!" Khadeja blinks anime-style at Zeina's laughter, tilting her head at the woman's words.

"Um...Okay, I guess." Bad and Catrina laugh as Eren and Yamu sweatdrop, and in the background Centola could be seen thanking God for hearing her prayers. Then Khadeja grins wickedly. "Shall we head up to the Palace later? Perhaps we should enlighten Ja'far of the news~"

"Khadeja, you're out of character…" Centola nervously laughs, and Bad shakes her head.

"Nah, Khadeja is pretty much headstrong, stubborn, violent and a bit tsundere, so having a wicked sense of humor would be normal, right? Plus we all act a little OOC sometimes~!" Eren knits his eyebrows together.

"You guys...Your words seem a little too planned for the conversatio-"

"Shut up, Eren" The two tell him at the same time.

Then on another note, Bad snuggles into the brother she piggyback rides, watching with amusement over the actions of everyone working hard to prepare the festival. Her eyes float over the white walls slathered with colorful fabrics and blooming flowers strung in hair.

She lets her eyes shut halfway.

"_Papa? His name is Yunan, of course!" Sinbad's eyes nearly pop out of his sockets, and the eight Generals turn from interested and suspicious to flat-out prepared to strike at any moment. Out of the corner of her eye, Catrina and Eren don't disappoint and shift their way toward Bad and Yamu, and Centola does the same. Intrigued, Zeina manages to glide her way toward her young apprentice, laying her forearm on the strawberry blonde's shoulder. _

_Five vs. Nine. _

_Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana stand awkwardly off to the side, caught between the two groups. Bad pretends to be completely caught off-guard by the new formation. Alexio, who appears just as weirded out, stands awkwardly beside the two Temptresses_

"_Um...Uncle, is something wrong?" The pinkette asks, grinning. "That weird look on your face makes you look old~" Sinbad's mouth opens and then he scowls. _

"_One: I am _not _old, and two: Yunan and I are not exactly on good terms" Sinbad seamlessly transforms his shock and distasteful expression back into that of a righteous, noble King. Internally the Princess cracks her knuckles and sizes up Sinbad. _

This is gonna be easier than cutting cake.

"_Why'd ya say them in that order?" Eren asks curiously, and suddenly _everyone _has something to add. _

"_Because of his priorities, obviously~" Zeina answers, giggling. Centola blushes at her Aunt's actions._

"_Auntie…"_

"_You think you're old?" Yamu questions Sinbad, wrinkling her nose._

"_Ehh~? But Mister Sinbad, you still look so young!" Catrina tells the now slightly happier-looking King, smiling that eternal friendly smile. _

"_Yeah Sinbad, no need to worry about age just yet. Prince Kouen looks waaay older than ya and he's actually younger!" Eren gives him a thumbs up. Sinbad now is basically beaming at the praise, but he stifles his light and tries to get back to the point at hand. Yamu squeezes Bad's shoulder, now understanding the girl's plan. _

"_That's not what I'm worried about, but thank you" The Eight Generals sweatdrop behind him, looking less hostile than before. _

"_Sinbad...Please get serious…" Hinahoho mumbles, and Ja'far pinches the bridge of his nose._

"_Oh dear God, Sin…" Ja'far steps forward next to his King, opening his mouth as if to speak. But then a hand flies out of nowhere and karate-chops the advisor's head, resulting in him letting out a startled cry. Khadeja steps forward and glares at the dark-eyed man. _

"_Don't take threatening steps toward my Mistress!" She hisses at him, and he bares his teeth at her._

"_Centola's over there!" He exclaims, pointing to where Zeina smiles a little while pressing her fingers to her lips and Centola laughs nervously._

"_Khadeja, please refrain from hitting Sinbad's advisor for now."_

"_For now?!" Ja'far questions, and Khadeja curtsies, smiling._

"_As you wish, Mistress" The self-proclaimed servant joins her Mistress's side and gives smug looks over to the now steaming ex-assassin._

_"Hey, Uncle, why don't you like Papa?"_

"_Eh?" Sinbad asks, in a better mood despite the mention of his enemy. "Yunan...Never told you?" _

"_No? Why?" Yamu pats Bad's head. _

"_Sweetheart, it's a long story…" Yamu tries her best to be pleasant to the Sindrian King, a trial that Bad understands can be very hard, especially since…_

"_Ehhhh? Well, it's no problem, right Uncle?" Sinbad shifts, and obviously it _is _a problem. But he smiles that fake, easy smile and replies,_

"_It caught me off guard that you were the adopted daughter of Yunan" His smooth, deep voice is lulling to distract from the fact that he didn't answer the question. A tingle of excitement fills Bad's lungs. _

"_But you'll tell me later, right?"_

"_Well-"_

"_Eh, but Uncle, you promised!"_

"_No I didn't-"_

"_Yeah ya did" Eren points out, scratching his chin. Catrina tilts her head, still smiling. _

"_Yeah, he did, right?"_

"_Well in truth I didn't think he said much of anything…" Yamu points out, and Zeina chuckles. _

"_...So I suppose that means he'll say everything?"_

"_Exactly!" Bad cheers for the reasoning, smiling widely. "Right, Uncle?"_

"_N-"_

"_Yes? Great! We'll see you later tonight, then! Bye-bye!" As if practiced, the group turns away from the King and starts to walk away. Zeina's grinning widely, poking Centola's side and asking her why she never 'introduced all your interesting friends, dear?'. _

Bad snickers to herself. While certainly not the most impressive negation she's ever engaged in, she definitely bought herself some time before Sinbad decides to grill her for information.

A chirping comes from behind her. Her back stiffens, but did she really expect Sinbad to do nothing to spy on them? This way he can figure out the location of Yamu and Zeina, if he didn't already know, and see if they'll talk about something important. Its a bit unnerving to Bad to know that she's being watched, but she instantly relaxes and tries to not let it get her, instead focusing on Eren's hair in between her fingers and Centola's soft hand.

"The festival's gonna be fun!" She exclaims happily, forcing herself not to mind Sinbad's prying eyes. A chorus of agreement raises from the crowd.

* * *

The festival brought back many fond memories for Yamuraiha. The winking lanterns held high, the banners of green and white fluttering in the warm Sindrian breeze. Not to mention the aroma of soups and meats being burned and baked and chopped and stewed, wafting along the streets with finely minced onions and other greens.

Sweets were coated with a delicate veil of sugar and glittered on their plates, tempting to both the tongue and the eye. Women wore wasps of clothing like her: Sindria's festival outfit. Of course, it was very revealing and made her feel a little out of place, but Bad had found the cloth and handed it to her with snake-like eyebrows.

Zeina smirks at her obvious discomfort, lowering her evil eyelids over her deep maroon orbs.

"Hm, I wonder what it would be like to be inside in warm clothing right now~?"

"Don't."

"Drinking beer…Eating great food…"

"Stop."

"And, you know, doing a little gambling~" Yamu groans and glares at her roommate.

"For the love of all that is good, Zeina, we are not doing a freakin' gambling tournament!" Zeina pouts and sighs.

"You never let me have any fun~" The female magician fixes the bandages around her chest and the slips of material looping around her curves.

"This is really uncomfortable" Yamu borderline whines, fiddling with the white barely-there skirt.

"I bet you wouldn't be complaining if your magi was here" Yamu blinks, not understanding before Yunan pops into her head and her face goes beet red.

"W-what?! Y-you're wrong!" Zeina giggles as she smooths down her gauzy orange skirt, the see-through material wrapped in a loose manner many times over her waist until it's thick and concealing, and then going thinner the farther out, revealing the shapes of her legs but nothing more. She looks pleased wearing a white bandeau and gold arm bands, drawing attention with her curls skillfully pinned with orange flowers and unusual dress for this festival. Yamu touches her own braided and coiled hair, wondering when Centola became so good at doing hairstyles.

"I know, my beloved niece is amazing" Zeina boosts pridefully, as if reading Yamu's mind. "Now stop touching your hair, it'll come out!" The bluenette pauses a bit, hands drifting together in front.

"Um, hey, Zeina?" The Temptress raises an eyebrow at the younger woman. "I...Thanks for staying with me."

The blonde looks a bit surprised at this, but then an understanding settles in her face and she nods.

"No problem, dear. I'm having just as much fun as you." Yamu can't help it, she actually...She actually really _likes _having Zeina and Alexio stay with her. It _is_ fun, and not even in the Other did she ever feels so free and relaxed. As much as a part of her hates to admit it, she's glad that this time around she went with Yunan instead of Sinbad. After all…

She now knows the truth about Sinbad…

"Something wrong?" Yamu's head snaps up, and she shakes her head furiously.

"N-no, just thinking is all!" Zeina accepts this answer, her eyes surveying Sindria with fondness. The bluenette _does _actually want to tell Zeina, but talking about the Other with anyone other than those who are aware of it's existence is taboo. Besides, something tells Yamu that speaking with the Temptress about Sinbad won't have the most desired effect.

But at the same time...The Pearl's eyes sharpen. She won't allow anyone else to suffer like she did. She won't allow the Eight...Seven Generals to die this time, and no matter what she won't allow Zeina to get pulled into Sinbad's blinding light.

_I will warn her. _

Somehow or another. It's the least she can do for her new roomie. But first she'll need to think of a way. Zeina _must_ already be aware of the Sindrian King's hidden desires and agenda, but if the blonde will still stray close to the fire despite that then Yamu'll have to pull her away gently. Yamuraiha grins, and it's not all that happy, nor good for that matter.

Then Zeina turns back towards her and her face morphs back into an awe-struck one. Alexio comes out of the crowd and waves them over toward the square, shouting about the music and wonderful dancers.

"Hey, roommate, let's go dance!" The magician rolls her eyes.

"Guys will only want to dance with you" She tells her annoyed, and Zeina laughs.

"I can charm them into noticing you too, if you'd like~!"

* * *

Bad feels something sharp connect with her back, but not physically.

She grins dangerously for a moment before innocently tugging on Eren's shirt (she still can't believe he actually put one on) and points toward the feast being served.

"Let's eat!" Eren grabs her arm before she can rush off and drags her through the crowd, scanning for Catrina.

"We can't, nincompoop. Sinbad wants to cele-brate with us, 'member? Cent's already thar"

"Thar?"

"Shut up ya know what I meant" Bad whines but still holds Eren's hand as they duck in and out of the crowd, finding Catrina waiting by the steps to the Palace and going up them together. When they get to the top Sinbad notices them and motion the trio over.

"Welcome to the party!" Sinbad greets warmly, seemingly forgetting the fact that they pretty much used 'flee' during the confrontation earlier.

_Two can play that game, old chap!_

"Wow Uncle, it's beautiful here!"

"Yeah!" Alibaba pops up besides Sharrkan, and goes over to them. They all turn toward the balcony, watching with awe as the fire-pyres are lit and long spirals of flames shoot up into the air in blurry, glittering lines. The people hoot and whoop with joy, laughing rambunctiously while sending one another winks and greetings.

"Yahoo! Look at everything!" Bad throws her fist into the air, and Eren swoops down, swinging the happily screaming girl in circles. "E-Eri you're gonna drop m-me! Hahaha!" Catrina laughs loudly as well, bumping against Eren's side.

"W-wow, what a festival!"

"You bet!" Sinbad replies to Alibaba's awed comment, raising his cup. "Visitors enjoy the Maharagan and the islanders look forward to it. So I need to make it lively!"

Bad laughs as she's being put down, fits of giggles leaving her mouth childishly. She pulls on Cat and Eren to the stairs, waving at Sinbad.

"Uncle, we're gonna go look around! Is that okay?" Sinbad smiles widely at the trio.

"Of course! Go with them, Alibaba, and enjoy yourselves!"

"Yeah, let's find Zeina and see if she's gonna do that _thing_" Sinbad's grin wavers as he hears Eren tease the two younger girls by his side and pulls Alibaba toward them.

"What thing?" Catrina asks curiously. Bad snickers.

"A fun thing!"

"She's setting up a gambling tournament, isn't she?" Sinbad asks with a frozen smile on his face.

"..." Bad snickers and then yells out, "Run for your money!" And they pull a startled Alibaba down with them down the stairway and into the crowd.

* * *

"BOO!" Screaming, Bad busts away from the lizard-like face and is caught by a shocked Eren. Catrina and Alibaba gasp and step away.

Then the mask is taken off by Aladdin and they all laugh.

Well, except for Bad who huffs in embarrassment and looks pointedly away.

"Surprised?"

"Yeah!" Alibaba pats Aladdin's shoulder, and the boy hands him a mask as well, laughing at his success.

"Hey, Bad, what's wrong?" Asks Aladdin, who comes to the newly set-down girl. She huffs again and stomps hard on his foot, making him cry out in pain.

"Ow! Again!" The Princess fiddles with her nice white dress and glares at him.

"I'm still mad at you for earlier!"

"E-eh? Still?!" Alibaba walks beside Eren and grins up at the green-haired Chandlen, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Think he'll now know Bad's wrath?" The Mountain chokes on his chuckles.

"_Please let him._"

Catrina looks around.

"Eh? Where is Mor?"

"I thought she'd be with you guys" Alibaba tells them, shrugging. "By the way, I like your outfit, Catrina!" The Fanalis-Amala embarrassedly brushes down the festival clothing and blushes.

"W-well Cent and Yamu said if they had to wear it so did I..."

"C-Cent?"

"Yes?" Turning around, Alibaba is greeted with the sight of said girl.

Wearing the festival outfit.

_Holy sh-_

Centola took off the mask she was given, and in her other hand held a flower lei. The strawberry blonde smiles at Alibaba and puts it over his head so it rests on his neck, then fiddling her own flowers strewn in her hair.

"Hey, look Ali! We're wearing the same flowers!" He doesn't respond, instead nodding and gulping with visible difficulty.

"Hehahah y-you look g-g-great C-Cent!" Centola blushes and brush some hair out of her eyes, avoiding Alibaba's eyes.

"T-Thank you, Ali...I'm glad you think it looks good…"

"Yeah, it looks amazing Centola!" Aladdin gushes, coming forward.

"Damn Cent, ya clean up niiiiiicccceee" Eren whistles, and then a bunch of other men come up and start catcalling Centola as well.

"Nice skin-"

"-Great legs-"

"-How about you give me some flowers, babe-" Suddenly, Alibaba jumps in front of his childhood friend and glares at the surrounding men, twisting around to place both his hands on her shoulders and state with seriousness,

"We need to find you a cover-up."

"What? This isn't that unusual, back in the Slums I used to wear clothes like this a lot." Alibaba looks like she just shoved a rusty knife into his chest.

"Y-you did?"

"Yeah, I was a dancer after all. Men used to come all the time after my shows and-" He lets out a gargle/shout and puts a hand over her mouth, squeezing his eyes shut.

"LET'S GET YOU A COVER UP!"

* * *

Meanwhile, as Alibaba has a mental breakdown, Catrina scans the crowd, sniffing the air.

"Mor!" A girl handing out leis stops and takes off her mask, revealing herself to be Morgiana.

"Catrina, you're here" Catrina rushes up and tackles her 'sister' in a hug, not that the pure-blooded Fanalis moves an inch, and sighs happily.

"Yay, let's have fun together tonight, okay big sister?"

"Sure…" Morgiana puts a lei over Catrina's head, motioning to her stack of flowers. "But first I have to hand these out. That's why I'm dressed this way…"

"But you look amazing, Mor!" The Bird exclaims, and Morgiana blinks at her enthusiasm. Aladdin comes over, noticing Morgiana, and tells her,

"You look great Mor! It suits you!"

"R-really?"

"Yeah!" She turns away, blushing. Mor places the rest of the leis on Aladdin's neck, who now looks like a flower-child.

"Guys, let's eat!" Comes a rallying cry. The seven nod their heads and go over to a large table that Bad points to, sitting around in a circle and getting plate after plate of meat and other delicious foods.

"Cat, have you been practicing you necromancy?" Bad asks casually, sipping her drink. Catrina hums sheepishly and shakes her head.

"No…"

"Oh?" Centola curiously lays her chin in her palm.

"Why not? Ya love your magic!" Eren pokes the Fanalis-Amala who goes pink and looks down sadly.

"Well...I don't know." It was obvious Catrina didn't really want to talk about it, so her adoptive siblings nod and let it go. They all know that Catrina doesn't like talking about things from her homeland, but her magic had always been the exception. Whenever it was brought up she'd ramble on and on about the special quality of the magic and the way it worked to bring skeletons from the earth and reshape their bones.

The three filed this moment away in their minds to bring up later and sooth her about. But until then, they'd avoid any mention of her home-

"Hey Catrina, where'd you get that scar?" -land.

"Alibaba!" Centola shushes him, just as Bad growls at him to shut up. The blonde just blinks, wondering what the problem is.

"No, it's alright." Catrina gives a tilt of her lips upwards. She shows them her arm, free from it's usual sleeve, and watches Morgiana's, Aladdin's and Alibaba's eyes trace the rickety line of the scar and the bubbles of the burn marks which span outwards like spilled water. "It's not all that pretty, but I think it's _pretty_ cool, right?"

"That's a terrible pun" Bad groans. The truth was that Eren, Bad and Centola didn't even notice Catrina wasn't wearing her sleeve to the festival. They've seen it before, so she supposes that they overlooked it.

Morgiana doesn't seem to have an opinion, but her hands fist violently, and Alibaba looks a little uncomfortable.

"Um, sorry for bringing it up…" He apologizes, scratching the back of his head. "It's just I've never seen it before because you always wear that pink thing…"

"I think it's really cool, Catrina" Aladdin tells her sincerely, looking straight into her orange eyes. "It makes you look like a warrior!"

Catrina's lips part, and then she grins widely.

"Thank you! You know, you're not the first to tell me that. My dad said the same!"

"Ehhh? Catrina's dad must be pretty cool!"

"He's the very best!" Bad frowns a little at Catrina's suddenly animated expression, but then a realization dawns and she's forcing a smile.

"That reminds me...Mor, are you going to stay with us? In Qishan, you wanted to go home. There are ships that go to the dark continent" Mor looks at her plate.

"Yes...Its considered a savage region, but Reim has a foothold in the north, and anyone who boards a ship leaving the Empire can go there"

"So are you going to?" Catrina questions softly.

"Well...I heard...I learned about Al Thamen like you all. I can't get the fight in Balbadd out of my head, and I really want to pay Alibaba and Aladdin back for all they've done for me. And...I like that you guys are fighting oppression…"

"Of course!" Catrina chimes in loudly, taking Morgiana's hands. "No one should have to be put down for who they are or what they believe in! No matter what race, no matter where you were born, you should have the right to live freely and without regrets. No one is underneath another person! No one should have to be considered lesser or inferior! Even slaves are born, even nobles die- that's why there should be equality for everyone!"

Everyone stops eating and stares at Catrina's sudden speech, her out-of-place opinions and overpowering passion.

The Princess giggles.

"Catrina, that old courage of yours it resurfacing again~!"

"W-what?"

"Oh my God, I 'member when she used to go off like that all the time!" Eren chuckles, patting Catrina's back. "Sorry Mor, Cat goes nuts for things like freedom! When she was young she had this dream and used to make speeches like that all-the-friggin'-time. Inspiring, but I haven't heard one in years!"

"Old habits die hard!"

"S-stop guys!"

"Hehe, freedom-nerd!"

"Stop mockingme!"

"Democratic enthusiast!"

"Not you too, Cent!"

"Whats next? Wearin' stars and stripes?"

"That one doesn't even make sense here! Mou!" Morgiana starts to smile, but it's so small it could be mistaken for her usual blank expression. Alibaba and Aladdin laugh a little, and then the two boys pat Morgiana's shoulders.

"Mor, do you wanna stay here?" Aladdin has adult wisdom in his tone.

"Y-yes! I want to serve you two." Alibaba flinches back in surprise.

"Serve us? No...That's…"

"Morgiana, that's great! We would love you to stay with us!" The magi enthusiastically nods.

"Really?"

"Of course. But you know, Mor, you don't need our permission. You're free now, so you can do what you want, now and forever!" The Balbaddian Princes agrees with his friend's words.

"He's right!

Morgiana holds a fist over her heart.

_They gave me permission...No. They said I could do what I want. I can use my strength for them- now and forever! I'm so happy...What can I do to calm down?_

"You look happy" Morgiana steps back, noticing Centola who takes one of her hands. "You know what a great way to express that?"

"H-huh?" Then Catrina's on her other side, smiling.

"Come on! We'll show you how! I may not look it, but Cent taught me a lot about this activity!"

"This a-activity?"

Bad blinks, and turns around.

"Where'd they go-"

"Lookin' good, girls!" Huh? The stage-

"CENT?!"

"MOR?!"

"CAT?!" The three girls giggle as the dancers make room for them, exploding out into dances. While none are doing the same thing, they all are graceful and wild, motions fluid but random, spins perfect arcs but also coming out like quick jabs in a fight. They smile to one another as they do their respective tricks, moving in and out and weaving past each other. Cat spins Mor around and Mor pulls Centola in an circle, but none come in contact for too long of a period. Each are strong and independent, each are amazing in their own way.

"You all…" Alibaba feels a sensation of..._Pride _of being their friend overtake him, of a _respect _for each of the girls grip his throat. He shouts, "_You all are beautiful! You're wonderful!_"

"Yeah!" Another man calls.

"What wonderful dancers!"

"The redheads look great!"

"Oohh...That blonde has a nice-" Alibaba's ears pick up the words and something snaps inside of him like a fragile twig.

"CENTOLA! WE ARE GETTING YOU A COVER-UP, GODDAMNIT!"

* * *

On stage Catrina whispers to Centola when she passes her in a short twist,

"Don't worry, it's not like he'll come on stage."

Oh, they underestimated the raw power of Ali-Baka's jealousy.

* * *

In other words, Alibaba totally came on stage.

* * *

As Alibaba was pulling a overprotective dad, Eren was trying to stop the third Prince from climbing onto the stage while also calming the dancers and keep the band playing music.

And since five of the seven were busy ruining the festival, that left two more alone.

Enter into the situation, a pissed off Badroulbadour and a seriously apologetic Aladdin.

"Hmph."

"Please stop 'hmph'ing! I'm sorry!" Aladdin whines, giving her big puppy dog eyes. Normally he wouldn't act this way, but for some reason he felt the need to make her forgive him, like it was a necessity that if not completed he'd flip out.

"Really? You're 'sorry'? Didn't look that way when you were touching my mom's boobs!" Aladdin juts out his lower lip.

"I didn't know that it wasn't something you weren't allowed to do! I don't know a lot about this world...Only a year ago I was locked up, and I was wishing I could escape and see these places. There were so much to do and see and I didn't realize I was being disrespectful and rude. But I never wanted to hurt your feelings Bad. I don't know why but I feel terrible for it. I'm so, so sorry" Bad blinks at his long apology, blushing a little bit.

"You...Promise not to do it again?"

"Never!" He agrees quickly, taking her hand. "I'll promise I'll never even think about another girl!"

Aladdin pauses.

_Huh? Not another girl? Why am I saying this?_

"R-really?"

"Yes! Do you forgive me?"

"U-um...Well...I guess so…" Bad's cheeks turn the most adorable pink, and she avoids his gaze.

_Aw, she's cute- WHAT THE HECK AM I THINKING?!_

"B-but I always keep my promises! S-so you have to too!"

"Of course! Anything for Bad!" Bad squeaks, looking anywhere but his grinning face. "Come dance with me!" He pulls on her hands, taking her out to the dancefloor where the adults twirl, trying to ignore the shouting teenagers onstage.

"_You don't know how to dance?" Aladdin asks, smirking down at her. Kouhime blushes and shrugs._

"_W-well I, um, guess not…"_

"_You're too cute! Here, I'll teach you!" The middle of the dancefloor is where he takes her, the light centered over her nervous face. He starts out gently, hand on waist and the other gras__ping hers. "Here, put your hand on my shoulder...Yeah, and then it's one, two, three…"_

_He counts the beats slowly, __in a different tempo than what the band's playing, and takes her backwards and forwards, dealing out a steady waltz. They start to spin in circles as they do, still going at a snails pace. Kouhime looks at her feet at first, but then peeks upwards at Aladdin._

_His gaze is trained on her, a familiar softness in his eyes. _

_"You're really beautiful, Hime"_

Bad blinks, finding herself in the same place she just was thinking of. Aladdin awkwardly holds her hands and shifts back and forth, blushing wildly.

"U-um…" Her cheeks turn the same color, filling up and up with flame-colored nervousness. He's too cute and honestly the FEELS ARE REAL.

The more she tries not to giggle and fangirl the more her face turns the color of En-Ren's hair and her mouth puckers and twist. He looks like he's having the same problem but his eyes are glued to something on the sidelines.

"S-so…" she laughs nervously, hating how her voice is squeaky and high.

"Um…Dancing, am I right?" He replies nodding his head slowly. They both laugh awkwardly, but then it proves to be infectious and soon they can't stop, spinning in circles and twirling amongst the other citizens in the square.

She positions in the way that he did to her in the Other, but his awkward stance shows his nervousness.

"Um…"

"Wait...You don't know how to dance?"

"I-I...No." Bad giggles loudly and takes the lead, teasingly smirking at him.

"Fine, I'll be the man then~"

"What?! No, Bad's too pretty to be the man!" Her cheeks turn the color of ugly, blooming, _beaming_ tomatoes.

"Well you kinda look like a girl so it's okay for you~"

"What makes you think that?"

"The bandages~" Aladdin throws his head back and laughs as they waltz together against the flood of salsa-like dancers.

* * *

"That was so embarrassing…" Centola moans, gripping the new robes Alibaba placed on her.

"He's like, the most jealous guy in the friggin' world." Bad laughs, Alibaba glares at both of them.

"But those guys were-! I wasn't gonna let them do that-!"

"Do what?" The Temptress asks curiously, raising an eyebrow. Flustered the blonde shakes his head furiously and crosses his arms.

"Nothing" Alibaba developes a thoughtful expression. "We should find you a sash to tie my outer robe with...That way you don't have to hold it closed…"

"Oh my God Ali…" The blonde huffs.

"Listen here, Cent! You know, back in the Slums, Kass and I always protected you, but here you need to know when to cover yourself! Men are dirty-minded and gross!" Centola furrows her eyebrows.

"In the Slums we were nine-"

"Not the point! Besides, you know that you are- I don't want other guys to-" Alibaba stutters and then gains a new reason to describe why he's acting this way. "-Kass would kill me if I let strange men oogle you!"

Centola stares at him for a moment.

_Crap, does she think I'm bringing him up to hurt her feelings-_

"But Kassim invited his friends to watch me perform all the time"

…

…

…

"KASSIM IS GOING TO DIE"

* * *

"Hey, Masrur, are you going to eat that fish?" Masrur pushed the bowl toward Sharrkan, looking out at the ebbing crowd of drunkards and dancers.

He almost doesn't notice a worried Sharrkan staring at him.

"What?" He asks, and Sharrkan inches away from him.

"You gave me your food. You _never _give me your food. You're like a territorial _**dog **_when it comes to your foo-"

"I get it." He glares, and Sharrkan worriedly wrinkles his nose.

"Touchy…" The swordsman pops up and shouts, "My King! Come quickly Masrur has a girlfriend!"

Instantly, as if by magic, the King appears in the chair across from them, smoothly knotting his fingers together and smiling pleasantly. And then, even more obscurely, Zeina comes out of God-knows-where and takes the seat next to Sinbad.

The King scowls at her.

"Get your plants out of my room"

"Stop holding my hand" Unknowingly the Dungeon Capturer had taken the Temptress' hand when she sat down out of habit, like he used to when they were young. He snaps his hand back to his side like it was touching hot metal, and the blonde rolls her eyes amusedly.

"My little boy has a girlfriend?" She asks, stars in her eyes. "Aw, when can I meet her, Rory?"

Masrur shakes his head.

"I don't have a girlfriend…" Sharrkan and Sinbad look disappointed.

"I can hook you up-" Sinbad suggests, only for Zeina to punch his arm in irritation. "Ow! Damn woman, you hit _hard_"

"I know. And Masrur, I think I hear a 'but' coming, right?"

"..." The Fanalis scratches his head. "I'm not sure what to do but...Catrina, today, said that she, uh, liked me."

"Romantically?" Sharrkan asks, a large smirk taking over his face.

"...I guess." Masrur averts his eyes from Zeina and Sinbad's amused faces.

"Aw, I approve! Catrina is a nice girl" Zeina sighs. "I'm so proud you picked a cute one, Rory"

"I- No, I...I don't know what to say to her." The Fanalis goes into default statue mode, sitting straight and face not betraying emotion. "I don't feel like that"

"Hn? You're sure?" Sinbad leans forward.

"...Yes."

"You paused~" Sharrkan clears his throat, putting an arm around Masrur's large shoulders.

"Alright buddy, I'll tell you how to breakup with a woman"

"I'll make sure he's telling the right advice" Sinbad supplies, and Zeina finishes,

"And I'll give you a woman's perspective."

"Okay. So this chick, Catrina, when she comes you swagger over to her-"

"Saunter! Women like a slow approach..."

"Don't do any of that, sweetheart. Catrina'll punch you in the face. Walk like a normal person." Masrur nods at Zeina's advice, ignoring the two playboys' words.

_Sinbad: 0, Sharrkan: 0, Zeina: 1._

"-Then you'll go up to her and give her a smirk"

"No, smile. There's a difference."

"I agree with Sinbad."

_Sinbad: 1, Sharrkan: 0, Zeina: 1._

"-Tell her she looks good tonight, that you like the way she did her hair or something."

"Yup."

"Be casual, but otherwise that works"

_Sinbad: 1, Sharrkan: 1, Zeina: 1._

"Then say, 'Catrina, you're an awesome chick, but I'm not into you'"

"Don't you _dare _say that. Say, 'Catrina, I like you a lot, but I'm not ready for a commitment'"

"Don't say _either _of those! Tell her 'Catrina, about today, I'm glad you feel this way, but I think of you as a valued comrade, and I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'"

_Sinbad: 1, Sharrkan: 1, Zeina: 2._

_DING, DING, WE HAVE A WINNER!_

"...That was good." Masrur compliments Zeina, who gives a coy smile.

"I've let many men down that way. And Sinbad, your way was bullshit"

"What do you mean?! I've done that line _a lot_-"

"I _know _you've done that line you idiot." She growls, turning away. Sinbad spreads his hands, tapping her shoulder.

"What did I do wrong?! It's not like I used it on you-!"

"I don't care about that, you imbecile!"

* * *

The moment of truth.

Catrina appears beside Morgiana as the girls stroll onto the flat balcony, scanning for something to do. Behind her, Bad and Centola zone in on the fighting Zeina and Sinbad and Centola goes over to try and stop her aunt from making a mess.

Sharrkan pats his back.

"Go get 'er, Champ!" Masrur gulps a little bit and then stands, grabbing a plate of fish on the way there. He goes up to his trainees and hands Morgiana the dish.

"Eat." He tells her, and she looks hungrily down at the plate. Masrur grabs Catrina as she's about to go off with Morgiana, and when the pure-blood looks back at them Masrur points to the fish again. "I'm going to talk to her. Payment."

Catrina blinks.

"Did you just bribe Morgiana to talk to me?" He ignores her and pulls her toward the railing overlooking the partying citizens. He breathes through his nose, looking down into her tangerine colored eyes.

The light of the fires and dancing people cast a red and orange outline on her face, catching on her festival outfit and painting her in watercolors.

He tries to pretend that Sharrkan, Sinbad, Zeina (the two had stopped fighting to watch, apparently), Bad and Centola aren't hiding behind a couch to watch. Suddenly, as if _sensing _the romance, Pisti joins them and drags Spartos over to oogle them as well.

So now there's seven witnesses to him talking to Catrina about her confession.

Ugh.

Catrina gets on her tip-toes and pulls on his cheek to get him to focus.

"Are you okay, Masrur? You look weird." He shakes his head and feels his skin burn as she lets go, but not with a blush. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Her eyes are like two marbles, he decides. Orange, but with flecks of pink and red and gold, standing out from the pupil and igniting a brightness highlighted not by her outfit but by her constant cheeriness, which is infectious and makes even him want to smile. And she's strong too, he knows, because she's resourceful and clever, and even though he doesn't know her very well she makes him feel like she's his best friend whenever they're together, focusing on him and him alone. Like he's special.

"Um." Yes, that's how he starts the conversation. "Well, I just, wanted to say that your hair is nice tonight."

_Sharrkan you fudging asshole that sounds like I'm a pervert. AND I FORGOT TO SMILE GODDAMNIT._

It's never too late though, right?

* * *

"Oh my God was that a compliment?" Zeina puts a hand over her mouth. "We should have made him practice…"

Sinbad groans.

"We _definitely _should have."

"Sinbad, get your arm off me"

"What are you- why the _hell_ does that keep happening?!" He snaps his arm away from her waist, unnoticing of her soft chuckle.

"For the love of God, is he _smiling?_" Pisti's jaw hangs open, cringing.

"He looks constipated" Bad snorts, and Centola tuts.

"Poor boy. What is he doing, anyway? Trying to ask her out?"

"Aw, cute~" Bad coos.

"...I will pray for him." Spartos wisely comments quietly, and Bad hisses.

"Hiiiissssss you're the pure one!"

"What?"

"My lord warned me about you!" Spartos gasps, narrowing his eyes.

"You are the source of the impurity in the spiritual realm around the Palace!" Bad grins evilly.

"You will not win, Holyman!" The rest of the party elects to ignore them.

"Bad created a cult" Centola explains, sighing. "She forced a lot of people to join. Me, included."

"Hehe, can I join- oh _God_ Masrur no don't smile more"

* * *

'_Catrina, about today, I'm glad you feel this way, but I think of you as a valued comrade, and I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'_

'_Catrina, about today, I'm glad you feel this way, but I think of you as a valued comrade, and I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'_

"Ahem. Catrina, um, about earlier today…" He scratches the back of his head, clearing his throat.

"When you took me shopping? Yeah, that was really fun! We should do it again sometime!" He starts to nod before stopping himself.

'_Catrina, about today, I'm glad you feel this way, but I think of you as a valued comrade, and I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'_

"Well, actually, I meant about what you said…"

"What I said?"

"Catrina...I'm glad that you have those feelings for me…"

"Eh?"

'_But I think of you as a valued comrade, and I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'_

"But...I think of you as a valued comrade and…"

"Wha...Oh no." Masrur looks down, sighing.

Catrina's such a nice person...And Sharrkan's right, she's _is _pretty. Until today, he didn't think of her in that light but…

'_And I'm sorry if I led you down the wrong path with my actions. Please forgive me.'_

"And…"

"Masrur-"

"And I'm just not sure that I'm ready to date someone like you yet. But until I am will you, um, remain as my comrade?"  
…

…

…

* * *

"...Wait, is he confessing to- oh shit you all have the wrong idea" Bad's jaw drops open. "Did Catrina tell Masrur that she 'liked him'?"

"Yeah, why?" Zeina asks curiously, and then elbows Sinbad. "Hands, pervert."

"I'm not- _oh my God why_?!"

"Guys, Catrina tells _everyone _that she likes them! She's just nice!" Zeina blinks. And then her maroon orbs widen considerably.

"You mean-"

"Oh no." Centola gasps sympathetically.

And Sharrkan starts laughing his ass off.

"Well, it's fine, I mean he's only letting her down and it'll be easy to explain the mistake-" Zeina laughs nervously.

"And I'm just not sure that I'm ready to date someone so nice yet. But until I am will you, um, remain as my comrade?"

…

…

…

"My dreams just came true!" Sharrkan gasps in between laughs.

"My little Rory…Poor baby."

* * *

"Eh?" Catrina stares up at Masrur, whose adam's apple bobs up and down. "You...Want to be my boyfriend?"

Catrina doesn't talk about her lovelife a lot, mainly because it's non-existent, but she will admit that things like this _have _happened before. She'd forget that in this world saying 'you're perfect!' and 'Omg, I like, love you right now!' are things that people take _very _seriously. She's not going to lie, she got _proposed_ to once.

Of course, she said no, but right now is one of those moments that time slows down and she realizes that she's really, _really_ stupid.

"_I love you, Masrur!"_

She didn't _mean _it in that way...But...Oh God why'd he have to say something like that in response?! It's too much. Way, _way _too much!

"Um, Masrur, I didn't mean 'I love you' like that- I'm sorry but, um, yeah you're cute" What? What the hell?

_DID I JUST CALL HIM CUTE?!_

"But I mean I'm not really in for a relationship- I'm leaving- sorry let's train later bye hahahaha!" And then, spinning on her heel, she runs away with the speed akin to a cheetah.

* * *

Morgiana looks up from her meal, and Eren, who had arrived with Yamuraiha and Alexio and sat down beside her all stare at the heavily breathing and blushing Catrina.

"What's wrong?" Mor asks, and Catrina lets out a painful laugh.

"Nothing. Nothing. I'm just stupid. I'm so, so, so, so, so _stupid_. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go try alcohol and do that thing where you drink away your problems. Bye!"

* * *

Masrur stood there like a statue, unmoving.

Slowly the crowd comes out from behind the coach, each to some degree sympathetic to the Fanalis.

Sharrkan grins sheepishly, pretending he didn't laugh at Masrur's failure.

"Sorry bro. It happens a lot-"

"Sharrkan. You have five seconds before I hunt you down and kill you for your advice." Masrur tells him clearly, eyes not leaving the place where Catrina's were.

Sharrkan chuckles nervously.

"W-why only me?"

"Zeina's my mother. Sinbad's my King-"

"-We've talked about this, if Zeina gets to be your mom then _I _get to be your dad-"

"-_KING_, and you're the one who gave the worse advice. Prepare to die. Five, four, three-" And Sharrkan runs off like man with a mission.

"Masrur, don't kill Sharrkan-"

"Can I punch him? Once?" Sinbad considers this.

"Once…" He answers slowly. "But it has to be light. For you."

"Deal. Two, One." And the Fanalis was off after his prey.

* * *

Bad drifted over to Morgiana, Eren, Alexio and Yamu, all of whom had convinced Catrina to just wallow in despair next to them and stuff her face with desserts. Zeina had decided to talk with Hinahoho and Drakon off to the side and Sinbad returned to having his girls fawn over him. Centola too joined her aunt, and seemed to get along splendidly with the two older generals. Pisti and Spartos sat beside a hunched over Sharrkan who held his stomach in both hands and moaned in pain while Masrur impassively stared straight ahead and tried to avoid looking at Catrina, but the two would both sometimes take a quick peek at one another awkwardly when they thought the other was distracted.

"How ya doing, babe?" Bad sits next to Catrina and rubs her back. "Feel okay?"

"No…" She groans in response, burying her head in her elbows. "I feel so bad…"

"Heh, not as _bad _as me!"

"Your puns are terrible, sweetheart" Yamu snickers, shaking her head.

"I think they're good" Alexio comments, before quickly taking a sip of his water and looking away.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I strung him along on like that…" The Fanalis-Amala looks close to crying. "I'm a terrible person!"

"No!" Bad hugs her older sister, who returns the hug half-heartedly. "You're just too nice! That's why you didn't notice what was going on, because you probably thought you were being friendly!"

Catrina sighs.

"Thanks, Bad-girl" Morgiana chews on fish bones, looking around.

"What happened?" The pure blood asks, and Eren shrugs.

"No clue."

"-MIT WOMAN!" Bad giggles as Ja'far appears on the top of the stairs, steaming like a hot pot of rice. He flails his arms like a chicken as he once again gets into an explosive argument with Khadeja, and the two make wild hand gestures as they yell.

"Khadeja!" Comes Centola's soft voice, and instantly the black haired woman stops and turns toward her Mistress, ignoring Ja'far completely, despite the man's now red face. "Please get along with Ja'far"

"As you wish, my Lady" Khadeja turns back to Ja'far and crisply nods. "I'm sorry you're stupid. Let's be friends."

"No-"

"Yes, Ja'far, be friends!" Sinbad calls, and the girls around him giggle loudly.

"Yes Lord Ja'far!"

"Don't break-up with your girlfriend!"

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Yeah, I rejected him." The Generals snap their heads toward Ja'far, who sputters and announces,

"I re- It wasn't- that's not how it happened!"

Alibaba and Aladdin appear at the top of the stairs, surveying the party.

"Whoa!" Both the boys say once they spot Sinbad slathered with women.

"Ah, you two! I wanted to speak to you, come here!" The King calls. "Gather the Seven Generals!"

"Lucky!" Aladdin exclaims as he sees the scantily clad girls, and Bad's face goes red as she stands up and stomps toward him.

"What did you just say?!" She yells at him, and instantly the blue haired boy spins toward Bad and throws himself down at her feet, bowing.

"I'm sorry Ma'am! I meant 'lucky' as in to be adored by his citizens! I have no interest in those girls whatsoever!"

"Holy crap, Aladdin" Alibaba's jaw drops. "What did she _do _to you?"

"He's her bitch now!" Eren laughs, and Catrina smacks his arm, shaking her head.

"Don't swear! It's unseemingly"

"Unseemin'-ly? When have I _ever _been seemin'-ly?" Eren chuckles and pulls Catrina to her feet, leading her around the table and towards where Sinbad beckons by the hand.

Fatal mistake.

For in that moment, Masrur spotted their held hands, felt a suspicious green devil attach to his mind, and determined his next prey. But more on that later.

* * *

Alright, the next chapter in the Maharagan: meeting the characters. Sinbad and his Generals on one side, Bad and her gang on the other, and then the trio we'll label the "protagonists" *wink, wink* beside the pinkette's group.

Sinbad goes first.

"I want to introduce to you all the guardians of Sindria, the Seven Generals…" He introduces Ja'far first, and then Masrur, who awkwardly avoids Catrina's eyes and focuses instead on Morgiana, who cluelessly tilts her head. Then comes Hinahoho, who towers over all of them and has Zeina giggling madly. The older Temptress then proceeds to drown Hinahoho's gigantic children in 'Auntie love' and Centola sighs dramatically.

Drakon is introduced, and Bad visibly admires his scaly outside, while also waving at his beautiful wife. Aladdin stands up at seeing her, stars in his eyes, but then feels Bad's cold aura and drops to his knees in front of the Princess, begging for forgiveness and making excuses that he 'was going to shake her hand, that's all'. Alexio rolls his eyes, his jaw tensing as he glares at the 'lying cheat!'.

Then Sharrkan, Pisti and Spartos are introduced.

Finally, it's Bad's turn to shine. She pops up from her seat.

"Pleasure to meet you all!" She booms, throwing her arms wide. "My name is Badroulbadour, but everyone calls me Bad, so do so please! I'm a magician, so if ya ever wanna talk about magic, I'm your girl! This man behind me is Eren Chandlen, he's from the Chandlen mountains and is an amazing hunter. Oh, and he's a Dungeon Capturer!" Eren rubs the back of his neck, smiling.

"Hiya! Pleased ta meetcha!"

"Ignore his stature and accent. He's an idiot, but he's my big brother so I love him! And on my right is Catrina, who's a Fanalis! She's really strong, and totally kickbutt! She may seem friendly but when it comes to fighting she's an ace."

"*Giggles* I'm glad to meet you all. Please treat me kindly."

"Hey, Masrur, she's wonderful~" Pisti coos, making Masrur stiffen and look away some more.

"And the beauty next to the beauty over there is Centola De Coverna, Zeina's niece. I bet you all know Zeina, so think of Zeina if the sarcasm and playfulness was replaced with optimism and kindness. That's pretty much Centola. Oh, but she's a total wuss so be prepared for that!"

"It's called being a pacifist, lovely." Zeina puts a sweeping arm around Centola, lovingly sighing.

"It's called being perfect, darling" The older Temptress gives a pleased squeezed to her niece's arm, which makes the strawberry blonde blush and shake her head modestly.

"Auntie! That's embarrassing…"

"Aw, your blushing face is so wonderful!"

"And finally, here is Aladdin, Prince-y, and Morgiana!"

"For the last time, don't call me 'Prince-y'!" Alibaba snarls, and Bad gives him a taunting grin.

"Don't order me around, Prince-y!" Alibaba stands up, but-

**Whack**

He holds his hands over his now throbbing head, looking up painfully at Khadeja who stands with her hand in its tell-tale 'chop' position.

"He made a threatening move toward my Mistress" Centola blinks and lifts up her arm.

"Khadeja, I'm over here."

"Same difference."

"It's a HUGE difference!" Alibaba shouts out, and Sinbad chuckles, shaking his head.

"Weirdos" He mutters playfully.

* * *

Alexio stretches, looking out the sights in front of him with naive blue eyes. It's true that he may not know a lot about the outside world, but he's definitely had his fair share of experiences living on the streets, and knows better than most people the multidimensional layers of human interaction.

But just because he knows people doesn't mean he understands how they can create such beautiful things.

"Eeeeeh? Who're you?" A dark skinned man asks as he saunters over. Sharrkan, right? Yes, from earlier.

"Alexio" He tells him, and Sharrkan raises an eyebrow.

"Are you suppose to be here-"

"Sharr, stop harassing Alexio~" Zeina reprimands lightly, tapping the brown haired boy's head. "You should really get along with him" The heliophatian raises an eyebrow at Zeina, shrugging.

"Should have known he'd be with you" Sharrkan jokes, his green eyes sparkling. Zeina giggles and then looks over toward Spartos, who is dragged over to a chair and has a girl placed on his lap by Sinbad.

"Oh dear, Sinbad's playing matchmaker again" Sharrkan snorts, leaving the two to run over and make fun of the Sasanian Knight. Taking Alexio's hand, Zeina walks with him back over to Hinahoho, who she side-hugs and chats with his kids. One of them towers over Alexio, and grins down at him.

"King Sinbad, it's good to play with women, but you are never going to change your mind and marry a woman, right?" There's almost a probing undertone to the dragon-man's words, and his eyes flicker not so subtly toward Zeina, who smiles at something one of Hinahoho's children said.

If he weren't as good as a people-reader as he is, Alexio would have thought that the blonde wasn't even paying attention. Of course, it's hard not to be as observant as he is, despite his youthful age. The streets of the desert city in which he lived in were hard and ruthless, the people shady. A quick twitch of the lips, a tiny shift in the gaze- that's all it takes to catch a man. But Zeina...It wasn't that she showed outwardly that she was listening, but rather that he knew that somehow this was something interesting to her and he was guessing she was now multi-tasking.

"He's right" Hinahoho says loudly, as if to attract Zeina's attention, which the De Coverna cannot truly feign ignorance to since she's standing right next to him. Lifting her head as if just hearing the conversation, Zeina smiles and listens to her friends' words. "It's good to have brats around, you should have a lot of them too!"

Again with the strange undertone. Like a push, his words have a strange meaning to them and the Sindrian King smiles. Alexio watches him then, and notices a tightness around the very back of his jaw, an uncomfortable lock that probably happened unconsciously. The blue eyed boy allows his hair to fall over his forehead and graze his eyebrows as he continue to watch the emotions of a King be hidden behind a perfectly tailored mask. The knot disappears, and any trace of annoyance or resistance is gone in a second.

_Hn? What a weird person._

"What are you saying?" Sinbad asks them, raising his cup up. "Even if I don't have children, I have a lot of citizens who are apart of my family!"

Understanding enters Alexio's chest as suddenly as the roaring crowd toasting their King. This conversation was not meant for Zeina, but the King. By Drakon's slanted eyes narrowing even more, it's obvious to see his annoyance at the way things went.

"What about you, Zeina?" Hinahoho asks, a glitter of mischief in his eyes. Sinbad's head snaps toward where the blonde woman gains a pleasant smile and averts her gaze skywards.

"Hm…Will I marry? Sure. I do want many children after all!" The woman laughs loudly, throwing her arm around Alexio's neck and pulling him into reality. "Not that I don't already have a lot!"

Sinbad coughs loudly, a choking sound, and Hinahoho and Drakon both sputter.

"Y-you have children?!" One of them manages, but their mouths all move at once so it's impossible to tell which man was able to voice their matching thoughts.

"Adoptive" Centola tells them, walking forwards.

"Why do you have to ruin my fun?" Zeina questions, smoothing Alexio's hair while pouting at her niece. "I was going to trick them~"

"Please refrain from that" Centola shakes her head, rolling her eyes.

* * *

"The festival is going to end!" An announcer bellows, and the torches are lit. They go down, thrusted into the wooden pyres, and a giant explosive goes off, shooting up and up into the blackened sky, paling the bright crescent slice of a moon and throwing white onto the roof tops. The people's eyes are stars, their shouts the wind that touches each body. The thrum of the drums still beating in time is drowned out but it pulses like a heart in the soles of the feet, tickling upwards onto the legs and forcing chests to move up and down in tempo.

The cloth people wear are no longer dresses and robes but skin, the comfort of 'you're loved, you can be who you are because you're _loved_' transforming the faces into smiles and the smiles into tiny suns, each with a gravitational force that brings attention and at the same time keeps everything moving. Too dazzling to look directly at, but as a whole glittering like a polished and clean crystal.

Rukh of white fills his own azure eyes, and Aladdin finds himself at peace, swept up in the comfort of knowing that here, in this place, there is no one he has to save from darkness. He can relax and study- putting his whole focus into learning about magic instead of worrying about protecting the population.

_Sinbad's a good King._

He's a great King, actually. But at the same time, it feels too familiar of a statement. A great King…

Ah.

Yes, well, the last man to be called a 'Great King' didn't go all too well, so it's no wonder he feels this way. But at the same time, it's not as though Sinbad will end up like King Solomon...Right? Aladdin studies the man. His Rukh are uplifting and white, white, white. But...

The magi's gaze flies over Alibaba and Mor's shocked face, to a new source of fascination. His gaze decides to pick it's way over Catrina's orange, cheerfully chirping and Eren's green as pine Rukh. The pink birds of Centola make him stop but then start again, and the mellow blue Rukh of Yamu don't make him pause either, even though it's strange and impossible. He looks to Badroulbadour's rose, the black petals and stem, the pure white outline.

Sinbad is capable of sweeping one off their feet, but Bad is completely absorbing. If just that thin line of Rukh keeping the blackness at bay startles him, then what would it be like if she was all white? At that moment he's forced to stop daydreaming about how utterly overwhelming she'd be and focuses instead on what he originally was thinking of.

_She'd be too distracting if she was white, but now that she's black…_

It's odd but...She's not distracting. She's _tempting_ beyond all belief. And it's too weird to question how she got this way, so instead he asks something simple.

_How do I save her?_

"Sindria's a small island. But it's a big country"

* * *

The lights were out, the stars found their way back home. People were cleaning up but also chattering like children at a sleepover who were staying up late and didn't want their parents to know. Bad helps as well, carrying seats here and there and cleaning up plates to be sent to kitchens to be cleaned.

"Alibaba! Bad!" At the sound of her name, the girl sets down her load and skips over to the King, smiling despite his serious face.

"Hi~ Whatcha need~?"

"I have something I need to tell you two" Bad tilts her head. "It is about the Kou Empire. You weren't there Bad, but during one meeting I took a request from the empire to have one of their Princes study abroad in Sindria."

Bad feels a muscle in her arm twitch.

_Hakuryuu. _

(Unlucky, unlucky. You forgot, right?)

"The Prince will come soon. It is an arrangement for the friendship between our countries...He is the Prince of the country that occupied Balbadd, Alibaba, so it may be difficult for you. But I want you to supervise him. And Bad...I know this is sudden, and I would have told you sooner, but I was unsure how you'd respond"

Bad looks away, displeased but not necessarily upset at him.

(Unlucky. Didn't you make a plan?)

"It's all good" She grins suddenly, her face lighting up. "No problem!"

"Yes, it's fine." Alibaba answers determinedly. Then his golden eyes flicker over to Bad, who pointedly ignores him.

_He knows now too? Oh Sinbad, you chatterbox._

(Unlucky. You didn't dig a hole, now you have no where to hide.)

"A Prince from the Kou Empire…" Aladdin ponders over this and curiously Morgiana adds,

"I wonder what he's like."

"Oh, Sin, about the Empire, did you run into that Princess from Balbadd? Kougyoku Ren, I mean. She didn't fight with you, right?"

"Eh? No. I saw her but she didn't seem all that interested in my affairs."

_Well, at least that's a plus._

(Tsk, tsk. Got one, but not the other. You want him to fail, right? You must want that-)

"The Kou Empire? I don't like it that much but it really is full of beautiful women! I tried to play with that Princess one night but then this weird silver-haired dude came and-"

"Sharrkan! Don't flirt with Princesses, it reflects poorly on Sindria!" Ja'far shouts, smacking the man's stomach. The heliophatian flops over, groaning about 'twice in one night'.

Zeina and Centola pass by as this happens, and the blonde De Coverna looks at them all from under her thick lashes.

"He's right Sharrkan~ Besides, you know the most beautiful are the women from the desert!" She hooks her arm around Centola and winks, and Bad giggles.

"Wait, but you and Cent come from a line of nomads!" Zeina flips her hair over her shoulder but accepts this comment.

"True, but Temptresses are nomads who love the desert!"

"Deserts are the best!" Centola agrees, and the two walk off, chatting.

"Ehehe! How fun, I can't wait to see our guest!"

(Unlucky, but interesting. What did you do, Hakuei?)

* * *

**The Day Sinbad Left Kou…**

Asad threw open the sliding door, breathing heavily as he come into Kougyoku's bedroom. The maids flinch at the sound of the paper door connecting harshly with the wood, all making way for the path of the black robed Shadow. Kougyoku is sitting on her bed, crying, and Ting Mei is there comforting her the best a straight-laced courtesan can. The white haired lady watches wearily as Asad goes to the Princess, his shooting glare making Ka Koubun flinch backwards like he was prodded with a hot iron rod.

"'Gyoku?" Asad asks softly, softer than he looks, and the pink haired Princess lifts her red face to his pale one. At the sight of it, all thoughts stop in the assassin's head. Kougyoku shouldn't look like this. Kougyoku deserves to be happy every single day, she deserves to be showered in gold and silk everytime she smiles, she _deserves_ to be acknowledged as a strong person who isn't just some bargaining chip in this stupid Empire. To be taken advantage of…

To be discarded…

To be underestimated and dishonored by that _stupid_, _self-involved _Sinbad is the greatest insult Asad has ever been given in his entire life. Asad takes her hands, staring into her watery, swollen eyes with an intensity that he rarely has.

"What happened?" He questions slowly, cutting his eyes to Ting Mei who dismisses the maids but tells them to mind their mouths if they know their place. Ka Koubun stubbornly stays put, and Asad feels a strange pit in his stomach when looking at the servant.

Something like…

Suspicion? Well, his gut has saved him many times, so he files this feeling away and instead focuses on Kougyoku.

Kougyoku, Kougyoku, Kougyoku.

"What happened, 'Gyoku?" He repeats, but is even more gentle than before as he kneels down and looks up at her. Her eyes, pink as cherry blossoms, are still beautiful even as the whites are replaced with red. Her lashes are laced with beads of tears and her skin was blotchy with spots of magenta and scarlet. The Princess's nose is a glowing pink, twitching as she contains her sobs and sniffles.

"Asad…" She whispers, holding onto his hands tightly. "C-can I speak with you alone?" Asad nods, and flickers his hand at Ka Koubun and Ting Mei.

Ting Mei is instantly following his orders, but Ka Koubun resists.

"I will not leave the Princ-"

"_Leave or I'll have your job_" Ka Koubun gulps at the threat, and he visibly struggles with an internal debate.

"Fine…" The Household member submits, exiting the room. Asad turns back to his Princess, forcing a small smile to calm her.

"It'll be okay, Kougyoku. Don't be scared to tell me" Kougyoku took a deep, shuttering breath and told him. Told him how she was talking with Kouha at the banquet and then left with her guards to her room. How she dismissed them and then was attacked, how she woke up the next morning next to a naked Sinbad.

All the while, Asad never stopped holding her hands gently and nodding along minisculely with her story. But on the inside, his anger reached a point that would rival when Marrkio told Judal about his job as an assassin. He wanted nothing more than to flip out and kill Sinbad for everything that he's done, but something seemed off with this.

"I see...So are you saying that Sinbad laid his hands on you?" Kougyoku hesitates, looking down.

"I...I never once encountered him yesterday or during his stay...I don't know what to think…" And she starts crying again, breathing in shallow gasps and blinking hard as Asad brushes away her bangs and tears. "A-am I dirty?"

That hits Asad right in his chest, a physical blow that actually pushes him back.

"**No**." He growls with finality, furiousness reaching an all time high. "You did **nothing** wrong, Kougyoku. I don't care what people say, you are _perfect _and you are in way responsible for one man's cruelty."

"Y-you don't think I'm undesirable?" Kougyoku asks him a bit shyly, her pink eyes vulnerable and desperate for some form of reassurance.

"You are the most beautiful, strong and intelligent woman I've ever met in all my years, Kougyoku" Asad tells her, his words strong and his conviction stronger.

It's true.

He doesn't care that he's met Temptresses, seen Badroulbadour's strength and witnessed Ting Mei's strategic genius- not one of them even begin to compare.

His Princess is like an everlasting spring, eyes like cherry blossoms falling forever from a prolific tree and each day her presence becoming fresher like crunchy wet grass common early in the year. It's true that other women may be more smooth-faced and physically beautiful, but Asad's never seen anything more wonderful than Kougyoku's smile breaking out after teasing Judal about his peach obsession.

Kougyoku is determined and strong- her heart is like gold and when she sets her sights on something she'll obtain it. When she captured the Dungeon Vinea, Asad remembers being terrified that she wouldn't come back. But when she did he didn't fuss over her but bask in the way her skin glowed with achievement and newly found strength.

She knows so much more than other women do. In the court there are those that can write poems beautifully and learn the tricks of embroidery in a heartbeat but Kougyoku has a head filled with war and social gambles. While she may not be the best to speak to on matters of political matters or philosophy, she can still perform feats of intelligence unlike any other.

And this comparison stretches from not just this world, either. When Asad says 'all his years', he means _all of them_. From the Other to now, Asad has never, ever, not once met a woman- hell, even a _man_\- that he respects and, lets face it, **adores** like he does Kougyoku.

"Really?" She whispers, and he wishes he could formulate the words to say what he just thought. Instead he just tells her the truth:

"This doesn't matter, 'Gyoku. No matter what happens I will **not **allow you to blame yourself for this, because you are worthy of the entire world. Now please, I want to hear it. Do you believe that Sinbad did this?" Asad doesn't know why he needs to know what she believes, but it just feels right to hear her say the words.

"I...I'm not sure."

"Huh?"

"My hair and clothes weren't messed up this morning...But King Sinbad was naked. I don't know what happened and I'm scared…"

"..." Asad lowers his shoulders and stands, patting his Princess's shoulder. "Alright. Well, there's only one way to know."

"What?"

"Let's go to Sindria, Princess."

* * *

**The Day After the Maharagan...**

Far off the coast of Sindria, many Kou boats sail nobly through the water, cutting their way towards their location. On the decks, the soldiers stand tall and bow as through a doorway a youthful man comes out with a strong gaze in his blue eyes.

"We will reach Sindria on schedule, your highness" A soldier informs him, lowering his head over his clasped hands.

"Good." The Prince nods crisply, looking outwards toward the vast expanse of ocean. "I wonder what kind of man King Sinbad is...What do you think, Asad-dono? You met him in Balbadd, didn't you?" From the dark doorway, a man comes through. A few of the soldiers dip their bows lower to cover their frightened expressions at the way that the shadows _cling _to the Holy Keeper's black robes, twisting like smoke. Once the tall man strode directly into the sun the shadows slinked along the wood and back into their place hiding from the light, sending shivers onto those who witness it.

"Drop the 'dono', Ryuu." Asad tells Hakuryuu with a bored, hard voice that suits his dangerous expression. "And don't start admiring a guy like him. He's a disgusting person"

The fourth Prince frowns deeply at the Holy Keeper's words, striding farther up the deck. The swordsman follows him without making a sound, his onyx eyes lacking the luster that makes them warm like a black sun.

"Asad-dono-"

"Asad." Annoyedly the fourth Prince gives the Holy Keeper a hard look but still concedes.

"_Asad. _I know that many troubles have arisen ever since the _incident _in Kou, but you cannot say things like that when we get to Sindria"

"Well, Hakuryuu, I don't give two fucking _shits _about what Sinbad thinks" The taller, older man replies to the teenager, his expression layered with various shades of pissed. Hakuryuu barely blinks at Asad's language, surprisingly used to the Shadow's overprotective temper and crude words. "I won't accept anything less than him taking the blame for what he did, bowing like a pig before my Princess and begging for forgiveness like the _dirty bug that he is_"

Hakuryuu sighs.

"Your jealousy is exactly as Ei-Nee described it as…" The fourth Prince laments in ire.

"You're right. I'm jealous and angry beyond belief. Which is why I'll leave you out of my affairs when we confront that sick son of a bitch."

"Asad…" Hakuryuu shakes his head. "Thank you. But please _restrain _yourself and let Ka Koubun and Kougyoku speak"

"Kougyoku is just as pissed as I am"

"...Let Ka Koubun do the talking?"

"That stupid bastard? No way in hell" Hakuryuu sighs irritatedly, finding himself in another bind.

"Asad-do-"

"I swear to Illah, call me Asad-dono _once more_-"

"_I'll _do the talking" The two boys look behind them, where Ting Mei strides up in all her proper orange and pink kimono glory.

"Mei, go away" Asad grumbles, crossing his arms.

"Just because I was told by Lady Gyokuen to accompany you is no reason to be so irritating, Asad." Smiling politely at Hakuryuu, Ting Mei bows and greets him. "Your highness, it is a great honor to speak with you again"

"I feel the same, Lady Ting Mei" Hakuryuu returns the gesture, his face gentle when speaking to Mei. Asad wonders if it's because he knows about Ting Mei and Koumei's relationship, but it may just be that Ting Mei is a very soothing person when she wants to be.

Then those knife-like eyes are glaring at him and her head is held high.

"Lord Asad, I believe I am most capable of explain the situation to his Highness King Sinbad. If you disagree, speak now."

"I disagr-"

"You're input is overruled. Do I have your permission, Prince Hakuryuu?"

"You may do as you see fit, Lady Ting Mei. I trust your judgement" Asad growls in his throat and stalks away, annoyed and frustrated with the conversation.

What do they know, anyway? They hadn't talked to Kougyoku like he has. They don't _know _anything about what happened that night. If Kougyoku says it happened then…

_I'll kill that bastard Sinbad. _

But then again, Kougyoku also said that she wasn't sure if anything happened at all. Still, the evidence is stacking up and the Sindrian King will meet his match if he had dared to touch Asad's Kougyoku.

Asad pauses.

He'll need to tone done the possessiveness. Nothing good will happen if he goes psycho on those damn Sindrians. Even if they totally deserve it.

* * *

"Bad, can I talk to you?" Said girl had been expecting this. Not necessarily looking forward to it, but expecting the Prince-y to grow a pair and finally talk to her about her position.

"Sure, but don't take to long. I'm going down to pick Mama up from her job after this"

"Eh? She has a job?"

"Why else wouldn't she be working with Aladdin in the mornings?" Alibaba ignores her snide comment and motions her to walk with him toward the lawn. She follows reluctantly, not really wanting to have a heart to heart with Ali-baka. But then again, it's better than having one with the idiot King, as Judal puts it.

They find a nice brown bench and sit down awkwardly, Bad sitting with her legs swinging back and forth and Alibaba awkwardly shifting.

Alibaba clears his throat.

"Bad, I know that-"

"-That I'm a Kou Princess, yeah, don't remind me." Bad finishes for him, fiddling with her ponytail. "Do you want to talk about it or what's going on with you?"

"W-well I-I-" He sputters, coughing a bit. "I wanted to ask about…"

_About your relation to Kou._

"I see. I'm...I don't like Kou. It is not a place I would go to willingly, unless I have a purpose. In truth I had prefered it that no one knew of my status as a part of Kou, but recently it has come to light in that and this court"

"Your family didn't know before?"

"I'm a bastard" She replies offhandedly, lifting her head to the blue sky and watching the clouds swim by. This apparently is a giant shock to Alibaba, who stares at her. She returns his gaze. "Yep. Like you."

This troubles Alibaba, and his gaze drops a little.

"So you...Grew up like me?"

"I'm not sure about that. Our situations are different, but we are in the same positions."

"What do you mean?" Bad grins crookedly.

"I'm here in Sindria for protection from Kou and Al Thamen. Just like you are" Alibaba's eyes glow with an uneasy shine, and Bad finds it hard to look at him when he comes to some sort of noble realization.

What, does he think that just because they're similar means that she'll be his friend? That because she revealed this to him that they'll instantly start to mend the old and create a new bond? No. No, that's not going to happen- not as long as Bad is intent on reaching her final objective of protecting this Godforsaken world and all it's cruel, disgusting inhabitants. Standing up swiftly, she regards him coolly.

"Well? Are we done?" Alibaba just stares.

"Yes. Thank you, Bad" Alibaba stands, brushing off dirt from his pants. "And I'm sorry"

She doesn't ask for him to clarify, and he doesn't explain.

But from that moment on, something had changed within their dynamic, and Bad knew that no matter what she did Alibaba wouldn't hate her now.

After all, how could he hate someone just like himself?

* * *

"Cent, look! Amon switched into my new sword!" Centola smiles at the ecstatic Alibaba, admiring Balbadd's Royal sword.

"I'm happy for you, Alibaba! I told you you could do it" Alibaba beams and throws an arm around Centola in his pride, eyes glittering.

"Well, you know, it was only a matter of hard work!" He boasts, and then another man shows up, elbowing Alibaba in the temple.

"I always knew my strict training would pay off."

"Hello, Lord Sharrkan" Centola greets politely, and Sharrkan throws her a wink that makes Alibaba's face tighten. The three begin walking down the hallways.

"Hello, Lady Centola. You are looking as lovely as always. Care to come drink with Alibaba and I in celebration of his achievement?"

"That is a kind offer" She tells him smoothly. "But I'm afraid I'll have to deal with that"

"That?" Both men ask at the same moment they round the corner on their walking path and run into Sinbad and Zeina having another one of their glaring matches.

Well, Sinbad glares. Zeina sort of just wiggles her eyebrows and laughs when he yells at her.

"Oh. _That_." Sharrkan looks a bit offput and Alibaba laughs nervously.

"It's like clockwork. Whenever I'm going to do something with my friends those two get into a fight that I need to mediate" Centola sighs, patting Alibaba's back and giving him a quick sidehug for congradulations before going off to deal with her eccentric aunt's tendencies.

Sharrkan rubs his chin, staring at his blonde apprentice.

"Hm"

"Um...Yes, Master?"

"You know, at the Maharagan Centola was wearing your outer robe...And you seem to have a good relationship…"

"H-huh? No, it's not like that-"

"Haha, you're right! There's no way someone so out of your league would be interested!" Sharrkan burst out laughing, slapping Alibaba's back. "You're you! Hahaha!"

* * *

"Ah, King Sinbad, please don't- Auntie, you didn't- Well, there's sure to be an-" While Alibaba is emasculated by Sharrkan, Centola goes and back and forth between the fighting adults, trying to find a middle ground.

Times like this makes her think she was back in the Slums, trying to stop the fighting between Kassim and Alibaba with as much success a child can have. She remembers one time they got into a fist fight and she batted her eyelashes and pretended to cry to get them to stop, but she doubts that would work here. Though she doesn't know exactly what happened this time, Centola can't help but search for a good way to get around the problem in a mature way.

A mature way? Well...There was one way she used to use on Kassim and Alibaba...

Maybe, just maybe…

"Sinbad, Zeina, stop it!" She commands, glaring at both of them. In shock, the two adults follow the teenager's command with slack faces at her sharp growl. "You two are acting like children, and I am _not _your mother. I've tolerated such pitiful fights in the past, but I am tired of having to play the role of the adult babysitting fighting toddlers. Come with me. _Now._"

On the inside Centola starts to sweat. Oh God, she's not suppose to speak this way to a King- or even her aunt! But the way they are behaving is just too much like her friends, and she'd either use this or the pleading method to make _them _stop. Since the rational mediation between the fighting parties didn't work, she had to choose a different path.

She throws open the doors to a sitting room and points into it, saying coldly,

"Get in. You're not allowed out until you settle your pitiful score, understood?" Blankly both the adults nod, staring at her even as they are herded into the room, wonder and a bit of fright filling their faces.

"Hm. I didn't take you as such a scary person, Centola." Zeina comments, and Sinbad hums.

"Not 'scary'...More like 'able to snap if pushed enough'"

* * *

"So…" Sinbad takes a seat on the couch, watching as Zeina plucks a random book from a shelf and sits down next to him to read it, her legs crossed. "How long do you think we'll be in here?"

"Until we settle our 'score', remember?"

"Obviously, but how long do you think that'll take" Amusedly the Temptress sends him a wink.

"For~ever~"

"You're really annoying, you know that?"

"Keep talking Sinboy~"

"I hate that nickname" The King grumbles, slouching in his chair. Zeina nods, smirking.

"I know. I gave it to you on our first adventure." Their heads fill with that memory, which actually makes the purple haired man smile a little. "Because you were being a kid~"

"No I wasn't! You're the one who got Darius all worked up"

"At least I didn't try fifty different ways to get into the Knight headquarters" She teases in a singsong voice, her grin spreading wider as she sees Sinbad rolling his caramel eyes but still smiling.

"Pff, whatever. It was fun" He says it casually, but it almost comes across like an admission.

"...Hey Sin?"

"...Yeah?" Zeina goes back to her book, not looking at him as he looks at his rings.

"..." Truthfully that question she really wants to ask doesn't formulate into words. "Have you been happy?"

"Yes. Have you?" Zeina wonders if he's lying.

"Yes. I've been fine." Sinbad wonders if she's lying.

Of course, neither are completely telling the truth, but to articulate everyday since she left would take too much time than they have, even if they can't leave that room until they do. It's not to say that the wounds didn't close, because they did.

Sinbad missed Zeina, he won't lie, but the last few years have been...Better. Sure, he thought of her when he saw a maroon flower and yes those feelings of hurt and things too private to mention occasionally come back to him, but it didn't happen everyday and he was a content man fulfilling the dream he had always wanted to achieve.

Zeina missed Sinbad, how could she not? But truly the guilt that worn her down had faded like all terrible things do, and when she looked to the sea it was memories of the good ol' days that came to her, not the sad things. She was a woman keeping up the routine of her family's heritage, and that made her feel like she was actually doing something right, no matter how wrong.

Now they're here again, still relaxing on the pain that, they realize, hadn't hurt them in a long time. But what could be said to sweep up the broken glass between them, to rub medicine on the scars to be completely faded away? Are they angry, sad, irritated? Perhaps.

But do they hate one another?

No.

No, Sinbad realizes. He doesn't hate her. She's Zeina, his...

No, Zeina realizes. She couldn't hate him. He's Sinbad, her...

Their eyes meet, and they share a fragile smile that holds these words, and express them through their gazes.

"I'm glad, then." He tells her, hand swallowing hers- for once knowingly. She holds onto his hand, not too tight to draw suspicion but not light enough for him to think to let go.

"Me too."

It's certainly not enough to fix everything. And it doesn't relax those questions they have for one another. But right now, quietly, The Temptress reads a book while the King props his neck up with his free hand and dozes.

It's enough for a truce.

* * *

Bad leans against Yamuraiha, laying her head against her mother's arm and tucking her legs against the bench as they watch Aladdin practice his magic. A bit of a blush comes to her face, but she tries to will it away with girly giddiness.

Yamuraiha opens a scroll and quietly prods Bad to skim over it and figure out the complex spell spread across the entire span of paper. Bad takes it, sitting up, and Yamuraiha turns her attention to Aladdin as the pinkette runs her fingers over the formulas and admires the strong strokes her mother writes with.

Sometimes the strokes become light, almost wistful, and Bad can tell the difference between her mother's and father's workings. She can imagine them sitting together in the kitchen of their house, chattering loudly about the way this should be written and how that could also be shown as.

Magic is it's own language, and Bad appreciates the spell in all it's elaborate glory.

She translates it in her head, spanning the whole of her hand over the scroll to remember what goes where.

The swirling and spinning markings indicate what it is: a water spell infused with wind magic. She hums as she hits a part requiring ice commands but then tuts and moves past toward the end.

"It's very wonderful, Mama. I'll try it-" She starts, but then realizes that Yamu is working with Aladdin on a fire spell. Bad smiles a little, rolling off of the bench and landing on the soft grass, spreading the scroll above her so it shades her from the sun as she reads the black lines.

_Magic is the best!_

* * *

The Kou Envoy had arrived. Standing at the dock beside the first-class singularity, Bad takes a fist of his robes and pulls on it to get attention.

"Yes?" He asks amusedly at the tiny pinkette, who pouts, a little nervous but still trying to seem like the badass she's been trying to build up a reputation as.

"This Hakuryuu guy...Do you know him?"

"I met him once when the Emperor introduced him, but all else is just information that Koutoku told me about him"

"..." Bad tilts her head to this, eyes trained on the many guards coming off the ship. She looks to her fisted hand holding onto Sinbad's white robes and lets go, taking a step away from him. The King chuckles at her, but eyes Sheba held in Bad's right hand.

Of course she took the Stave out. Eren and Catrina are the calming lull whenever she's too nervous or tries to jump the gun, but she can't rely on them for everything and having Sheba held in her hand gives her strength and a certain intimidation factor.

Plus Sheba is _hella_ cool looking.

Aladdin stares for a moment at her choice of weapon, lips parted before sealing together. He looks away, nose crinkling in concentration of thought.

_Bothersome that you know what you know, Al._

But then Aladdin jogs up to her and gives his big, goofy smile and for a minute Bad forgets where she is and blushes with childish giddiness.

_Wait- stop blushing! You're a badass, BADass!"_

She forces herself to look away and get serious.

Then she spots him. Dark blue hair, serious posture. Bad's jaw slackens but she forces herself to snap her teeth together and override the shock.

Alright, so that's different but it's not necessarily something that's bad, right? Unless- No, wait but how- it's impossible so why-

…

_Hakuei. _

On the inside her killing intent pulls against its chains but she forces the snake-like anger to simmer quietly in it's cage, coaxes it to purr in her hand and hiss in devilish delight. Smirking, Bad studies Hakuryuu Ren.

_How interesting. The little Feather decided to play? Oh dear, I've always expected great things from you, but this is just too much~!_

The man- a boy, but his face is set and regal so that it appears to be manly- strides with great purpose up to Sinbad and his ward, catching Alibaba's eye before slicing those two clear blue ponds over to the Seven Generals and their King.

Making a fist covered with his other hand, the Prince bows in respect before Sinbad.

"I'm the fourth Prince of the Kou Empire, Hakuryuu Ren"

"I've heard about you from his Majesty the Emperor, I welcome you"

"Learn well from our country" Badroulbadour adds, bowing politely. Hakuryuu looks startled to see her, but then bows some more to cover this.

"Yes, I've been wanting to meet you even if the Emperor didn't command me to, King Sinbad. And you too, Lady...Kouhime." Bad doesn't flinch at his use of her 'Kou' name, but it's familiar to her ear and slightly sad at the same time. Sinbad doesn't seem budged by this tactic, but Bad doubts that Hakuryuu said it to be mean. Or did he? It was odd, she wasn't quite sure what to think about Hakuryuu and what he might know and not know at the moment.

"That's an honor to me and my ward, right Badroulbadour?" The retaliation of her current name makes Hakuryuu shift but otherwise look nothing other than uncomfortable.

"Yes, a pleasure."

"I will wait patiently to speak with you." Hakuryuu seems relieved at the words, but doesn't smile. "By the way, Haven't I met the person behind you before…?"

There, smiling politely, is Kougyoku Ren.

Ja'far nervously balks and the six other generals raise eyebrows.

_Kougyoku? She came?_

Kougyoku comes up to greet them, smiling so nicely that for some reason Bad's certain that it must be fake. She wonders if Sinbad sees that.

"King Sinbad, I hope that our problems in Balbadd have been forgotten!" She chirps, and the pinkette begins to feel like she's forgetting something.

_Some funny story Al told me...What was it again…?_

"Yes, we haven't seen each other in a long time!" The King merrily points out, happy that the Princess isn't being cold. "We didn't even see each other once in the Kou Empire!"

That last part seems to touch a nerve in Kougyoku, and instantly Bad remembers what she had forgotten. Half of her is excited and the other half breaks out into a grin, cheering on Kougyoku for the win.

"Didn't even see me once...You say?!" The sword comes out of no where, a black, white and blue blur used to chop off a piece of Sinbad's hair. All of those assembled gawk as the Princess screeches, "DAMN YOU SINBAD! I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD _APOLOGIZE, _AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY'S SAKE CHOKE BACK YOUR TEARS BUT...I CAN'T FORGIVE YOU!"

She lets go of the sword, a familiar object that in surprise Bad realizes is one of Asad's twin katanas, and instead plucks out her metal vessel from her hair. It instantly transforms into a blue sword, water whipping around the eighth Princess.

"FIGHT ME TO THE DEATH SINBAD! YOU DESERVE A BRUTAL DEATH FOR THE BRUTAL ACT OF DEFILING A YOUNG MAIDEN!" The not-quite magician's mouth drops open in surprise.

Wow, she knew it was very intense but this is just crazy! Her half-sister swinging around a giant-ass sword and Sinbad looking like he got thrown into a pit of venomous snakes. Awesome.

"What's the meaning of this, Princess!" Ja'far yells in his usual freaked out way, and Kougyoku stops, her eyes filling with tears. She launches behind her into a court-lady's arms and begins to sob as three people come up.

"The event is much too troubling for her highness Lady Kougyoku to repeat. If I may, I shall recount what happened." Says one of them, a woman with shockingly white hair and cold gray eyes.

"Who're you?" Bad asks, and the woman replies,

"My name is Lady Ting Mei. I am Lord Asad's personal assistant." On one side of this new woman Asad glares very pointedly at Sinbad, his face set with hatred and steely anger. On the other, a yellow and purple dressed man- Ka Koubun- annoyedly glares at the back of Ting Mei's back, not that the assistant acknowledges him in any way.

"And this is Ka Koubun, Lady Kougyoku's personal assistant." Ka Koubun opens his mouth and breathes in loudly.

"The Lady Kougyo-"

"_Quiet_" Ting Mei orders, lifting her hand and glaring at the other assistant, who flinches backwards and shakily nods. "This is a testimony from the Princess herself, and there are other witnesses. Please take this as the truth. According to her, the last night of King Sinbad's stay we offered him a farewell banquet. And the next morning, when she woke up seemingly in her own bedroom, the Princess looked over and saw there, laying beside her _naked_, King Sinbad. If you still insist that nothing happened, then please give us at the Kou Royal court an explanation, King Sinbad!"

Bad puts her hand over her mouth to hide her shit-eating grin.

_My life is _literally _complete._

* * *

_My name is Sinbad of the Sindria Kingdom. I have overcome many dangerous situations throughout my life, but now I'm facing a crisis the like of which I have never encountered in the past. _

Sinbad is stone faced and hard, studying the situation. Off to the right, Ting Mei, Asad and that household member of the Princess all stare at him, the Holy Keeper especially, and Kougyoku once again grabs the familiar-looking katana she dropped.

"Damn you Sinbad! You've dishonored the body of an Imperial Princess! Fight me, and if you refuse, I'll kill myself!" This statement makes Asad's neck make a hard turn toward Kougyoku and he briskly starts walking toward her. "If you accept, then I'll kill you and then die!"

"No, Princess!" Cries one sobbing lady-in-waiting, and other servants voice their frantic agreement. Asad reaches her now, grabbing the end of the blade pointing toward her face and wrenching out of her grasp, muttering something along the lines of 'I've been wondering where this has gone'.

"Princess, you're wrong. There's only one way to settle this." Asad's glaring black orbs turn to Sinbad. The Holy Keeper whips the katana at him and growls harshly,

"For this man to submit to his wrongdoings and _beg for forgiveness_!"

_...Did I really do that to the Princess?_

But he's the High King of the Seven Seas Alliance! There's no way he'd ever do something like that...Okay, it's happened before but that doesn't mean it happened this time. Besides, he's sure he didn't do anything.

Unfortunately, his opponent is a Princess, who is not someone you can lay your hands on unless you promise to marry her.

_But I've never…_

He cuts his eyes toward the spectators, the mass of soldiers from both sides, his ward and her group, Alibaba, Aladdin and Mor. Then there's the Seven Generals and...Zeina stands with Khadeja and holds the hand of that little brunette boy. Surveying the Princess, the blonde flickers her gaze to his and smirks at him, which in turn just exasperates him further.

…_Whatever._

"If the Princess hurts herself because of the King of Sindria...What would a war-hungry Empire like Kou do?" Ja'far frantically grips his hair, the possibility of war attacking his senses. Sinbad rubs his temple. He _has _to remember what happened that night- he _can't_ hurt the people of Sindria with a war.

_First...I saw the banker again._

That was true. The man had appeared like nothing ever happened, reaching out one paw to shake with Sinbad. The Sindrian King had searched for the Banker after the battle at Balbadd, but the man had disappeared. Probably left to return to his evil organization, though the way Bad had smirked sadistically when she saw the robed man had suggested something darker than he had been imagining.

_Then I found out that Judal was gone._

He had seen the Holy Keeper once, but the so called 'holy man' had ignored him so pointedly that Sinbad gave up on scheming to speak with him. However, Asad had spoken a little to Bad, and the new ward had gone to visit him once or twice. Sinbad tried to inquire as were Judal was, but only obtained the simple sentence: 'the Oracle has immersed himself into training as of late'.

_But none of that matters. At the banquet I only had a few sips of alcohol for etiquette! I never saw Kougyoku. _

Sharrkan tilts his head.

"But...Yeah, that's right, the King wasn't drunk."

"You're right" Spartos agrees. "In order to be sure we checked that he returned to his room alone."

"And I went to sleep like that. I did nothing to you!" Triumphantly, Sinbad presents this news to the Princess, who bubbers and clutches onto the Holy Keeper's sleeve.

"Then why was I in your room the next morning?!"

"Sorry Princess, but I don't have any recollection of that."

"Then _why _were you _naked_?! Are you saying you take off your clothes when you're asleep?"

"Yeah, it happens often!"

Instantly two swords were on either side of Sinbad, slamming into the cart behind him. One was belonging to a rather pissed off and murderous looking Asad and the other a still crying but furious Kougyoku.

"Are you _still _feigning innocence?!" The Holy Keeper howls, and the Princess ends,

"I'll tell you _my _version!"

"That last night...I was with my brother Kouha, sitting and eating with him. When the banquet ended, I saw King Sinbad leaving, but I was too proud to apologize for my behavior in Balbadd. Then, as I was returning to my room, someone knocked me out from behind. When I regained consciousness I was in your room. I ran out and since Ting Mei was passing by I found refuge in her arms!" Kougyoku looks to Ting Mei, who nods at this, her sharp eyes even harsher with the inapropriate context.

"What are you saying?" Ja'far asks.

"Well…" Ting Mei once more glares at Ka Koubun who had gone forward, and the assistant once more took several steps back at the court lady came forward.

"What Lady Kougyoku is saying that she was walking back from the banquet and someone made her faint. She woke up in _your _room, King Sinbad, so all the evidence points to you"

"Point to me for-"

"For committing an _obscene act_ against her Highness without her consent"

"WHAT?! YOU'RE THE WORST!" The Seven Generals all yell, flinching away. Sinbad sweatdrops.

"You should have more belief in your King…"

* * *

Kougyoku clutches at Asad's robes, feeling the tears coming down despite promising herself that she wouldn't cry. Asad uses his other hand to pat her shoulder, giving her a quick smirk.

"Hey, why're you crying? What happened to the bloodthirsty eighth Imperial Princess Kougyoku Ren?"

"She doesn't want to deal with this" She deadpans, and then gasps, covering her mouth with her hand. "S-sorry, that wasn't me-" Asad snickers and takes her hand, shaking his head.

"It'll be okay. We'll get to the bottom of this quickly, okay?"

"Y-you know, Asad, you say calm things to me but then are very harsh to King Sinbad…"

"Of course. I like you and hate him to the bottom of my soul" Asad tells her, his onyx eyes turning black before blinking away those feelings. "After all, if he touched my Princess I'll…"

Asad turns toward the King, who bickers with his Generals.

"Are you done making excuses, King Sinbad?!" He shouts, pulling Kougyoku forward. The King looks back toward them, and Kougyoku watches how Asad's unnerving, stony face faces the purple haired man head on. "For defiling her Highness's body, you have to pay"

"Pay?" Sinbad gawks, and slow, devious smile on Asad's face is something that Kougyoku admires a little bit.

"In order to take responsibility...You have to pay with…" The sword is out of its sheath in a second and Asad points it at Sinbad's neck before slowly trailing downwards towards…

_Oh dear. _

"Your balls." The Holy Keeper announces. Then, three things happen. One, Sinbad puts his knees together so fast a smacking sound is heard. Two, the Seven Generals all start yelling out their disagreement, and three, Bad busts out laughing so hard that she falls onto the floor.

"WHAT?!" Ting Mei strides up, her face a storm cloud of anger.

"Asad, that is too much to ask-"

"Why not? What's the other option, have this guy _marry _Kougyoku? Let me explain the stupid-ass reasoning behind that idea. Alright, so we accuse this guy of 'taking advantage' of Kougyoku, and then instead of protecting her from the man who did this _terrible, disgusting _act we'll just say, 'here ya go, she's aaaallll yours!' which is complete. **Bullshit**. If he did something this horrible once then who's to say he won't again, to another girl? Do you want to expose her Highness to such atrocities again? The only way to ensure that he won't is to strip him of his instrument with which he committed such a heinous crime. Then no one else will be hurt and Kougyoku can go back to Kou with an air of justice around her, and be heralded as a heroine to women everywhere!"

All jaws drop. Ting Mei makes a small choking sound, astounded by the thought out reasoning and fierce passion in which he delivers this explanation. Kougyoku watches with admiration as Asad grips her hand and defends her.

_No wonder he's my best friend…He's been thinking of me this whole time!_

A devil's smile graces his face as he points Hikaru at Sinbad's lower regions once more.

"A fair price, right~? I don't mind **_helping_** you out." A bit of dejection reaches the Kou Princess.

_...Yeah...Thinking of me the whole time..._

Ka Koubun screeches out his disapproval, but Ting Mei stays quiet.

"Lady Ting Mei, you couldn't _possibly _approve of this!" The tattooed man comes up to the white haired woman, who covers her lower face with her sleeves as she thinks hard about this and considers Asad's proposed method of payment.

"Well..." She starts slowly, ignoring Ka Koubun all together. "...It's an interesting method. But I don't believe that…'Hurting' the King is an appropriate method of dealing with our situation. Besides, as long as the King swears to be with his wife only, then there shouldn't be a problem with other women, correct? Plus the Princess will have no damage done to her honor if he were her husband, and the Emperor has no problem giving her to King Sinbad."

"Now wait a minute, don't spout nonsense like me marrying her or chopping off my-"

"But we don't have a choice…" Ja'far whispers harshly to the other generals, who mull over this. Sinbad jumps and twists back to his homefront.

"We have no choice…" One admits, and Kougyoku tunes them all out.

_Marry Sinbad?_

But...He's the guy who ra...Why would the marry her to him? This isn't funny. This isn't funny at all. If he touched her or took advantage of her then why in God's name must she suffer more for his actions? Why does she have to marry him- to get back her honor? That's...That's…

"_Which is complete. __**Bullshit**__."_

Yeah. Asad's right, that's complete bullshit!

"I refuse!" Kougyoku states, coming forward, her sorrow turning to anger and her anger turning into resolve. "I absolutely refuse to marry a man who would commit a crime like this! The Holy Keeper is right, there is only one way: King Sinbad, pay with your testicals!"

"P-Princess?!" Everyone turns to face the furious fish Princess, who struggles not to growl lowly.

"I think the Holy Keeper is right. I want this man to _pay in blood_" Asad grins largely.

"There's my bloodthirsty Princess!"

* * *

Bad couldn't admit that she was enjoying this whole fiasco. No, she was _loving _it. Sinbad's shocked face, the Seven Generals' conspiring to marry off their King, and Asad's beautifully sculptured argument to slice off of Sin's nether regions make her want to _cry_ in laughter.

But honestly, she doesn't really feel like marrying her half-sister to Sinbad, so she comes forward as Sinbad screams.

"I'm out of patience! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you all to believe in me! I didn't touch her, Goddamnit!" The generals all exchange glances.

"King Sinbad...There's no way to prove that you're innocent." Spartos tells him hopelessly. "You need to decide...Your balls or your Kingdom."

"ARGH-!"

"Um, yeah, I think Sinbad's innocent" All eyes turn to the little ward, who grins and tilts her head. "And I could prove it, if you'd like"

"You can...Prove it?" Ja'far asks astonishedly, and Sinbad adds,

"Why the hell didn't you come forward sooner then?!"

"Because this is _literally _the best day of my life right now." Eren chuckles.

"Brat."

"Come here, Kougyoku, Sinbad, I'll use my magic to show you what really happened!" She announces as she opens her palm and Sheba glows in delight at being used. Water gathers above her hand in two whirlpools, and the spectators all watch with awe as the young not-quite magician prepares to cast a spell.

"No, Princess you cannot trust the magic of another country! It could lie!"

"No!" Kougyoku declares, staring determinedly at the swirling water. "I want to know what happened, so I won't back down!"

* * *

"_Sharal Rakesa!" _

"Whoa…!" Yamu smiles at her daughter's spell, and Aladdin's awed comment. While it is her spell, she's not all that bothered that Bad decided to cast it, instead proud that the pinkette could do it so well.

_Even better than me._

The water figures of Sinbad and Kougyoku who form are heavily detailed, from the nicely stitches of Kougyoku's robes to the folds of Sinbad's turban.

"What's this?"

"Clairvoyance magic." Yamu replies as Bad focuses on channeling the Rukh of the two into their respective positions. "This water has a drop of their blood in it. By using the Rukh in the blood, Bad is able to replay what has occurred in the past. In this instance, she's using this replica of the palace to prove what really happened."

Zeina appears by her roommate's side.

"Hmm...But this magic doesn't lie." The blonde Temptress calls at Sinbad, "Hey, pedo, you didn't do it right?"

"Not you too!"

"Hey, I just want to make sure because I may have or may have not gambled on this"

"You're kidding."

"Don't give me that face! I voted _for _you~"

"Auntie, we're going to have a talk about your gambling problems…" Centola flicks a piece of hair out of her face instead of expressing annoyance. "Don't worry King Sinbad, I'm sure you did nothing wrong!"

"Thank _you_, Centola!"

"Cheater…" Bad grumbles. "Ah! Kougyoku, you collapsed!"

"W-wha, oh…Where's Sinbad?"

"He's sleeping."

"Sleeping…? Kougyoku's being carried now, right?"

"I thought she was floating" Aladdin laughs, and they watch Kougyoku being carried to Sinbad's room. The water figure of the Princess is placed beside the King.

"Ah! Children shouldn't watch what happens next!" Ja'far covers Aladdin's eyes, Zeina does Alexio, Masrur Morgiana and Catrina Eren.

"What the hell, Catrina?!"

"You're just a little kid, Eri~"

"This is why. This is why we don't hang out." Yamu places her hands over her daughter's eyes, and the not-quite magician doesn't protest but rather lean back against her mother, giggling.

"Has something happened?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"No"

"Now?"

"No."

"..."

"..."

"Can we get something to eat?"

* * *

Outfitted with her stave in one hand and a shish kebob in the other, Bad eats meat while watching the dolls continue to do nothing.

"This is boring. I'll speed things up." Other than a few twitches, the dolls just sleep the whole night. "Called it!"

"DID YOU SEE?! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

"Sorry, sorry!" The generals apologize, and Zeina whoops.

"I made myself some money! I can pay the rent now!"

"You couldn't before?!" Yamu snaps her head to her roommate, mouth open. "That's the reason I let you stay with me!"

"She lied" Alexio informs Yamu. Sinbad turns to Kougyoku, smiling pleasantly.

"Princess, as you can see, I did not harm you. No damage is done to your body or honor"

"I...See…" The Princess looks down, an embarrassed blush filling her face.

"Wait just a minute!" Ka Koubun interrupts, his teeth bared. "I have kept quiet this whole time because of Lady Ting Mei, but no more! I will not let foreign magic deceive you. This magic is ochestrated by...Erm, Sinbad's ward!"

Bad tilts her head. 'Sinbad's ward'? Why not her name? It seems suspiciously like the way Hakuryuu reacted to her presence.

_Strange._

"She could have manipulated the magic to protect her King!" Ka Koubun's eyes are full of intention. "You don't have to- um- be castrated, King Sinbad, but you must accept your sins and marry Princess Kougyoku-!"

"Stop, Ka Koubun!" Kougyoku orders, lifting her sleeves to her face. Bad wonders she must feel incredibly embarrassed for ordering Sinbad to give up his manhood earlier, and the blush had not disappeared from earlier.

"I'm sure that what I saw was right." She admits. "To be honest, I also think something was strange. My hair and clothes were still in order that morning from the previous night. But...I was scared and went into a panic. I was so embarrassed I couldn't say anything, and I was also very angry as well for allowing such a thing happen. Please forgive me"

The Princess bows before the King, and the man nods. Kougyoku begins to cry, and Asad comes forward along with her guards, shielding her.

"Come on 'Gyoku, don't cry!" The Holy Keeper tries to sooth her, gently shaking her shoulder. The two guards both worriedly watch their Princess's tears.

"But then...Who knocked out Kougyoku and placed her with Sinbad?" Bad asks, twirling Sheba around with her fingers.

"You're right...Someone had to have done it" Centola supplies, her eyes looking not at the crying Princess but her retainer. Bad brushes her hand against the Temptress's, a small gesture of silence.

"It'll come out on it's own" Bad whispers, just as the two guards gesture toward the yellow robed servant. "See?"

"Sorry, it is all Ka Koubun's fault!"

"You fools, don't you want that promotion!?"

"But the Princess is so sad! And we're her subordinates, not yours…"

Badroulbadour laughs as the guards prepare to seize Ka Koubun, their spears long and sharp as they try to attack the now sword wielding man.

"Wow, he's trying to fight~ How surprising!"

The sword is knocked down, clattering to the floor. Bad's attention is once more on Hakuryuu, his determined face.

_Hm._

"Enough with your farce" The Prince says coldly. "King Sinbad!"

Sinbad comes to attention, not that he wasn't already, and the blue haired teen bows before him. The Prince explains that the magic is authentic and apologizes greatly, bowing his head deeply and begging for forgiveness.

"To make the Prince fall on his knees for a stupid reason.." One of the guards sighs disappointedly, and Ka Koubun chokes.

"Shut up! I couldn't not do anything about it! Trash like me doesn't deserve to have dreams!" Kougyoku pats Ka Koubun's back, shaking her head hard.

"Don't say that! You're a splendid person!" Asad comes forward.

"Prince Hakuryuu!" Said teen stands and looks back at the Holy Keeper. "Permission to exact retribution?"

"Granted"

"Fuck yes." Asad dispatched one of this katanas and forces Ka Koubun to stand. "Now, Ka Koubun...For the crime of sullying the Princess's reputation, you will give up…"

His sword dips down and down, towards a familiar place to the passing Sinbad. Viciously the Holy Keeper announces,

"Your balls."

Ja'far spits on the back of a shell-shocked Ka Koubun's head.

* * *

"Are you sure about letting them stay?" Zeina asks, appearing by Ja'far's side as they walk with Sinbad to leave the harbor.

"Yeah. I have a feeling that the Prince won't leave just yet." Bad skips up to them and pokes Sinbad's side.

"Hey, sorry for not doing that thing sooner. Truthfully I forgot that I could~!" Sinbad rolls his eyes.

"Of course you did."

"Hmmm...Looks like that guy is thinking about something!" Bad smiles as she looks at Hakuryuu, and Sinbad studies the boy's back.

"Seems so." Walking away from them and heading toward her two companions, Bad watches her cousin being herded along. Centola comes up beside her, crossing her arms.

"Hey, Bad?" Catrina kicks her feet as she walks.

"Yes?"

"Um...Is Hakuryuu...Different?"

"Yes" Eren rubs the back of his head.

"So it's not just me who noticed, eh?" Catrina nods, and Centola closes her eyes.

"Asad couldn't have warned us, apparently." The half-blooded Fanalis pouts.

"Yes, I caught it as well. I thought I must have imagined it wrong or remembered it incorrectly but…" Centola shrugs. "I knew I wasn't wrong."

Bad sighs, troubled.

"No, you two aren't wrong. Hakuryuu...Is missing his scar"

* * *

**Fun Fact #1:** Khadeja was suppose to be tsundere but...That's kind of an impossible character for Sparrow-chan to write so...Now she's a stubborn and loyal person!

**Fun Fact #2:** When she was a child, Catrina had a very confident, proud attitude. Now she's more of a friendly, cheerful person but this personality has only come to surface after Bad and Eren both said they preferred her smiling face to her serious one.

**Fun Fact #3:** In the Other, Aladdin's nicknames for Kouhime was 'Hime'. When they started dating this changed to 'love'

* * *

Chapter: done! Uwwaaaa….When you procrastinate and then have to rush…I'M SO LAZY I'M SORRY WAHAHAHAHAA :( Is it weird that the only place I want to write is at school, and the only place I don't want to write is at home? Not gonna lie, most of the chapter gets done on fridays/saturdays.

**Announcements:** 1) I created a poll on my profile! Please vote for who is your favorite OC in this story! So far Bad's in the lead with a four-way tie for second. Can't wait to see which character come out on top! 2) Also: I have gotten requests from people who want to join Bad's cult, so I'm just gonna say that we worship on saturdays and we welcome everyone. Also- don't eat the mushrooms, last week Eren decided to make that mistake and we were cleaning up vomit all through the service.

**Latest Chapters:** XD XD XD AND THUS BEGINS THE GREAT ADVENTURE OF JUDORK AND CACTUARBABA! But on another note, if Alibaba easily forgives Judal for all the shit he's done I will actually beat my head against the wall. And if I didn't make Judal a good guy in this fic, then I would probably kill him off in a _terrifyingly horrible_ way. Teehee(?)

**CatrinaXMasrur is over?!:** Naaah. I've figured out that they're adorable and funny to write. As of now, the awkward Fanalis couple shall be made fun of!

**(What you've all been waiting for) Hakuryuu's Scar is Gone?!: **Mwuhaha! who saw that one comin'? Well, now y'all know why I haven't been focusing on Hakuei, ne? By the way, I hope y'all don't think I did this because I dislike that scar. No, in fact, I adore it. I think it's a good characterization of the Edge Lord Hakuryuu. But do you seriously think that Hakuei would let her little brother go through the same pain once more? Nope. My darling Ei-Ren chose a different path all together. Next chapter: why Ryuu-Ren doesn't have his scar anymore, and Ei-Ren's resolve!


	23. Chapter 22: Careful--Trust

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SIXTH ARC: **Half a Year in Sindria

CHAPTER 22: Careful Where You Place the Trust

* * *

"_Hakuryuu...No longer has his scar"_

That's right.

Bad's statement was as true as the smooth skin of fourth Imperial Prince Hakuryuu Ren's face, blue eyed and youthful. Much more than the Princess was expecting, actually, and Hakuryuu never looked so...Is the word brave? Well, he certainly appeared dashing when presenting himself to Sinbad. But she could imagine him smiling and knows one word to describe him with.

_Naive._

Or maybe a worse word.

_Innocent._

Her mind wanders on with these two terrible words, and instantly the pinkette is caught up in a downward spiral of anxiety and uncomfortable annoyance. To some, this is a good thing. Hakuryuu isn't scarred? Does that mean he didn't get into that horrible fire before? That's great! It means he's not going to Fall.

But to Bad, all she knows is this: Hakuryuu didn't get into that fire? Then what the hell is he going to do now?

The eleven year old forces herself to calm down. It'll be fine. She'll figure something out- no matter if she's unsure how to handle this wild card Hakuei decided to throw at her.

A little warning, a note, a fucking 'by the way, my brother _isn't_ a psycho anymore' would have been nice, but Bad knows Hakuei didn't mean any harm. Even if the Feather's bothersome meddling has made the Princess frighteningly furious.

But to the outside world, she's just a little girl skipping while holding her big brother's hand.

Bad smiles and states casually to Eren,

"You don't mind if I **destroy** Hakuei, right?" Eren's face doesn't change from its smiling expression, but a bit of sadness creeps into his green eyes.

"I'll follow ya no matter what. Do what ya have to, and I'll accept it"

"Good. Bad girls must be punished, no~?"

"That's...Contradictory."

"Ehehe!"

* * *

**12 Years Earlier…**

When we left off with the story of Hakuei Ren, she was a seven year old overwhelmed by the cruelty of the world. Now, we join her during just two years later.

Nine year old Hakuei Ren learned a lot of things when she was young. She learned about economics, politics, even things that she already knew but never truly delved into during her past life.

Hakuei Ren was what some would call a 'genius', but Hakuei Ren was also what some would call a 'faker'. Is it truly genius if you knew it all beforehand? If someone with a mind filled with all the knowledge a good general should have is put into a child-level class on war strategies, then isn't it natural for them to excel?

Hakuei Ren was no genius, she was just trying to know more than she does now.

So she kept her level of intelligence a secret and studied what she could when she had to time to do so.

But, well, it was hard not to become distracted, especially since Hakuryuu was always-

"Eeep!" -Making her play with him.

"Ei-Nee~ Come on, Yuu-Ren needs us tho relax him!" Hakuryuu gives her a childish, blinding smile, and Hakuei feels a rush of fresh love fill her like a warm wave in the ocean slams against the shore. Taking his small four year old hand, Hakuei guides him through the library and toward the halls, all the while listening to his wonderful chatter and childish whines for her to coddle him.

"Ei-Nee, will you read tho me later?"

"It's 'to', Ryuu dear, but of course I will." Hakuei promises, stroking her larger thumb over his tiny knuckles. Hakuryuu beams and nods like a bobble head during an earthquake.

"Now I can't wait! I'll work on saying 'tho'!"

_Cute~~~_

How didn't she notice how sweet her little brother was? She pauses a bit, and then lets herself relax. She'll appreciate it this time. She'll help him keep that gentleness in his actions and words.

"Hakuryuu, I want to tell you something"

"Yeth, Ei-Nee"

"It's 'yes', Ryuu dear. And I want to tell you that no matter what happens, you will always, _always _be able to talk to Ei-Nee about it, okay?" The small, dark-blue haired child considers this, puppy dog eyes taking in her words and trying to understand them.

"But I already go tho Ei-Nee" He states at last, his walk becoming a bounce. "I always go tho Ei-Nee! Now and unthil um, forever!"

Hakuei gazes at her younger sibling with adoration, smiling. Ah, to make this boy into a good man and save him from himself...That must be the reason she was reborn, right?

"It's 'until', dear"

* * *

Many things happened other than that. There was the meeting of an odd woman she never saw before who called herself 'Ting Mei', the numerous sightings of a silver-haired child giving piggyback rides to Judal, and other visits from people she _knows _didn't exist in the memories she has from her past life.

Strange occurrences revolving around her, made peculiar by the knowledge that they _shouldn't exist_. But then it happened to cross her mind that maybe these people weren't just impossible, but perhaps tied in with some sort of giant plan orchestrated by whomever sent her back in time.

Because that's the only plausible explanation Hakuei can come up with at this point. Though the workings are vague and the complexity too much for her mind to handle, there's no other way that one minute she can be facing her end while being cradled by Alibaba and then bam! Being in a baby's body and hearing her father's voice for the first time in years.

It's impossible, but then again, many things have become impossible lately.

One night, ten year old Hakuei was held six year old Hakuryuu in her arms. It was late, but a political dinner had gone long and the third Prince had waited for his sister for hours until she came back to her bedroom and he collapsed in her arms. She went out onto the roka*, watching the pale narcissuses' yellow centers wash the garden in layers of gold, reflecting off the water from the small pond that was still as the flat surface of a mirror. Other flowers, such as the sensitive camellia bloomed underneath the long stemmed narcissuses and made the shadows a moonbeam pink that blushed delicately along the vines of a climbing wisteria which stretched up the side of the stone wall. Above her, a thick white moon sat close to the earth, almost touching the horizon, and gave her a startling smile made of sparkling stars.

Little Hakuryuu shivered a bit, but his elder sister's arms gave all the warmth a child could need. Ah, at times like this he looked so much like her son.

Her son was an adorable child. Eyes as blue as the sky and hair like soft yellow cotton, he was uplifting and friendly. Hakuei loved him the moment he was born, and so did Alibaba. They gave him a familial name and shared the joyfulness of being parents no matter what the maids said about the Queen breastfeeding and the King getting up before dawn to quiet his son.

Hakuryuu is round faced and cheerful, so much so that it shocked Hakuei to remember that he was like this in her memories of a past childhood as well, and she desperately wants to protect that. Hakuei holds Hakuryuu close, resemblance and pain giving her a resolution she would go through many struggles and trials to keep.

"_I'll_ protect _you _this time" She whispers.

In that moment, something odd happened.

The horizon brightened, and a feeling of being lifted up and into the sky took control as Hakuei gasps. She stands, a half-asleep Hakuryuu plopping his head on her shoulder and lazily hugging her like a koala bear. She clutches her little brother tightly as she walks out into the garden, watching with wonder as the colors described before brighten and sparkle around her.

She laughs breathlessly, and then she looks to the horizon.

_A baby._

What? A child? But she knew what she knew, and a pillar of white Rukh rose up on from the horizon. She couldn't possibly something that far away, but it was suddenly like her eyes were long seeing and everything that happened was visible. Like the pink column come out of nowhere and so did the blue and gray one. She wondered how the Rukh could become such a lovely shade green and vibrant orange.

She watches with awe as Rukh surrounds her too, traveling up and down. She watches the color churn, tan like desert sands and radiating a warm glow, the same warmth she felt on the Tenzen Plateau surrounded by her precious household members. Surprise fills her like water does a cup, and she watches the spirals in amazement. It's not just supernatural either, it's beautiful and ethereal in it's glorious light.

Hakuryuu snuggles closer.

Hakuei starts to cry, little tears slipping silently down her face. She doesn't know what this is, but it's definitely not something she can ignore, just like she can't pretend that in just a year her brothers and father will be betrayed by their own mother.

Can she allow that?

_Welcome to the world, child, are you here to protect it?_

* * *

Sighing as the thin paneling changes to the hard wood of the inner Palace, Hakuei makes sure her hair is in place and her layered robes are tidy. She's going to speak with her beloved brothers, after all. It's not that her brothers would care if she wore fancy things, but looking like a first Imperial Princess gave her confidence and the strength to carry out this plan of hers. She plants her feet in front if the door, shoulders back. Knocking, she waits for Hakuren's loud voice to call for her to come in.

Hakuei enters, and her brothers look over. Hakuren grins widely, bounding over to the ten year old and Hakuyuu smiling a little despite trying to hold it in.

"Hey there little Ei-Ren~!" Hakuren picks her up even though she's getting too old for it and he's certainly not strong enough to hold her for long periods in her full dress. "Lookin' fancy! Did Mother dress you up again?"

Hakuei winces at the mention of Gyokuen, but smiles at her brother regardless.

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you guys about something"

"Yes?" Ren-Ren puts down his little sister who shakes the crinkles out of her dress and nervously brushes the hair out of her eyes. Her smile fades, and the brothers watch it with a bit of worry and a terrible feeling of anticipation.

"U-Um...Y-you know those guys around Mother? I…" Hakuei swallows, her throat cinching with tenseness. "…Um, Mother wants me to take lessons from them now. And I…They scare me…"

Alarmed, Hakuyuu stands up from his desk, his chair making a loud screech against the tiles.

"What kind of lessons?" Hakuren asks softly, his voice low and probing.

"I don't know...But they've been hanging around me a lot lately and I'm starting to get frightened…" Hakuei's eyes fill with hot tears, and she hates herself for actually feeling so afraid. Hakuren pulls her into a hug, and inside his arms she almost doesn't notice the dangerous and suddenly serious atmosphere. Hakuren smells like battlefields, fires and soap, a strange combination that makes her think that the scent could be called brave. Lovingly the second Prince pulls away and brushes hair out of her face and tucks them behind her ear, grinning.

"It'll be alright, Hakuei. Yuu-Ren and Ren-Ren will definitely protect you from now on"

"And Ryuu dear too?" Quickly glancing over to Yuu-Ren, the brothers have a silent conversation and then the more cheerful of the two nods.

"Ryuu-Ren too"

* * *

Hakuei wasn't lying. Gyokuen's dogs had been hanging around her recently, an annoyance that was easy to pass by when she wanted some alone time. But when she heard some of the Priests speaking of teaching her she knew that she had to do something to stop a plan like that.

How?

Well, who in the Palace was aware of her Mother's secret agenda?

The answer was two. Hakuren and Hakuyuu. So she went to them and asked for their help. Well, technically, she implied that she was helpless and needed their protection and they went along with it like she knew they would.

She doesn't think she's manipulative. But Hakuei Ren had to do what she had to do to protect herself and Ryuu. Even if that meant challenging Gyokuen, she'd do it. But, of course, she couldn't now. Without Paimon or any allies, the first Princess was doomed if she tried to go up against a skilled magician like that old witch.

Hakuren promised that they would keep her and Ryuu safe, and he delivered. Now, after protocol* with a court lady in the mornings, she went to Hakuren's study and took lessons on all sorts of subjects with him and Ryuu. Ryuu barely knew anything, but the little boy liked to listen and asked lots if questions to clarify the situation. Hakuren noticed Hakuei's quick pick up of the material and often had her give lessons on the basics to the young Hakuryuu when the second Prince had to attend to Yuu-Ren.

Hakuei taught Hakuryuu many things, from mathematics to grammar to manners to politics to the history of not just Kou but the entire globe. She loved teaching Ryuu about the world, of spending long periods of time with the little boy and speaking with him about all the different subjects. Hakuryuu loved to hear stories as well, of adventurers like Sinbad. She tried to steer the young child away from the future King's stories. She also steered her brother away from Gyokuen, a feat that she herself is proud of doing, even if it didn't work fully.

_No matter. I'll accomplish it no matter what. _

Hakuryuu no longer went crying to Gyokuen when he was scared, instead choosing to go straight to his precious elder sister when it happened. But every now and then Hakuryuu would want to show off his new knowledge to their mother and Hakuei would either have to distract him or go with him, which was the number one thing that the first Imperial Princess _hated _to do.

The walk there was too quick but oh-so-long. She memorized it like a prisoner does the final hallway to his execution. Opening the heavy wooden door was like closing the cage on a slave, and walking inside and facing her youthful looking mother was similar to having a blade brought down onto her neck. Her mother would smile kindly, beckoning her children forward.

The six year old would stay by Hakuei's side, but skip a little, happy.

"My little children~" Gyokuen would practically sing from her throne, using both hands in a scooping motion to lure them into her arms. Going towards her, Hakuryuu instantly hugs their mother.

When the Empress turns toward her daughter, the Imperial Princess walks forward, and Hakuei gives the fakest, brightest smile she can and hugs her mother with intention and strength. Hakuei stands close to mother dearest, holding her hand and listening to Ryuu's babbling. She makes delighted comments on his improvement in whatever subject they've been studying for or comments on how she wants to look like Gyokuen when she's older. It's lies, all lies, but Hakuei stopped feeling guilt and the emotion of 'remorse' for a long while now, and it's not hard to make her enemy into her pawn.

Of course, Gyokuen is no pawn. A woman like her is a woman who is made of stone and ice, outwardly beautiful but inwardly ugly. Hakuei cannot force Gyokuen into the position labeled 'pawn', but pretending, now that's a strategy in which Hakuei can force emotions that otherwise would make her throw up.

To pretend your enemy is a pawn is something Hakuei can do.

She doesn't question when she started to think the way that she does now, because she realizes that once she starts to doubt herself, then everything that's fallen into place will chip away and crumble. The Feather will not fail, she will not fall, she cannot lose.

"Mother, do you think these clothes look good on me?"

"_Fabulous_, darling."

"Really? Am I as pretty as you?"

"Oh my little girl, of course you are. You'll be just like Mother!"

* * *

"Yuu-Ren, you don't know _anything _about hairstyles" Hakuei teases, looking at her brother's eyes in the mirror.

"Of course I don't, I'm a man" Hakuyuu replies stoically, his long fingers toying with her long hair awkwardly as he stiffly tries to put it in an appropriate hairstyle.

"You just tie it at the end!"

"Why can't you do this yourself?!"

"Because you promised!" She whines, pouting and turning on the puppy dog eyes. The older male chokes and then closes his eyes, channeling his calmness. The twenty one year old opens them, gaining the serious, severe look in his eye that he always gets when he determines his next target.

"You're right. I will keep my promise to my sister!" Ei-Ren giggles, watching her brother's hands slick back her hair, taking the top half and trying to be precise in tying it in with a fancy ornament. It fumbles from his fingers like it's coated with grease.

"You don't have to do that. Just tie it at the bottom, please" Yuu-Ren coughs and nods crisply.

"Simplicity is the best." He takes her white ribbon she offers and makes a bow around the tie, sighing in relief once he's finished.

"Hmm, Yuu-Ren, you should be a hairdresser!" He glares, but it's not scary to her because it holds no ill will. Her older brother rolls his eyes when she holds out her hand for him to help her up with.

But he still takes it.

* * *

"Ready or not, here I come!" Ei-Ren holds seven year old Ryuu-Ren to her side as they hide from their eccentric older brother, giggling madly in anticipation. The potted plant may have not been the best choice to hide behind, but Ryuu had insisted on 'if we can't see him he can't see us' and his ten year old sister had no choice but to accept this place.

Then, they waited.

They heard footsteps echoing closer and closer, but then they paused, and faded somewhat. With dread filling her, Hakuei peaked out from the side and saw that the coast was clear. She sighed with relief and whispered to Ryuu,

"We're safe from him."

"From who?" Came a reply above them. Looking upwards, Ren-Ren was grinning down at them from behind the plant, hands reaching out toward his siblings. Hakuei screams the same time Ryuu does, and the two younger siblings jump up and scamper down the hallway, just as Ren-Ren dashes after them.

"Hey! This is hide-and-go-seek!" He complains, but it's with a smile. He finally catches his sister and brother, swooping down and scooping them into his arms. "Gotcha!"

"No~!" Hakuei kisses her brother's cheek. Ryuu laughs despite his statement of, 'I can't believe we lost!'

* * *

"Happy birthday, Ei-Ren!" The newly-made eleven year old squeals happily and hugs her older brothers, and Ryuu tugs on her dress to get attention. She kisses the youngest's head and then cuddles Ren-Ren, who makes a joke that he's better at giving hugs than Yuu-Ren is, which the oldest then retorts that he doesn't like hugs anyway.

At this, Ei-Ren promptly tackles Yuu-Ren in a hug and declares that she loves both her Onii-Samas' equally. Taking her brother's offered hands, they go down the hallway and ask Hakuei what she would like for her birthday.

"What do you want as a present?" Hakuren asks, and the Feather thinks about this, skipping on every fourth step.

"I don't know" She admits sheepishly, but then her face brightens. "Can we spend the whole day together?"

"Why not?" Ren-Ren grins, and Yuu-Ren considers this.

"I have a meeting later-"

"We shall push it off!" The advisor announces, excited now. "Anything for Ei-Ren!"

"You guys never get me anything on my birthday!" Hakuryuu whines, but Ren-Ren objects to this.

"We got you some toys!"

"Mou!"

Happily Ei-Ren watches to her brothers' child-like fighting, their laughing faces, and bright smiles. She couldn't have wanted anything else for her birthday.

Of course, later, she ate those words when her father, Emperor Hakutoku, came by and patted her on her head. He gave her a soft smile that looked out of place and just right on his severe looking face, and said,

"Happy birthday, my little Princess"

And Hakuei was truly happy, even more than she thought possible.

* * *

Of course, no things last forever.

* * *

The first time Hakuei Ren died, it was not by fire.

Though she had witnessed many flames of destruction, she died by another thing altogether. The wind she controlled saved her friends, but it was the ice that was thrown toward her that cut a hole inside of her stomach.

Her son...She remembers his death too. He was being held by Alibaba, protected by his father's golden and red flames from the monsters attacking them. His mother flew up into the sky to destroy the source of the impure beasts and he witnessed Hakuei getting struck down, saw her falling to the rough ground and lying still.

He had cried and motioned to Alibaba, who saw his wife on the floor, bloody, and flew straight toward her. Alibaba was blocked, and after handing their son over to Aladdin, cut down black Djinn after black Djinn. Hakuei remembers opening her eyes, sitting in a sea of her own blood, and then screaming as a stray Djinn kicked her boy.

Aladdin had set him down to hide with the others.

And Hakutei had returned to his mother's side to check on her.

The Balbaddian King heard the terrible screech of his Queen and saw the same sight. But it was too late, for both the Prince and his mother.

She remembers the blood out of the wound, the hands of Alibaba, his golden eyes alight with fear. There was her still son in her husband's arms and there was the denial that he was dead. She remembers much more than that as well, but she doesn't like to think about it because the conversation between a husband and a wife who liked each other well enough and the final words that came to her in a moment of complete clarity were close to the very center of her heart, a weak point no one knows about.

There was a new weak point now.

She was stuck.

She was stuck inside the Palace as it was burning.

Her bare feet struck hard against the wood, splinters peeling off and piercing underneath her toenails, making her stumble but never fall. She avoids the intensely burning parts as she crashes through the hallway, but the furious flames were always behind her, growing taller and hotter by the second.

Tears blind her, but she forces them down and struggles to breath. She finds her feet taking a familiar path, and she looks around worriedly, dancing with the flames that reach out to burn her.

"Father! Ryuu! HAKURYUU!" She screams, coughing at the smoke. She ducks down, trying to find some clean oxygen, and then starts running again, calling each of her brothers' names.

Ah, she's so useless. This body is weak, she can't help her family, and instead of targeting just her brothers, her mother decided to try and kill her as well. Maybe she should die. Maybe it'll just be easier if she did-

No.

No, no, no.

Berating herself for even thinking the thought, Hakuei pushes forward, through a particularly thick part of the smoke in which she smacks into a pillar. A pillar that has a strange shape. A pillar that is, in fact, Hakuyuu.

"Yuu-?"

"Hakuei, what are you doing here?!" The harsh tone he uses makes her lose words and she holds onto his robes.

"I-I don't k-know. My room was...Was on fire…" Hakuyuu gains a painful looking grimace and pulls her forward, where she meets Hakuren's shocked face.

"She did it to you, too…?" Then the usually smiling man snaps to attention and his razor sharp gaze meet Hakuyuu's. "Let's go, they'll be here soon"

"Who-?" Her brothers pull her forward, and they're all running, trying to find a way out. The hallways look familiar, the air suddenly less smoggy. "A-are we going to get out?"

Hope fills her. They're getting out. Her brothers will live-!

_Where's Hakuryuu?_

She rips her hands away at this though and spins on her heel, running back into the heart of the fire. She goes and goes, following old relics of the hallways she's skipped to and from with her kid brother, and bangs her shoulder against the wall.

She screeches at the stinging, hot pain now in her shoulder and through blurry eyes picks out her brothers room. She pounds on the door and kicks it, until it slams open from weak, splintering wood. She opens her arms and though she can no longer pick out anything but flames a small body launches into her grip and the Feather holds the Prince close as he buries his face into her robes.

Hakuei wonders if she's sweating, but it's just Hakuryuu crying.

"Come on Ryuu, it'll be okay, just a little more" She almost chants the words, breathing in scratchy, smoke filled breaths. Her mind starts to go hazy, but she refuses to lose. An explosion happens right in front of them and she screams, protecting her little brother with both her hands. Hakuei falls down, and finds it hard to get up. Ryuu tugs on her, shakes her arm, crying over her.

"Onee-sama! Ei-Nee! Please, _wake up_!" The flames scratch her left arm, a painful sting that turns full frontal burning. "_**Onee-sama**_!"

Something is patting at her side furiously. Her eyes pop open at someone picking her up under her knees, and she tries to struggle only to realize that she's lost feeling in most of her body. It's night, but the fire is so bright that everything is dyed a disgustingly vibrant orange. Everything, including Hakuyuu's face, is tangerine colored.

"Yuu-Ren…"

"Almost" Comes a deep reply, and with wide eyes Hakuei realizes it's not Hakuyuu but the Emperor. Her _father_, Hakutoku.

"Father!"

"What were you thinking, running back in?!" Hakuren shouts as he holds Hakuryuu, who clings to him as Hakuyuu, in front, searches with his fast gaze for foes in the flames.

"I-I wasn't going to let Ryuu stay here! He could've died!" Ren-Ren gives her a frustrated, angry look but doesn't argue with her in front of the object of her words.

"This way!"

Even though Hakutoku is an older gentleman, he holds his daughter with the strength of a youthful warrior, keeping up with his sons with ease that comes from being the uniter of three countries. She slowly regains feeling, and her lungs hurt. But as her nerves slowly reawaken, a tickling on her arm turns to a thick onslaught of hot pounding pain like a million needles being jabbed in and out of her flesh, deep into her bone, melting her skin.

Hakuei whimpers, trying to stifle loud groans.

"We did find you half on fire" Hakuren mutters, and their father sends him a sharp glare. Hakuryuu sniffles, looking like he wants to be back in Hakuei's arms. Blinking the blackness out of her eyes Hakuei holds onto her father and searches for an exit.

"Where are we going?"

"The fire blocked off the other exit. We're heading toward-"

**CRASH**

From behind them, a pillar breaks off and slams against the floor, cracking the wood and making them teeter with the force of the blow. Hakuryuu yells in surprise, and Hakuren sets him down, breathing heavily.

"Don't cry, Ryuu. Let's continue!" She gets set down, and that's when she spots the first one.

"Yuu-Ren, behind _you_!" Her brother whirls around and clashes his sword with a Al Thamen Priest's staff. Hakutoku rushes up to help him and Hakuren grits his teeth.

"Hakuei!" A knife is thrust into her hand, and in the other is Ryuu. "Take care of Hakuryuu. Stay behind us!" Like shadows the other Priests emerge, and their brothers fight tooth and nail to slash and hack away the enemy.

"E-Ei-Nee, w-why are Mother's friends attacking us…?" Ryuu whispers hoarsely to his sister, whose hand he tightly grips. Hakuei feels the pulsing of her hand and for the first time surveys the burned off robe and angrily throbbing red mark all over her.

"Dammit" She swears, and Ryuu winces at his sister's words. She holds up her good arm, glad that it's her right and is thus the better of the two. The dagger is long, the handle the size of her hand and the blade the size of her shoulder to her elbow. She gulps and then goes forward, following the path her brothers and father leave in the wake of their battle with the Priests.

Ryuu starts to cry, but holds it together enough to rush after his sister.

"Ei-Nee, are *hiccup* we going t-to die?"

"_No_" She replies sharply. In that moment, her peripheral vision catches something moving behind her. The first Princess brings up the knife to meet the downward swing of the staff, feeling the air leave her lungs at the harsh impact. She may not know magoi manipulation, but still somehow holds her own. With a cry Hakuei pushes upwards and slams the dagger straight into the Priest's heart, panting as the Priest turns to mist and a doll clatters to the floor. She brings up her foot and crushes the doll into a thousand little pieces, growling low in her throat. Ryuu stares at her, shock in his eyes, followed by denial.

Turning around, she sees her brothers and father doing the same, all looking at her like they've never seen her before.

"What? I'm not going to die. And neither are you all." She uses the dagger to point forward, her childish fear leaving her. "This way is to the exit of the Royal wing. There's bound to be more enemies this way. If we turn toward the maid's quarters, there may be a weak point in the flames."

"How do you know?"

"If you feel it, the heats more intense on the left, so right is a better way. Plus, there's bound to be more of a fuss over at the servants area because more people would've evacuated. The Priests will be lighter there to avoid suspicion"

"If we get out of here" Yuu-Ren huffs. "I'm _so _making you a general when you're older"

"I'll hold you to it" Hakuei grabs Hakuryuu's wrist and leads the way, avoiding the bursts of flame and indicating to the others when an explosion may happen, pointing to the cracking wood. The roar of the flames becomes a hum to her, blending in with dodging falling pillars and occasionally dashing off to the side to slice a Priest's throat open. Sweat soon douses her just as much as scarlet blood, but she doesn't care, continuing on and on with nothing more in her head than survival, _survival_, _**survival**_.

Hakuren and Hakuyuu watch her go with something akin to growing respect, and Hakuryuu sticks to her like glue, scared out of his mind but knowing to follow his sister to the end.

"We're almost there" She shouts, elation filling her up and adrenaline numbing her burns. "We're almost there!"

And that's when Hakuei was wrong.

Priests start swarming them like black flies, their eyes flashes of hatred in the crowd. She pushes Hakuryuu behind her, and holds her dagger in front of her, prepared to kill anyone and anything that comes near-

Stumbling, she looks backwards at Hakuyuu's outstretched palm.

"Ei-Ren! Get Hakuryuu out of here!"

"What? No-!" She takes steps toward her brother, refusal hot on her tongue.

**Smack.**

Disbelief is the first thing that crashes through her, and then a vague sense of anger and betrayal. Her cheek stings, and Hakuren gapes at his older brother before returning to the task at hand and slashing down another enemy.

"_Hakuei_. I refuse to die, I _will _come out of this hellhole. But look me in the eye. **Now**." She raises her pale blue eyes to his, though hers glitter with tears and his with determination. "Ei-Ren...I don't have to tell you who did this, right?"

"...Onii-sama...I…"

"If we don't come out, then I'm entrusting everything to you from now on, Hakuei. _You _will protect Kou. _You _will take revenge for this. Don't be tricked by the one who wishes to kill you. Hakuei, you understand, right? You and Hakuryuu must take down the enemy that has stolen Kou from us- Grow _strong_, Hakuei" She sniffles and nods, slowly. "You're a good girl, Ei-Ren."

"But Yuu-Ren-!"

"No buts, _go_"

"Yuu-Ren, _please_" She's begging now. Begging for him to listen to her, begging for him to know that he's going to die if he doesn't go with her now.

"Hakuei, _GO_."

Hakuren smiles as much as he can at her, Hakuyuu nods solemnly, and Hakutoku gives them a stare that says everything he's never said, but they already know.

"I'm...I'm sorry…! I love you!" She shouts, turning around and grabbing Hakuryuu into her arms once more, even though the pulsating pain is unbearable and she can't breath anymore. Her feet are lead, her knees jelly. Every breath is painful, every blink is like scratching sandpaper across her pupils. The weight in her arms that is a heavily breathing and sobbing Hakuryuu is worse than she thought it would be and she's panting like a sick dog in no time. And, with guilt and shame and yes, _remorse _flooding her body for the first time in eleven years, Hakuei Ren throws back her head and into the thick black clouds of smoke above her begins to cry.

"_I refuse to die, I _will _come out of this hellhole."_

_No you won't. None of you will. _

She spots a paper wall alight with flame, but doesn't care about escape. She doesn't care if she dies, she just wants Hakuryuu to be okay.

So the Feather begins to slap her feet on the floor, sprinting madly toward the split apart wall until she turns and her back hits it. She can feel the overwhelming heat surround her for a second, and then it's falling, falling, until her back hits the ground and all air is forced out by joint cooperation by Hakuryuu's weight and the hard, winter soil.

She begins to scramble up, Hakuryuu rolling off her, but loses her balance and falls to the ground again.

"Onee-sama!" Hakuryuu's crying, but it's muffled for some reason now. She feels like she's fading away like a kite in the sky, growing more and more distant as the string becomes longer and longer…

Then, back in reality for a single moment, a strange looking boy with silver hair supports her as she struggles to stand and Ting Mei holds the hysterical Hakuryuu.

The Imperial Princess of Kou rasps out,

"Thank...You…"

"Don't thank me." He's not sincere, but more harsh and...Regretful? She doesn't realize why until she remembers who he is- and, more specifically- who he was raised by.

_Asad._

* * *

It was quiet.

There was no roaring fire, no inferno burning and destroying her life.

Just a peaceful morning, the already returning birds chirping outside her window pleasantly, the rustle of the curtains against the winter wind. It's cold, too, but she doesn't mind it since it eases the still present heat radiating off her burn marks.

Hakuei had wounds on her left arm, her back, parts of her stomach and the upper half of her left leg.

Doctors said that she was lucky that's all she got away with.

She responded if she was lucky it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Some people who visited her. Ladies who wanted favor in the Imperial court and generals who now wanted to take all the power of Kou from the Rens sat beside her and said that even with the scars she'll find a good husband.

Hakuei looked them in the eye and said she isn't interested in men who don't appreciate a true warrior.

Men like her brothers, who never cared that she was a girl. Men like her father who looked so proud to have her as a daughter.

But those men were dead.

Yes, it was a peaceful morning, free from chatter.

Of course, in it's place was an awkward silence.

Koumei uncomfortably stands and shuffles to the open window, shutting it slowly and as quietly as he can. Those sounds she mentioned earlier disintegrate, but she doesn't stop looking out the window, away from the two boys.

Kouen and Koumei both stare at her, waiting for some inclination that she acknowledges their presence, but since the younger redheaded sibling had closed the window they realize she just didn't care.

"Hakuei, um, -hime. Are you alright?" Koumei asks softly, as one approaches a dove. She looks to him, so quickly and normally that he sort of jolts a little, and blinks.

"Yes...My burns are healing well. It's good that I wasn't in such bad shape…" She tells them in a hushed voice, looking down at her bandages.

"Uh, yes, that's good." Koumei nods with this, but Kouen seems almost displeased by her answer.

"He meant emotionally" The blunt cousin tells her, and she nods.

"I know."

"Oh." Both say at once, and she closes her eyes for a moment.

When they open, Imperial Princess Hakuei Ren straightens her back and looked pointedly to the two boys.

"What news do you want to tell me?" She asks in a stronger voice, and the change in her behavior makes Koumei stutter a little and Kouen tilt his head.

"Uh, well, we wanted to tell you that…" Koumei looks down. "Your father...Emperor Hakutoku has passed away"

Her breath catches, but she's been expecting this.

"Yes. I've heard" She looks straight forward at the wall in front of her. "I know my family is dead. But Hakuryuu...Hakuryuu's alright, yes?"

"Yeah, uh, he's fine. Hey, Hakuei, are you _sure_ you're alright?"

"No."

"Oh- okay t-then. And...Hakuryuu isn't going to become Emperor"

"Uncle Koutoku is, right? I understand." Hakuei slips out of the bed and before the two surprised teenagers' eyes grabs clothes at the end of her bed and slips behind a screened off part of the room. "I suppose you two are now the Imperial Princes, no? Hakuryuu and I no longer have a royal status if that's the case."

Though she can no longer see them, the atmosphere in the room indicates that both teens are shocked at her gull. Smirking, Hakuei slips off her sleeping kimono and deliberately throws it over the screen so it hangs as she changes.

"Y-yes, that's so" Koumei sounds like he's trying to stay calm despite the fact that she's changing with them still in the room. "We can leave-"

"It doesn't matter to me."

"But you're a Prin…" Koumei stops talking, realizing his mistake. Hakuei winces as the material brushes against the burns, but she forces herself to not feel it. Coming out from behind the screen and adjusting her new kimono, as well as nodding briefly to her older cousins, Hakuei prepares to leave the room.

"Thank you for taking the time to come tell me. But the maids have loud whispers." And she breezes out of the room, feeling less like an eleven year old girl and more like a weathered old woman with hissing pain on every part of her body.

* * *

"Ryuu dear?" Hakuei asks softly, coming into the room. It was lighter in there, and a little boy rests peacefully on the bed. She sits in a chair beside him and strokes his hand, brushing back his hair lovingly-

Only to jolt back in surprise once she realizes that his face is the same.

Meaning, no _scar._

The memory of the fire that had occurred two weeks ago flashes in her head, of holding Ryuu close so that he wouldn't get hurt.

Hakuei chuckles lifelessly.

Well, she changed a few things, that's for sure.

Then Ryuu's eyes slowly open, and he blinks to adjust to the light.

"Ei-Ren…?" His voice is a whisper, and when she nods he starts to cry. "Onee-sama, K-Kouen and Koumei s-said that *gasp* Yuu-Ren, and Ren-Ren, and Otou-sama are...are…"

"I know, Ryuu dear"

"They're lying, r-right?" His hope, the desperation in his face...It's too much, but at the same time not enough.

"No, Ryuu."

"Why're you so calm?!" He croaks, his voice hoarse and clogged. Hakuei shakes her head.

"I'm _not_ calm. But, Ryuu, we have to fulfill Yuu-Ren's wishes, right? Ryuu, it's necessary, _right_?"

"O-Onee-sama, you're...Scaring me…" The boy murmurs, but she ignores it. The ex-Princess takes her now sitting up brother's shoulders and burrows her gaze into his, overpowering him, filling him. A deep feeling that was unfamiliar and yet so strong that even she was surprised by the entirety of its self-righteous stature grew from a seed inside of her.

_Is this how Hakuryuu felt, at that time?_

If so, then she understood exactly what was going on with herself. She understood what _had _happened to Hakuryuu. And, more ambiguously, she knew what she would become once she spoke the next words that felt as natural to her as a river is to rocks.

"Hakuryuu, I know who set the fire that killed our father and brothers."

"W-Who?"

"_Gyokuen Ren_. Our mother."

* * *

**Now…**

Badroulbadour does not think of herself as a person who is easily tricked.

But as she mulls over her most recent failure over not assessing Hakuryuu, she frowns deeply, and wonders if perhaps she has been played by none other than Hakuei Ren. To think that one of the seven souls summoned to this world to help her wouldn't play into her palm was concerning.

Of course, she realizes, she has been much too arrogant when it comes to playing the games of life and death. If she wants to win the prize of saving this world's future, then what else to do but prepare for the worst and plan for the best?

Eren and Catrina, her closest and most precious people, are those she doesn't have to be afraid of revealing her dark intentions and plans to. But Bad notes it's a bit unnerving that she's become so attached to them, even if they've gone through so much together. Initially, she had planned to use them as means to an end but...Well, she's really grown to love and cherish them, to a point that it almost _rivals _the way she feels about Aladdin.

Then there's Asad, the teenager she got to make friends with her allies and her. To say she doesn't like Asad is a lie, and he's most definitely important, but she doesn't trust him one bit. Not with his connection to Al Thamen, and _certainly _not that he took it upon himself to raise Judal. If he was exposed to the same mind-warping as the past-black magi, then she'll watch him and see if she can manipulate his emotions in just the right way. If not, he'll serve his purpose when the time comes and then...Well, she'll see. A man like him shouldn't be forgotten in a corner.

Centola. Oh, pretty girl with a tragic past. Bad loves her, and at the same time, continues to nudge her toward a different path than the good one she treads. If only showing Cent the memories inside of her Rukh worked all the way and the girl had fully integrated into a pawn or- better yet- a close knit ally like the Bird and the Mountain. Bad'll have to work on it, considering Centola's closest to Alibaba and dealing with the desert Prince makes Bad irritated to no end. Plus her connections and power are both useful and necessary. The not-quite magician annoyedly twirls her hair around her finger, starting to think of ways to get closer and manipulate the De Coverna.

Yunan and Yamuraiha, well, that's enough said. They're parents to her, and she's a daughter to them. Though Yunan has questioned her methods more than once, he's never tried to stop her. In fact, a few times he's _helped _her. And Yamu, well, Bad can see that she adores her and Yamu's admitted that she doesn't seem to think what they're doing is all that wrong, even though it really is.

(What? You think what she's doing now is bad? Why do you think that's her name?)

Also there are those new players sprung from the cracks in the world's existence: Khadeja, Zeina, Alexio and some others. Hm, that Ting Mei character is another one to look into, but it _could _be nothing.

_When is it ever nothing?_

Then there is the final one: Hakuei. _Tsk_. Displeased is one word Bad would use, but her initial anger had dried up and she put aside all the methods she devised to obliterate the Kou Princess. Thinking back, Bad decides that the Dungeon Capturer may have deceived her when they met again.

"_Anything you need"_

Well, that was obviously a lie by the Imperial Princess. It could be that she forgot, but why fail to mention something so important? And why take extra precaution that she wasn't found out when she visited Kou a year and a half ago? Easy: not for her safety like Hakuei explained, but to make sure that Bad _didn't __**notice**_.

_Bitch._

Bad puts a new label over her previous thought for a Hakuei, pasting on 'worrisome' so that it covers 'trustworthy'. To think that formerly kind woman could act so well. She'll be damned. Which brings her to the next thought: so Hakuryuu doesn't have scar, eh? Well then, what'll he'll do from now on that he's no longer all, "I'm gonna split up Kou, roar!" and "Edgelord foreveeeeeer!"

…

Fun and games are over now, aren't they?

_It was getting good._

But duty calls, and when you don't know something, there are only two options to obtain the knowledge: find it out yourself or get someone to do it for you.

"Mou, everyone is so hard to please~ Why can't they just do what I want~?"

"Let me guess: because then it wouldn't be fun"

"Mmm, Eri's right, but I still don't like it~!"

* * *

"Where are you two going~?" Jumping, Alibaba looks over to the eyebrow-wiggling Bad who nudges him with her elbow.

"Aladdin wants to go speak with the Kou Prince" He tells her, and then awkwardly adds once he realizes that he must be her brother, "Y-you, um, don't have to come…"

"Oh no~ Sounds like fun~" Bad practically sings. Aladdin smiles at her but Alibaba knows better, tilting his head in confusion.

_Why doesn't she seem to care? Is she really that good at hiding her emotions?_

They walk in the guest section, down the long hallways and admiring the views of the country as they go. When they arrive to the Prince's room as told by a maid they asked, Aladdin raises his knuckles and knocks. The door opens sooner than he expected, and they greet the face of the blue eyed Prince.

"Hi!" Aladdin chirps. "My name is Aladdin. Your sister is Hakuei Ren, right?"

"Why do you know my sister's name? Aladdin...Are you Aladdin, the magi?" Hakuryuu's eyes are stuck on Aladdin, but he does flicker them up to Alibaba when he enters, and then linger briefly on Bad.

"Do you know about me?"

"Yes, I heard about you when Hakuei returned home briefly from her western campaign" He motions them over, and takes a seat in a chair while they sit on a sofa. "She said she was helped in the grasslands by a young magi"

"Ah, I see." Aladdin seems almost relieved that it was by Hakuei's mouth that the Prince learned about him.

"The grasslands, the thing with the Kouga you told us about?" Alibaba asks him, and the magi nods.

Hakuryuu stands, his eyes like two clear blue ponds full of gratitude.

"Aladdin-dono, please accept my thanks. Onee-sama is my most valuable thing, so thank you for saving her life."

His sincere words make Alibaba smile. He had been expecting the serious faced teen to be like Bad, dark and dangerous, but he actually seems like a really nice guy. Speaking of the devil, Bad hadn't stopped smiling since she came in, her eyes half-lidded and watching the Prince like one does their prey.

The two really don't look alike, with Bad's petiteness and pink coloring contrasting with his dark blue hair and courageous stature. But a familial touch shines through in their willowy thinness and almond eyes. Actually, Bad holds a much more prominent resemblance to Kougyoku, which makes Alibaba remember that Kougyoku is Bad's half-sister.

"That's right, I was worried about your sister, but you seemed to be leaving when I came in. Do you need to do something?"

"No, it's impossible that you would bother me. We have the Rukh's guidance to thank for our meeting." The Kou Prince gets on his knees, looking up at them with a serious, slitted gaze. "I wanted to meet you as much as I wanted to meet King Sinbad. Including you, Lady Badroulbadour. I apologize for my use of your…_Other _name earlier"

"That's fine. You were in front of your allies, being caught saying 'Badroulbadour' would've gotten you in trouble, right?" Hakuryuu blinks at the girl's quick response, and Alibaba too looks over at the magician.

Aladdin tilts his head.

"What're you guys talking about…?"

Before anyone can say 'oops, we forgot you were here' or continue the conversation, the door opens and a guard appears.

"Prince, King Sinbad and his ward have called on you…" The guard notices Bad and blinks, coughing. Bad giggles.

"Well, Hakuryuu, I'll show you around, okay~? My King calls us!"

* * *

Bad feels Hakuryuu's gaze linger on her, but she doesn't want to speak with him _just _yet. She lets him stew, consider her, and then when the moment felt tense and right, Bad looks up at the clear faced boy and grins.

"Okay, out with it: How much did Hakuei tell you?"

"Enough to know that we have the same goal."

"Oh-ho-ho? You think so?"

"I was afraid you didn't catch the hint."

"_I apologize for my use of your…_Other _name earlier"_

"The blatant use of my code word was hard to miss." Inwardly, Bad starts to pull those plans she made to kill Hakuei back out and sorts through them like a designer does paints. "She told you that would gain my attention?"

"She said it was the word you both used to communicate with one another. I trust my sister and you have been in contact?"

_No._

"Yes." Might as well lie. She can't really tell, but as far she knows he's trying to scope out her knowledge. Bad's not sure she appreciates the subtle probing, though it is something she wouldn't expect from the rash, quick-to-act Hakuryuu she knew in the Other. At least now she knows that he isn't aware about the Other, only that it was a word that they used when they wanted to speak to their allies privately.

"I see. Good, well then, I must ask you not to tell her about my movements"

"...Why?"

"Because I'm going to be doing some setting up on my own in order to achieve my sister's goal."

"Her goal?" Realizing that sounds a lot like she doesn't know anything, Bad adds, "Why not 'our'?"

"I work to achieve my sister's wishes" He tells her, almost proudly. "I feel you and I hold many similarities"

_Is he going to ask me to help him destroy Kou?_

Bad wouldn't be surprised, but doesn't understand why Hakuei herself wouldn't ask sooner- not to mention why Hakuei would want to start a civil war. As far as Bad knows, the first Princess had never wanted anything but peace. What would force her to turn against the country she had given up her position as a general and married Alibaba for?

Of course, none of that really matters, and only the woman's intentions worry Bad. Other than that, Hakuei held little importance to her and stood in an undesirable position in Bad's inner circle.

"I'm sure we share more than one." Bad promises him, taking his hand like a child would. She gives him a suddenly energetic grin and pulls him down the hallway, laughing. "Now, Ryuu, let's get along, alright? I won't have any trouble connected with me~"

Hakuryuu's jaw drops and then snaps back shut at her dark words coated in bright tones.

"Uncle Sinbad!" Bad calls happily, and the King turns around, masking his annoyance with the nickname with polite greetings to his ward and guest.

"I want to show you around the Palace myself, Prince Hakuryuu" Sinbad explains, his charming persona ever present. Sin slides his gaze toward the Princess, as if silently asking if she was alright with this, but Bad just continues to smile and look pretty.

"Come with us, if you please." She politely adds, and they start the tour.

* * *

"Zeina, we have a problem"

"Yes?" It was midday, and Yamu had just returned from her job, her arms crossed over her chest as she watches Centola and her aunt stare up at her from their books. "What is it?"

"My boss fired me." The old man at the stand was nice, and yes he didn't mind her working only half the time to tutor someone in the Palace, but he was elderly and needed someone around all the time. Deciding it would be easier to hire only one person instead of two, her boss had fired her gently and gave her her last payment.

"...If you want to make money you can gamb-"

"I'm not going to start gambling!" Yamu snaps, annoyed. She sits down at the table and huffs. Both Temptresses stare at her, Centola with worry and Zeina with amusement associated with someone who didn't seem to have a single care.

"Well, I paid for my rent after I got the money back from the bet earlier." Zeina tells her, referring to how she had instantly gone to landlord to get it over with. "You have enough money for this month too, right?"

"This month? No, the rent you paid was for _last _month." Yamu replies, chewing on her thumb nail. "We don't have any money to pay for this month, unless I stop teaching Aladdin!"

"But that's-" Centola's eyes are wide, and the two women communicate what Zeina doesn't know through their worried gazes.

"What's wrong with that? Can't you continue to teach him on your off days?" The blonde roommate asks, suspicious now.

"But...I want to keep on teaching him. it's like if someone told you to stop training Centola and get a real job" Zeina gasps dramatically.

"I'll never get a real job" The older Temptress vows seriously, and the others sweat drop.

"Our budget knows" Yamu deadpans, before worry strikes her again. "Damn! What will we do?"

"I could get more money through my network, but it would probably take too long since a carrier would have to bring it from overseas. Only one choice." Zeina says simply. "We need to crash at the Palace"

* * *

"Wow, your kingdom is amazing!" Hakuryuu admires the Sindrian Palace, nodding his head as they go through the towers the palace is famed for. "Incredible...I must speak with you, to create a country like this in a few years is outstanding!"

Bad stands beside Sinbad, both with matching smiles as they watch the Prince look over the structure and architecture with awe.

"And not just Sindria, but the Seven Sea Alliance as well. Your power is overwhelming and wonderful"

"You exaggerate." Sinbad tells him, but Bad can tell the Prince isn't done yet.

"No, what you've accomplish springs from extreme wit and benevolence. With your power...It was the first time anyone had challenged the Emperor" A premonition of a dark turn to the conversation comes to both the King and his ward at the same moment, and his hand casually brushing her forearm is the mutual acknowledgement that if one is challenged they have to help each other.

"Really? It was probably perceived by arrogance by the Emperor."

"We just wanted to stop all the hostilities around Balbadd" Bad adds, smiling just as fakely and brightly as her King. "The Seven Seas Alliance is built on a tradition of non-aggression against others"

"That's why I want to stay on friendly relations with the Kou Empire forever" Sinbad smooths over, and Hakuryuu's eyes flicker between them. Bad inwardly smirks, somewhat surprised that she and Sinbad were able to flow their sentences together so well. As if they were companions for a long time, not just a few months.

It almost makes her think that Sinbad may be an invaluable ally, but at the same time it also worries her that a man could be so like her that their ways of speech could blend and become nearly identical. Tch, how annoying, especially since being blunt has always been her style and Sinbad would never reveal his real intentions to her easily.

_Shit, why does he have to exist?_

Back in reality, Hakuryuu gives them a fake smile that almost seem patronizing.

"A mutual friendship between our countries...King Sinbad, Badroulbadour..._You both are lying_." The directness he delivers these words with is exciting to Bad, who finally spots the forceful and impatient man she remembers from the Other.

It's not to say that Hakuryuu was always like this, in fact the man she remembers was broken and downcast, being taken care of by Morgiana, Hakuei and Alibaba. He had a sort of sadness about himself that seemed incurable, regret lining his face but a certain solace that if he didn't do what he did, then the world wouldn't have been alerted to Gyokuen's struggle to destroy it. Even if Hakuryuu went mad, and could never forgive himself.

But the formerly dark Prince had told Kouhime in detail about his life, and described the way he impulsively acted.

"'Friendly relations', that's only on the surface. The truth is, you don't agree with an Empire that invades other countries and spreads unnecessary war and destruction. It's a country that Sindria should be wary of, right?"

"..." The ward and the King adopt dangerous expressions, both stemming from tightlipped smiles and slitted eyes glaring at the Kou Prince who'd speak so blatantly about politics as if he understood. But he couldn't, because he isn't like Bad or Sinbad, he's not dark enough, furtive enough.

He isn't clever or quick witted as to create an alliance of multiple countries stemming from relationships that didn't start out on good terms. He isn't sneaky or deceptive so he can manipulate those around him and get himself out of many unsavory situations.

He's a child who knows too little and has goals that are too big.

"What are you trying to imply with that?" Sinbad asks.

"Don't misunderstand me, please. I came hear to tell you both my objective."

"What's your objective?" Bad asks, knowing but not necessarily wanting to reveal that fact in front of Sinbad. Hakuryuu gives them a determined look, that doesn't...Hold any ill will.

_What?_

"To destroy Al Thamen"

Shock fills Bad. Al Th- wait, he doesn't-

_Hakuei, is this your goal?_

"Destroy...Al Thamen?" Sinbad suspiciously asks.

"I realized a long time ago that Al Thamen has been setting up their home base in Kou. It's degrading to me to see my country being taken over by these horrible people- not to mention that the Emperor is being manipulated and the crown Prince is _willing_ to let them stay!" Hakuryuu looks to the floor, glaring hard and griting his teeth. "My brother, the previous crown Prince, tried to fight the organization but was struck down and _replaced_. My sister...My sister and I too, were almost killed for opposing them. That's why, I beg you King Sinbad, please help me destroy Al Thamen!"

Then he looks up to Badroulbadour, bowing to her specifically.

"And you as well, Badroulbadour. I can tell that you're a strong person, I plead with you to accept me as a comrade"

"Why?"

"W-what?"

"Why did you call me 'Kouhime' earlier? That's a name known to few." Hakuryuu seems relieved that she's asking about this, but also a bit annoyed that they're off topic.

"The Emperor was persuaded by the Queen to accept you as his legitimate child, and made a decree that your…The name 'Badroulbadour' is not to be spoken in accordance with your, um, 'Kou' name."

Bad hums, nodding.

"Yes, I figured as much. Of course, I can't help but be impressed at the Queen's quick movement in getting the Emperor to accept me, bastard or not. Well Ryuu-Ren, I hope we can become good friends. Oh, but my name is most definitely Bad. If you say the name 'Kouhime' in public, I will promise you that a great deal of denial will come from me and _pain_ will come from you" Hakuryuu awkwardly takes her semi-threat in, nodding slowly.

"…I see. But you do not deny now that you are Kouhime, right?"

"It doesn't matter. You know what you know, and I know what I know. There will be no inbetween- no persuasion of trying to convince one another that we are anything other than what we are. So...No. I'm not denying it. But that doesn't mean it's the truth." Bad fiddles with her ponytail as she does this, Sheba held in the crook of her elbow. The Princess absentmindedly searching her eyes over Sindria's landscape as the crafted words circulate around Hakuryuu. Sinbad arches an eyebrow, but is somewhat thankful that the ward had diffused the steadily rising tension.

"...King Sinbad, Lady Badroulbadour, may I have your answer?"

"...And if we refuse?" Sinbad suggests, and the Prince looks startled. "To reveal a plan to rip away power from your own country is hard enough to conceal, but to present it to me so plainly...I can only say that you are naive. What if I tell the Empire of your audacity?"

"I didn't think you'd do that, but I'm already prepared for it. I'm prepared to risk my life for your trust. For that, I concluded that I must openly explain this to you, to both of you."

"You wish to destroy Al Thamen all at once?"

"Yes."

"...I see. I understand." Sinbad turns away, starting to walk away. "But you came here to study abroad first, right? So first, I want you to observe this country"

"Wait, we don't have time for that, King Sinbad! I need your answer now-!" He stops when he sees Sinbad's face. It's a face she's never seen him make before, of patience snapping and irritation bubbling up. His eyes are cut into slashes and his face tight, frown deep and filled with surprising disdain.

_Oh dear~_

"If you want to continue this talk, you need to learn more. Your willingness and bravery is admirable, Prince Hakuryuu, but all out fighting against Al Thamen isn't an option if it would endanger hundreds, if not thousands of people. You need to learn about the outside world and the people living there before you make a choice like that. To do that, there's a person I want you to meet and learn from. He'll become a good role model for you!" Sinbad's chirper words strike to intercept his harsh ones. "He's a guy much like yourself...His name is Alibaba Saluja. He's the third Prince of Balbadd, the country your Empire occupied."

Hakuryuu looks shocked.

"You should go see him later" Bad suggest, walking down the hallway, in the opposite direction from the Sindrian King. "He's a interesting guy...Mostly"

* * *

Kougyoku was pleased.

Why? Well, she didn't have to marry that King Sinbad, for one thing. Sure, his looks could make a woman fall to her knees, but she's been around a handsome man like him since she was ten years old, and had developed a certain "type".

What type?

Well...Usually it was dark eyed glances that made her heart stop, a towering stature over her that he acknowledged with a smirk, sweet words that seemed so wrongly right coming from _him_, who had a crude tongue. That's right folks: Kougyoku had developed a "type" that was, unfortunately, bad boys.

Although, sometimes she considered trying to drop it, especially when she was protecting her precious servant against one bad boy in particular who was threatening to emasculate her household member.

"Asad! I said no!"

"He _tricked_ you, Kougyoku!"

"He apologized!" The Kou Princess defends Ka Koubun, who cowers in fear behind the Princess. They had moved to the Sindria palace, but Asad's conviction to do bodily harm to the servant had not wavered despite the long time lapse.

"It's just his nuts" Asad tells her, and she goes pink with how casually he says the inappropriate words.

"I-I know it's just- the answer is still no!" Kougyoku huffs. "You're so upset! I've already gotten over it!"

"Seriously?" Asad's jaw drops. "How?"

"Well...I realize that I'm in a favorable position. I don't have to marry Sinbad, and I also can clear my name. I don't see any point in hurting Ka Koubun for a mistake" She tells him truthfully. "Besides, if he wasn't loyal, then why would he capture Vinea with me? Ka Koubun's my faithful vassal!"

"P-Princess…" Ka Koubun stutters behind her, something like regret starting to dawn on his face. "...I...I'm sorry…"

Kougyoku shakes her head.

"It's alright, Koubun. Now, Asad, _you _need to get over it!"

"What? Why the hell are you mad at me?!"

"Because you never let go of things! Why can't you just forgive and forget-?"

"That's impossible." Asad growls, grip tightening over his swords. "No one forgets. It's just a bunch of bullshit they say to pretend that they're good people."

Kougyoku flinches back at this, eyes wide.

"Tch, nevermind. If you want to let him stay, then by all means _your highness_, let him stay" One downside to her type: the often harsh words he knows how to pull out to stab at her. Asad turns away and starts to walk out, but the ninth Princess isn't going to let another one of their petty fights cause a split again. She goes after him, following him into the halls.

"Wait, Asad, come _on_." She pleads with him, touching his arm as he stops to face her.

"What if you did have to marry Sinbad?" He asks her seriously, and Kougyoku chokes.

"W-what?"

"What if Ka Koubun got away with it? What if you married that King a-and didn't get to come back to Kou? What _then_, 'Gyoku?" She doesn't know.

"I don't know." She admits quietly. "Then...I'd be Queen of Sindria, I guess."

"I don't want something like this to happen again, 'Gyoku" He tells her, taking both her elbows in his strong grip. Onyx eyes search her face, burrowing deep into her own. "Can you _promise_ me it won't happen again?"

"Well...Cutting off Ka Koubun's nuts wouldn't have solved that problem."

"I disagree. He would've known that if he tried again, there are _other ar__eas _I'd be fine _cutting off_"

That sounded even more ominous than the nut-chopping.

"No." She says with finality, but Asad only eye-rolls instead of fighting her.

"_Whatever_. You're a killjoy"

"Your definition of joy is psycho!" She whisper-yells, careful not to draw attention in case a maid decides to walk down the corridor. He finally cracks a smile for the first time in what seems like years, and it's like the hallway they're in grow ten times lighter. She didn't even notice that the light had dropped around him, her eyes were used to Asad unconsciously changing the brightness of his surroundings.

"No wonder I'm always bored~" He teases, letting her go and swinging his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as he starts walking again.

"Where are we going?"

"Away from that bastard who I shall not name" He replies, and Kougyoku giggles before stopping herself.

"You're too mean"

"You're too naive. Makes me want to save you from weirdos" Kougyoku lets the blush she felt coming on fall off her cheeks by ignoring his words. Then, Hakuryuu rounds the corner. Asad lets his arm drop immediately, and the younger Haku sibling comes up to them.

"Just checking to see if you've inflicted pain on Ka Koubun yet" He says casually, and Kougyoku moans.

"You both are terrible!"

"Little miss 'my-way-or-no-way' over here didn't let me" Asad juts his thumb toward her, and the ninth Princess gapes like a fish.

"Shut up! Little Hakuryuu, tell him I'm right!"

"...Well, he did betray you-"

"No this again! I won't have anything more said about my household member, got that?!" Both men flinch back at her suddenly angry expression, and they nod simultaneously.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"Good." Hakuryuu rubs the back of his neck.

"I'm going to meet some people here, want to join me?"

"Sure" Kougyoku tells him, chipper suddenly. She smiles a little. New people? That...Kinda sounds like fun…

"She wants to make friends" Asad explains to Hakuryuu as they walk, and Kougyoku glares at him.

"Stop making fun of me! I have friends!"

* * *

The fountain spouts clear water, and Centola enjoyed the day's breeze on her face. Zeina had taken Yamu with her on a quest to find living arrangements and Khadeja was showing the palace maids, and the young Temptress quotes, "how it's done". That single statement was scary, but coupled with her sinister grin and the few maids who now call Khadeja 'the right hand of God', it was just plain terrifying.

Shivering, Centola tries to find peace of mind and lifts her face to the sun, watching Aladdin and Alibaba spar with one another. Catrina, next to her, smiles as they chat.

"So Zeina and Yamu will be here from now on? That's more convenient!" Alibaba sucks up Aladdin's flames with Amon's sword and laughs at Aladdin's pouting face.

"Yeah, that's awesome! I can take classes with Yamu easily now!" Aladdin adds to their conversation, smiling.

"Are you sure Aladdin~? You don't want to piss off your girlfriend again, right~?" Aladdin tilts his head in confusion at Alibaba's words before it clicks in place and he goes bright red.

"W-what-!? No, Bad is- she doesn't like me that way!"

"Eh~? And how do you feel?" Centola adds slyly, giggling. "Do _you _like her that way?"

"Wh- no!" Aladdin denies it, red as the flames he can produce with his staff.

"We never said it was Bad~? Why'd you think of her first~?"

"It- I- stop it, guys!" He whines, and the older teens laugh, Morgiana smiling a small smile as she trains with heavy weights on her arms.

"Alibaba, are you slackin'?" The blonde stops, looking back to his green haired fitness trainer.

"N-no, Eren- I was just-"

"He was making fun of me, Eren!" Aladdin tattles, and Eren glares at Alibaba.

"Alibaba…" Then his face lightens considerably. "Why didn't you tell me? I love to make fun of this little guy!" Aladdin looks scandalized and the Fanalis-Amala and Centola laugh. 'Little guy' had been the nickname Eren had decided to peg Aladdin with, and the magi was less than pleased, muttering, 'I'm not a little guy...Or a chibi…'.

"Hello~!" Comes a chipper greeting, and Bad comes skipping over, grinning.

"You're in a good mood" Centola comments, smiling gently.

"Yup! I ran into Khadeja on the way over, those poor maids don't know what hit 'em!" Centola's gentle smile goes away as she suddenly feels like she's punched in the gut, a sickly feeling filling her chest.

"Please tell me that's a joke…"

"You wish. One of them kept on saying, 'it's the right hand of God! It's the right hand of God!'" Centola groans, but then straightens, her face clearing of all negativity.

"I will deal with it later."

"*Snort* You do that, and do it quick. Ja'far seemed more pissy than usual since she stopped hanging out with him to teach her 'disciples'."

"But they only fight!"

"That's how they show affection~" Bad sings, and then winks at Alibaba. "Hey, Dorkbaba, wanna spar?"

"_Hell_ yes" The blonde replies, holding up his sword. Centola stands, taking Alibaba's arm.

"Don't hurt her, Ali. That's inappropriate for someone your age!"

"But she's a total-"

"-A total what?" Bad asks dangerously, holding up Sheba.

"_Brat_" Alibaba decides, and while Bad bristles its Aladdin who takes the initiative.

"Don't say that about Bad! She's nicer than you think!" Bad blushes.

"W-wha…"

"Aladdin, what the hell? You're suppose to be on my side!"

"Ali, if you keep yelling at children I'm taking your sword away" Centola threatens, only half-serious.

"Sorry to interrupt your training…" Comes an unsure voice, and all those gathered turn to the dark blue haired Hakuryuu, pink eyed Kougyoku, and the tall swordsman Asad.

"Asad! Hiya!" Bad chirps, and the Holy Keeper rolls his eyes.

"Yo. How's my Lady? What've you been doing?"

"Oh, you know, the usual~"

"Threatening others and using twisted manipulation to get what you want?"

"You know me so well" Bad sighs happily, and the Shadow snorts. Despite this strange exchange, the rest of the group is busy eyeing one another to even laugh at the joking way they jab one another's words. Hakuryuu smiles, but Centola can tell it's one of those closed lip smiles that people with things to hide can easily pull out.

"I received an order from King Sinbad to seek you all out"

"I was just keeping him company" Kougyoku sniffs, looking bored and a little pretentious.

"What's the order?" Aladdin asks as Catrina takes Morgiana's arm and hugs it while smiling widely.

"Stay together with them, act together with them, and learn from them! Please treat me well from now on" Hakuryuu bows, still smiley. Visibly unimpressed, Bad rolls her eyes and Eren lets his giant paw of a hand drop onto her head.

"Bro, what do you wanna do today~?" The girl turns to him and tugs on his sash, pouting. Centola breezes over to the two and laughs as Eren suggests 'taking a day off from the cult', but still watches Alibaba shake Hakuryuu's hand.

_Bad, what happened?_

The pinkette looks up to her as if hearing her thoughts and smirks. Her devious expression practically shouts, 'the fun is about to begin, sis'.

* * *

"Hey, in Balbadd a lot of harsh things happened, but we're at a truce. Let's get along" Kougyoku tells Aladdin and Morgiana, the latter which had been caught glaring at the older girl. Narrowing his eyes, Asad critics the two who grudgingly nod their heads at this. The Shadow watches how the blue haired boy strokes his flute, a memory of the friend Kougyoku tore a hole in. But that had only happened because that damned Djinn crushed Judal and left him broken and bloody, which the Holy Keeper had yet to forgive.

"She's right...Nothing will change, even if we quarrel. I don't want to bother Uncle Sinbad" Aladdin smiles, holding out his hand.

"That's right! Let's leave behind our problems and be friends!" Kougyoku takes it. Then, in shock, Asad watches as they tighten their holds and glare, Kougyoku's nail disappearing into the boy's hand.

"AREN'T YOU IN PAIN?!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE IN PAIN!" The Shadow groans and opens his arms as Kougyoku is finally released and grips onto his robes, holding her throbbing hand.

"Look at this bruise, Asad! Traces will be left..." The Kou Princess whines.

"Sorry...But are you sure it just wasn't some makeup that came off? You wear gobs of it…" Asad and Kougyoku glare at Aladdin at the same time, and Asad draws his sword.

"You brat! Don't insult Kougyoku!"

* * *

While the three get into a fight mediated by Morgiana and Alibaba and Hakuryuu begin to talk to one another, Centola, Bad, Eren and Catrina stand together.

"So, what happened?"

"Hakuryuu is changed alright. Hakuei tricked us." Centola ponders over this, remembering the kind woman back in Kou who was never anything less than accommodating and open with her thoughts.

"...I wonder...Could it be that Hakuei orchestrated all of this?"

"I wouldn't be surprised" Bad sighs and Catrina leans against Eren in thought, pouting.

"Too bad, I thought she was nice."

"Me too" Eren pats the redhead's hair. "What now?"

"Now we wait for their move" Bad replies smoothly.

"No preemptive strike?" Centola asks incredulously, crossing her arms. "That's unlike you. In Balbadd we arrived two weeks early to set up camp and make alliances"

"True. But there is no determined battlefield to fight on anymore. We're playing a nice game of chess now, and dear Hakuei has made a bold move setting her 'queen' so close" Bad smirks when she says 'queen', her eyes firmly set on Hakuryuu's figure.

"Ha, queen" Eren repeats, and Catrina snickers at him.

"Well, in all intents and purposes, that must be who Hakuryuu is if Hakuei is the 'king' piece. I wonder how many pawns she has…" Ruefully the pinkette grins, and Centola burns the look of excited defeat into her mind. "Damn, I can't believe I let her know all of my strengths without pressing to know hers. I'm a fool for thinking she'd help me so easily…"

"Everyone else has" Centola soothes. "Yamu, Yunan, us three...Asad, in a way. We all agreed to help you. Thinking that Hakuei would share the same belief is nothing to hurt yourself over"

"...Maybe so. But I'm better than that; I know I am. If I'm not hard on myself I won't learn" Bad nods her head at her reasoning. "Alright team, huddle up!"

The four do so, standing in a circle.

"Hakuryuu and Hakuei want to take down Al Thamen, just like us. But from what I've gathered, they aren't going to be subtle nor anything less than merciless. Now, I want you all to think about my next questions, and when we meet next tell me your thoughts: should we or should we not ally ourselves with Hakuei? And, what strategic methods can you think of to ensure victory?"

"Why don't ya think of it yourself?" Eren leans down in order to not be the tallest in the pack of girls. "Ya always have a plan"

"I want suggestions. The more people I have involved with helping me think up a new way to battle this, the more of a chance we have to win"

"And if I say somethin' stupid?"

"I'll cut your tongue off."

"...That esca-lated too quickly fer me, sis"

* * *

"Sorry Hakuryuu, a lot of things happened between your sister and Aladdin in Balbadd…" Alibaba laughs sheepishly, and Hakuryuu shakes his head.

"Kougyoku isn't my sister...She's my step-sister, and my cousin"

"Step-sister and cous- Oh. Um, sorry" Alibaba scratches the back of his head. "I...Don't want to be rude b-but is Bad your, um, step-sister and cousin too…?" Hakuryuu raises his eyebrows.

"Yes. How do you know? Bad said a select few are aware."

"Sinbad informed me...Because of what happened between Kou and Balbadd…" Awkwardly, Alibaba coughs into his elbow.

"You must hate her."

"Wh-what?"

"And me, as well. You don't have to hide your feelings, Alibaba. I understand. As the Prince of the country that occupied yours, I know you must resent us for what our family did." Hakuryuu looks at Alibaba, studying him. The boy looks a bit shocked by his words. "I won't ask you to speak heart to heart with me, but you don't have to pretend you like me."

"...No, actually I...I don't hate Bad at all. She helped me in Balbadd...She didn't try to take it over, she even offered to pay off our debts with her Dungeon gold. This may sound rude but...For such a manipulative person, she can be incredibly kind. And you too...I've forgive you as well." Alibaba smiles a little, but Hakuryuu isn't buying it- not one bit.

"That's...Are you sure you feel that way?" Hakuryuu's voice drops an octave, strange even to his own ears. "I've heard about Badroulbadour from my sister, Hakuei. That she's a dangerous and deceptive person, not above using blackmail to get what she wants. But you know, Alibaba, she's not the worst person. In fact, I can name three others who are more bad."

"...Who?" Alibaba lowers his chin, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Her three older brothers: Kouha, Koumei and the worst of all, the one who was stationed in Balbadd as the Western Campaign Governor: Kouen Ren"

"Kouen?"

"He's the first Prince, the strongest and unparalleled General in Kou. I may not know Bad as well as you, but I'd place him far above her in terms of power"

(Weird, when he said that if felt like he was, as Sinbad said, 'being naive')

(Or perhaps he felt like he was going to be proven wrong)

"He's the master of three Metal Vessels, the only Dungeon Capturer other than Sinbad who has accomplished such a feat! He's ambitious, and plans to use Balbadd as his base of operations when he conquers the west. To him, Balbadd's civil war was just a stepping stone! Aren't you...Upset? Didn't you finally accomplish something only to get it ripped away from you?!"

As Hakuryuu says the words, the Imperial Prince wants nothing more than for the Royal Prince to say 'yes', that he is angry, that such feelings of betrayal isn't just something that Hakuryuu feels when he thinks the word 'mother'. He wants another person to think the same way, to have the same reaction and, horribly, he wants someone to hate him.

(Why?)

That's a question he can't answer, not completely.

"And yet...Why wouldn't you hate me?!"

"..." Alibaba doesn't answer, his face blank, lips tipping downwards in a frown as if reading something displeasing.

"No...I don't hate you because...That's what I decided."

_What I decided._

Shock is a funny thing, because it can come in many different but similar ways. For Hakuryuu, he had shock alright, but also the strange feeling that…

_Why didn't I decide that, too?_

"Don't worry Hakuryuu! I don't see you as an enemy, you didn't do anything!" His hand is warm and larger up close than it looks from by his side, swallowing the Prince's shoulder. "Let's speak to one another frankly, okay? From now on, until it's not awkward."

His smile, too, is like his hands. Large, warm and enveloping like the words he spoke before.

(I forgive you)

* * *

"Hey Sinbad!" Zeina chirps as she opens the door to the study, Yamuraiha embarrassedly shuffling in after the Temptress. "How are you?"

"Afraid." From behind a desk facing the doors, the King sits with papers here and there waiting to be filled out. In front, Sharrkan and Masrur stand listening to what the King had been saying before their old mother-figure had bounced into the room.

"Why?"

"Because you look too happy." He deadpans, and Masrur and Sharrkan look over to the blonde, their lips tilting upwards. Zeina feels herself grin wider.

"Hello my darlings~! How are you two, as well?"

"Good." Masrur answers shortly, and Sharrkan shrugs.

"Meh. Better now that Yamu is here~" From behind her, the bluenette blushes and scoffs.

"Not interested."

"Oh~~~ You like her Sharrky~~~?"

"I like all beautiful ladies-"

"EVERYONE STOP!" Yamu shakes her head furiously and comes forward. "Zeina, you do the talking."

"So mean~" The Temptress pouts, but then shifts her charming smile at Sinbad. "Hey, Sin, we're broke! Can we stay here at the Palace with you guys?"

"How are you broke?"

"I got fired and she doesn't work" The female magician sighs, shoulders dropping.

"I work! But I can't make money here because Sin won't let me establish businesses." Zeina turns her stare to the King, who rolls his caramel eyes. "Can we please stay here~? It'll be easier to teach our students~!"

"Fine. Tell Ja'far and he'll set you both up."

"Yay!" Zeina turns away, but the King holds up a hand.

"Wait, while you're here, tell me about how Centola and Aladdin are doing in their studies." Yamu beams, her face literally lighting up at the mention of her young student.

"Aladdin is strong, and has learned a new magic! He looked at my water magic and created his own. He shows amazing talent!" The blonde coyly crosses her arms.

"Centola is wonderful. She memorizes everything I've given her, and after a few weeks of practice she's learned high-level spells that took me months to learn. She's a true genius." Proudly, the older Temptress sighs and loops her arm with Yamu. "My girl's so strong~"

"Alibaba, too, is showing great progress. His Djinn Weapon Equip is showing results and he's polishing his skills!" The Heliohaptian throws a look toward his Fanalis friend. "What about Catrina, Masrur~?"

"Oooh yes I wanna know!" Zeina claps her hands.

"..." The muscular man stares straight ahead at the wall and coughs. "Before the Maharagan she showed incredible combat skills and reasoning. She beat Morgiana despite being a half-Fanalis."

"Actually, Catrina's not-" Zeina covers Yamu's mouth and shushes her.

"Hush~ I wanna hear more~"

"There was little I had to teach her except to polish her martial arts."

"And now~?"

"She's been training with Morgiana."

"Ehhhh?" Zeina giggles.

"She hasn't been showing up to practice, right?"

"...Yes Ma'am." Sinbad chuckles.

"You might wanna fix that problem, Masrur. The 'Fanalis trio' seems too close to let a little thing like a rejection tear it apart" Masrur glares hard at the wall and then nods.

"...Will do. Morgiana has been doing well too. She's strong and dedicated. But she hasn't activated her household vessel, and I don't think she will unless she fights together with Alibaba in a real battle." Sinbad knits his fingers together and lays his chin on top of the newly made nest, nodding.

"You're right, Masrur. For more than half a year those kids have been around...It's time to make them work, no?" Sinbad has a gleam in his eye that makes Zeina smirk. "Call Aladdin and the others!"

* * *

A few minutes later, Masrur and Sharrkan had left the room to get the kids and Yamu to speak with Ja'far about the pairs living arrangements, leaving the Temptress and the King alone. Zeina, bored that Sinbad was actually looking at papers, went around the side and lifted herself onto the desk, watching how the tips of his lips twitched upwards.

"Are you sure there's no papers under you?" His sly voice makes her let out a short laugh.

"That's a rookie mistake, Sin."

"You did it once, in Reim" He reminds her, using his quill to point at her. She rolls her eyes.

"How long are you going to hold that over me?"

"You had my signature across your butt, Zein" He laughs, and Zeina kicks him lightly.

"That's not funny"

"It was _very _funny"

"Sin, I have a question" Zeina tilts her head at him in a way that appears almost bird-like. Sinbad sees the transition of her thoughts, but only because she allows it to cross her face.

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do about that boy?"

"Which one?" Sinbad asks, suspicious. If she knows about Hakuryuu and his little chat, then either she spied on him or Bad told her, which for some reason seems unlikely. Of course, the pinkette ward could've told her mother and Yamuraiha could've told Zeina, but with a woman like the one in front of him he's not sure he can trust that idea.

"The one called the 'Holy Keeper'. Asad, I think" She taps her fingers on the desk. "He's apart of Al Thamen, right? I heard from Centola. Also, I don't know why but he seems familiar…"

"...I don't want him here, of course." He admits, not afraid to tell her this. "But he's a trusted companion to both the Kou Princess and Prince staying here. To kick him out would sour the relation between us, and if the three of them spread word of our unaccommodating actions in Kou it would be problematic"

Zeina nods, understanding.

"So you'll keep them here?"

"I've sent Hakuryuu to stay under Alibaba's care, so I trust that all will be well on that front. Kougyoku seems docile, but I think I have an idea or two to make sure that's the case. And the Holy Keeper…"

"I see. Good thing I've told Centola to keep an eye on him" He blinks at her.

"She's fine with that?"

"They were friends in Kou. I don't think he's fully integrated with Al Thamen's beliefs, so I asked her to make sure he's not here for bad reasons" Gratefully the King takes her hand and squeezes it.

"Thank you."

"No problem, Sin."

* * *

Assembled before the purple haired King, his advisor and their four teachers, eight students stand.

"What's up, Uncle?" Bad asks, her red eyes amused. Sinbad straightens.

"Well, I've gathered you all here to send you on a Dungeon Conquest!"

"What?!" Alibaba gawks, his mouth wide open. Centola looks surprised, but she's smiling a little.

"You are already powerful, and I've been searching for people to help me with this. I would like you all to go" Aladdin smiles, looking to Bad and beaming.

"Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Yeah, it sounds awesome Uncle!" Morgiana bumps Catrina's arm, and the half-Fanalis giggles, passing it on to Eren who cracks a smile, rubbing his cuff. "Where is it?"

"...Well, there's the thing. There's not...Just one." Bad jolts at this.

"Two?"

"Yes." Sinbad frowns, nodding solemnly. "I didn't believe it either at first, but two Dungeons _did _appear, and at the same time, in the same place."

"And the place would be…?"

"On a small island further south of Sindria. The first is the sixty-first Dungeon, Zagan. The second is the seventieth Dungeon, Seere. I would like you both to split up into two groups to capture these two" Sinbad tells them. "They're situated near Sindria so no one has discovered them yet, but someone with a flying Dungeon item may be able to soon. It would be troublesome if the Organization was to find it, so…Thats why I need you seven to capture it."

Hakuryuu appears surprised at the use of 'seven' instead of 'eight'.

"I would come with you, but that's impossible. If one of the Generals or I try to go through the Sacred Gate of the Dungeon, we'll just pass through. We cannot enter a Dungeon."

"What?!" Alibaba steps forward, confused. "I've never heard of that happening before!"

"Well, it happened when I made the contract with my seventh Djinn. The Djinn told me, 'I'm afraid you have more than enough power'. I assume that the Djinns cannot confer more power to Dungeon Capturers who have too much, nor to their Household members" Seriously, Sinbad glances at each of them. "I don't know who designed them for that reason, but…"

"I understand." Alibaba declares, standing tall. "We'll do it!"

"He's asking you to put your lives on the line" Yamu pipes up, tilting her head. "Are you completely fine with agreeing to this?"

"Of course we are, Mama" Bad giggles, hands behind her back. "The only ones here who've haven't been in a Dungeon are Cat, Cent and Ryuu! We're strong!"  
Sinbad smiles at their determined faces.

"I see. Well, you should know that Dungeons change shape according to the power of the ones using them, so be careful" Bad shrugs this off and pops her hand up.

"If we're choosing teams, I call Eren!"

"I call Alibaba!" Aladdin says after her, and Bad grins some more.

"Catrina!"

"Mor!"

"Centola!"

"Hakuryuu!"

"Ha- Well, I don't think it would be wise for Prince Hakuryuu to go with you all-" Sinbad interrupts, but the Prince shakes his head.

"Actually King Sinbad, I was going to ask if I too could participate." The oldest Dungeon Capturer considers this.

"...You were entrusted to me by the Emperor himself. I cannot expose you to danger."

"I won't be a bother. In the worst case, I'll leave a testament in which I take full responsibility for my actions, and you can send it to Kou." Hakuryuu's determined face is set in stone. "I've been wanting to go into a Dungeon for a while now"

"But…" Zeina tilts her head. "Isn't there a magi in Kou? If you wanted to capture a Dungeon, then why didn't you ask him?"

"I...I didn't want to use his power, no matter what." Sinbad nods, understanding.

"Very well. I'll allow you to go with them" Both Ja'far and Zeina send him a questioning look.

"Thank you very much!"

* * *

"Is that okay?" Zeina questions the King softly as the eight students leave to have a 'Dungeon-prep party', as stated triumphantly by Badroulbadour. "You said you wanted to keep any eye on him"

"If you let the Prince go, he may capture the Dungeon and aid to the Empire's strength" Ja'far adds worriedly, his black eyes hard.

"I don't mind" Sinbad studies the backs of the eight. "He desires power, if we leave him alone he might go to Judal to gain it. According to the 'teams', he might not even be the conqueror. There's Alibaba, or Morgiana if she doesn't activate her Household Vessel before that. Aladdin's a magi, so that's a no. But really, we just have to leave everything in Zagan's hands"

Yamu tilts her head.

"What about 'Seere'? Who'll conquer that Dungeon?"

"I'm hoping for Catrina, but Eren is a good person as well"

"Why not my niece?" Sinbad blinks.

"That's right, her too"

"...Why do you look so surprised that I mentioned her?" Zeina's suspicious now, and it doesn't spell good things for the King.

"What are you talking about? I just forgot!"

"You're lying!" She hits his arm and he flinches back, holding his shoulder.

"Damn woman, again with the hard hitting!" Ja'far groans and Masrur looks to the ceiling.

"And here I thought Centola made you both stop fighting"

"We're not fighting!" They yell together.

* * *

"So, Eri, excited to get another Djinn?" The green haired Chandlen blinks.

"What're ya talkin' about?"

"Seere, obviously" Bad pokes his side. The large bed the four lay on was covered in blankets and each obtained a long pillow to sleep with. After the 'party' broke up, Centola, Catrina, Eren and Bad had decided to ask a maid for such a room so they could sleep together and stay up.

"What if the Djinn doesn't choose me?" Bad blinks.

"Huh. Didn't think of that."

"It'll probably choose Catrina then" Centola says, and the Fanalis-Amala goes red.

"What? No, I'm nothing special."

"Of course you are!" Centola explains in astonishment, bumping her side. "You do realize you're strong and kind, right? You're amazing"

"N-no…" Catrina buries her face in her pillow and blushes madly.

"Yeah Cat, you're awesome" Eren grins, and Bad reaches across the bed to pat her red hair.

"You're one of a kind." The pinkette holds the redhead's cheeks when she lifts up her face toward the not-quite magician. "You do realize you're the only Fanalis-Amala in the entire world, right? There'll never be another person like you, Catrina."

The Bird opens her mouth in the awe of understanding, and then nods slowly.

"Yeah...I'm the only one…" Then her face becomes a little sad. "Hey guys…?"

"Yes?"

"Can...I've been thinking and I…"

"..." Bad frowns, but bites hard on the inside of her cheek and forces a grin. "You wanna go see your parents again, right?"

Shocked, the Fanalis-Amala blinks sheepishly and hides her face in shame.

"Y-yeah" Eren opens and closes his mouth, jaw popping. He doesn't say anything, and Centola seems unsure if she should intrude on the trio's suddenly tense atmosphere. "I-I mean, it's nothing, just some homesickness-"

"Cat…"

"..." Silence ensues, and Centola bites her lip.

"You could write him. Your father, I mean" She tells the Fanalis-Amala softly, and the orange-eyed girl perks up a little.

"Is that okay?" She asks even softer than the De Coverna. Bad brightens at the suggestion.

"Of course it's fine!" The pinkette launches across the space, wrapping her arms and legs around Catrina like a koala, while the Temptress and Bird giggle and 'eep' at her sudden actions. "Write away! Eren can help you~"

"That's a low blow" Eren glares, but Bad just wiggles her eyebrows.

"Well you only learned to read and write when you were seventeen, and let's face it: your handwriting is pretty much atrocious" Catrina hugs the smaller girl tightly, enticing a loud squeal of pain from the not-quite magician.

"Cat *wheeze* can't *huff* breathe!" When the girl had finally allowed Bad out of her death-trap of a hug, she had crawls miserably back over to her place and collapses beside Eren. "Bro...Sister is...A true demon…"

"Isn't that good for Mr. Satan?"

"Spartos challenged me to a duel the other day over that. I don't think it's going to be pretty."

"Oh sweet God."

"Aaaaannnyyywaaaay, are y'all ready?"

"For what?"

"For a game of answer my question" Bad grins darkly, and despite herself Centola finds it oddly endearing. "What should we do about good ol' Ei-Ren? To ally or to not to ally! And, what are our methods? First up is Cat!"

"...I don't think we should. I don't trust Hakuei much anymore, my intuition says 'no'. If we don't ally with her, I'm sure there is still a way into the Empire through Judal or...Asad, actually." The Bird suggests readily, already having thought the situation over and expressing her own thoughts. "I don't mind whatever we choose to do, though. You know I'll do anything for my Bad"

"Aww, you're so sweet!" Bad coos, patting the girl's hand. Centola smiles at the display of sisterly affection.

"I say 'yes' to trusting Hakuei" Centola pipes up, bringing the attention on her. "I know it's risky if we don't know her strengths, but I do recall about one hundred plus household members, a Djinn and her obtaining of Hakuryuu's full trust...If what you said he said earlier is true. That's power we can use for a complete take down of Al Thamen, but I feel a full-frontal attack is pointless. Maybe we could take down Al Thamen faction by faction. It may take a while but if we're thorough then it'll be hard for them to rebuild, if at all."

Bad sagely nods, impressed.

"Well thought out, my dear"

"You asked for my opinion and I'm not one to skip out on you" The Temptress replies, winking. "Of course, Catrina, using Judal or Asad is smart. They must have sacks of information"

"And I…" Eren starts, making them all look at his intensely serious face. "...Don't have anythin'."

(Face-palm)

"Eren…" Bad moans. "Fine, trust Hakuei or not. It's a yes or no question"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"She's pretty"

"Oh. My. GOD."

* * *

_Dear Dad,_

Catrina frowns.

_Dear...Father?_

Catrina pouts.

_Should I say his real name?_

And she sighs.

_It's only the first two words and I'm already having writer's block._

The paper crumples under her fingers way too easily, even though that wasn't her intention.

_...Does he want to hear from me?_

Negative thoughts echo in her ears.

_...Does he think about me a lot?_

Curious questions that have haunted her ever since she was a child.

_...Should I even try to contact him? He has his own life...And I have mine…_

But that's not really fair, is it? To assume what he thinks without trying first. If it blows up back in her face, then that's a questioned answered, right?

_But I don't want that to happen. I...I want…_

The need that a child has for her mother and father is strong, especially if one is severely lacking it.

_I just want to hear Mama's voice again...I want Daddy to hug me like he did in Reim...I want to smell Amala soil and feel cold Fanalis armor…_

Her head touches the desk and her arms cross in front of her.

_...This is...I wanna go back home, but where is that anymore?_

**Knock, knock, knock. **

Jolting up, Catrina wipes at her eyes and hopes she looks well before strapping on a smile and skipping over to the door. She opens it, and instantly all she had been worried about flies away. But, not really in a good way since replacing it is the anxiety of praying her face isn't covered in ink or is puffy. Mainly because standing before her, taller and with a serious, _serious _gaze, is Masrur.

_Oh sweet God why have you forsaken me-_

"*Clears throat* You. Training." The two words in a choppy sentence make her nod slowly, not really understanding.

"...When?" She asks quietly, hating the fact that he actually showed up to her room. A part of her had hoped he _hadn't _noticed her absence in the training sessions, but he's a freaking general and there was no way he wasn't feeling as awkward as her at the moment from what had occurred at the Maharagan festival.

To summarize: Catrina had slipped up and told Masrur she loved him, and instead of rejecting her he asked if she'd be alright waiting a while before he accepted her feelings.

Which lead to uncomfortable silences and the avoidance of both meetings and gazes.

"Tomorrow. With Morgiana."

"But I'm going to Zagan and Seere tomorrow…" The Fanalis-Amala points out, and the general frowns deeper.

"...Now."

"Now?"

"Now." She blinks, and then nods.

"Okay...Now, then…" And when he steps aside to let her through, she forces a smile. "I'll beat you there for sure!"

Of course, that's just an excuse to run away from narrowed red orbs concentrated under her own eyes.

* * *

Masrur watches the girl speed off, but doesn't leave right away. It's inappropriate for sure, but he slips into her room and heads over to the desk, picking up a crinkled piece of paper. Whatever was on it was most definitely been the reason she was red-eyed, and the Fanalis was amazingly agitated and frighteningly curious to see who had caused his student/rejector to cry when all she seemed to do was smile.

What was on the paper shocked him.

'_Dear dad' _Her handwriting was smooth, but practiced meticulously, as if she had painstakingly learned how to write for this purpose. '_It's been such a long time that I'm not sure what to write about...'_

Then, under that, scrawled out sloppily by a hand reflecting unsure thoughts,

'_Dear...Father? Should I say your real name?_ _It's only the first two words and I'm already having writer's block...Do you want to hear from me? Do you think about me a lot? Should I even try to contact you? You have your own life...And I have mine…But I don't want that to happen. I want…I just want to hear Mama's voice again...I want Daddy to hug me like he did in Reim...I want to smell Amala soil and feel cold Fanalis armor…' _His grip tightens and he's forced to let the paper slip from his fingers and fall back to the desk's wood before he rips it in two.

'_...I wanna go back home, but where is that anymore?' _He can imagine her tears at this point crawling through her lashes, and to prove he's right droplets of fresh water stain the bottom half of the page. '_So much has happened...Daddy, I don't belong anywhere'_

He takes the pen on the desk and plops it into the ink.

Then, with the same smooth and meticulous way she did, he writes out a reply.

* * *

Laughing nervously as she enters the room and shuts the door on Masrur's serious face, Catrina hops onto her bed and sighs. The pure blooded Fanalis hadn't said a word during the training session, and it was by far the weirdest experience of Catrina's life. The girl had tried making jokes (which didn't work), chatting about the weather (which _really _didn't work) and even telling the story of the infamous 'Watermelon Situation' (which _definitely _didn't work. What was stranger was that whenever Catrina said 'Eren' Masrur twitched a little).

But it had taken her mind off of the scary things going on, from preparing to enter Seere to writing her father. She was thankful Masrur showed up, even if he barely said anything it made her feel energized and calmer than before. Breathing in deeply, Catrina smells crumpled paper, Sindrian flowers, and fresh ink-

Not quite fresh ink, but a newer smell than the one she had left herself. Getting up, the Fanalis-Amala pads over to the desk, finding the paper waiting for her.

Catrina picks up the scrapped letter she had been writing, looks how the wrinkles had been smoothed out by a large hand. She chokes up when she reads new words written above her tear marks, made with sloppy loops the writer had tried to keep persistent.

'_You don't belong anywhere. You belong everywhere'_

* * *

**Fun Fact #1:** Hakuei considers Hakuryuu her number one ally and most trusted subordinate, as well as her beloved younger brother.

**Fun Fact #2:** Hakuryuu first called Hakuei 'Ei-Nee', but this changed after the fire to 'Onee-sama' as a sign of respect. But in private he sometimes calls her Ei-Ren out of affection.

* * *

IIIIIIIII'MMMMMMMMM BAAAAAAAAAACK! *Sings in high soprano range when, sadly, in real life she can only hit a high e* I LOVE YOU GUYS OKAY? And I'm so happy to be able to post this for y'all, it's taken more time than I thought it would. Ryuu-Ren's here! And Bad is realizing she has more than just one opponent! Who will win in the never-ending battle of politics?

Not to mention my father/daughter fluff feels are coming on and I just want Cat and her dad to reunite and for him to be all overprotective and fatherly. BUT, ALAS, FIRST I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ZAGAN AND SEERE.

**Hakuei:** Has some plans up her sleeves, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her family's dying wishes. The past times I've written her is when she's thinking about her family or speaking with Asad, and in those moments she's like the Hakuei we know. But in truth our first Imperial Princess is out for revenge. Of course, this revenge is to destroy Al Thamen, and she's aware that doing so would cause an internal conflict between her and Kouen. So she's treading carefully and has employed the efforts of her younger brother. I don't know if y'all have noticed it yet, but I sort of have a thing for dark, edgy characters (main reason I effing love writing Bad's POV).

**Ryuu-Ren:** I'm not going to make Hakuryuu evil. I love the edgelord, but he'll be only trying to destroy Al Thamen instead of all of Kou. Ryuu-Ren went to Sindria to secretly make allies, but Hakuei, obviously, knows about her brother's thoughts and is happy that they might gain the Sindrian King's help. I know in this chapter Hakuryuu comes across as a bit OOC, but that's because he was raised by his sister and is completely on board with Hakuei's plans. However, his feelings are starting to change ever since Alibaba's and his conversation.

**Seere: **I don't think it's logical for all eight of them to go in the same Dungeon, so instead we'll be seeing the gang capturing a strange new Dungeon: one that wasn't suppose to show up at this time point! Why has the Djinn Seere appeared? Who'll conquer it? Find out next time~~~!

***Roka:** An outdoor hallway used in Japan and China. I've always wondered what it was called, and now I know :)

***Protocol:** Manner classes for royalty and nobility. Honestly idk if they had them in China, but I thought, 'eh, what the heck.'

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	24. Chapter 23: The Two Dungeons

QUESTIONS:

_I kinda curious about one thing. In the manga Sinbad is a total womanizer and he's what 30 now so how come there haven't been any bastards to you know maybe claim the throne or is Sinbad __sterile_: Thank you for reviewing! To answer your question, I'm not actually sure why Sinbad doesn't have any children- but Ohtaka could be trolling us and a kid or two is somewhere out there. I haven't planned for him to have kids in SS (Starry Skies), however. I never thought of him being sterile though. That could explain a lot *wink, wink*.

_Does Hakuei's opinion on Aladdin change?: _No. Hakuei pretty much left the Kouga arc the same- with the exception of a few things like her avoiding the incident that caused her scar and I'd like to think beating the unholy crap outta that guy who betrayed her (Ryosai? I think thats his name but meh).

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**SEVENTH ARC:** Dungeon Blues

CHAPTER 23: The Two Dungeons

* * *

_She awoke to the clang of metal, and the scent of fresh blood. She awoke to war cries and the smell of flames and the chill of bitter winter wind. She awoke to her arms pulling on the armor quickly and without pause, even as consciousness returned and the memory of climbing out of bed and throwing the thin, scratchy blanket to the floor was practically non-existent except for the itch of her palms at gripping the material too hard. _

_Oh, look at that, she's done getting dressed. _

_Strangely, it seemed natural to feel no fear. Ah, yes, fear had been wiped from her for a long while. She flashed a hand over her chest, over the black ink of the seal, and in a second a divine stave appeared in her palm, warm and ready for battle. _

_She smiled sadly at the poor thing, a weapon to be used._

"_Ah...We've been through a lot, no? But...I've always had you. Stave, it's wonderful to know you've always been by me" She pauses, and it's like the weapon she spoke fondly to glows brighter. "Alright then. It's time I start referring to you with the respect you deserve, right?"_

"_Kouhime!" The shout resounds, and what little semblance of a broken normal she gained slips away. Taking a peek at her stave, she musters up determination to step outside._

"_You and I. I'll call you..._Raiden _from now on, okay?"_

_Out into the battle she goes, eyes catching Kouha's blinding sword and quick half-smile and Koumei's exasperation. _

"_A little help?" Koumei asks, her second eldest brother sweeping an arm over the crowd of black robed magicians fighting with the normal soldiers and gaining the upperhand. She nods once, going forward with a sort of strange grace. _

"_Uncles?" The ones who can turn their veiled faces to her voice, and she frowns, lifting Raiden. "I've told you not to sneak attack us."_

**BOOM**

Snapping upwards, Kouhime surveys the scene. There's no fires, she can't smell the smoke but the sound was created by something and her brothers must need her help. She jumps out of the bed and in the darkness fumbles for her armor. Where the _hell_ is it?

_I know I left it here…_

Come on, come on, she has to hurry, hurry, _hurry_, _hurry_, _**hurry**_!

One large hand clamps over her wrist. Kouhime sucks in a large breath, wondering how stupid she must be to allow someone to come into her tent without her knowledge. At least if they cover her mouth she can bite them. But as the first note of a screech leaves her mouth, the other hand hits her diaphragm.

The air is sucked out of her lungs in a squeaking cough, and she instinctively lurches forward. As new air comes into her chest the person- a man, she can tell by the low grunt that had come with the hit- picks her up.

"Bad, you're not in a war" He stresses the words, his voice tired. "You're with me. It's okay, I'm here"

What? Did he just call her bad? She's fighting for a noble cause! Is he so deaf he can't hear the clangs outside-

…

...Why isn't there any noise after the boom earlier? Why is the scent fresh and humid? Why does this strange man hold her close and rub her back? _Why is she so small_? _**Why does she feel like she's about to remember something horrible**_?

Because she was.

It was a sledgehammer to the gut, it was a needle through her eye. It was a hammer to her lungs, a knife to the heart. And worst of all, it was crashing wave over her brain, memories going on and on inside of her. She can't skip over them but has watch, with horror, as her worst nightmares tumble before her unseeing eyes.

She begins to shiver, and the man holds her more securely through the last of it.

"It's all okay, darlin'. Big Brother's got ya"

And Bad holds onto her brother tightly as neverending apologizes stream from her mouth.

"I know, darlin'. I know."

* * *

The next morning, Catrina says nothing when Eren appears with Bad firmly holding onto his hand. She doesn't comment on how Bad is sweeter to him today than she usually is and takes unnecessary lengths to tease Alibaba, as if getting out her anger. The Fanalis-Amala doesn't voice jealousy when Bad spends the whole day with their older brother, jealousy that still comes even when she spots the red-eyed girl's hand shaking until it's covered by a larger one.

Morgiana does notice, however.

The ship was sturdy, but not as much so as the one that took them to Kou, and much smaller. Catrina had experience with oceans. Their was the navy ones around Reim, the greenish-gray one cuddling Partevia, the dark, noble looking one that gripped Kou- not to mention the dark waters near Aktia. But once they leave the sparkling blue waters of Sindria, the color changes into a clearer, lighter shade with turquoise and neon blue waves lapping the wood of the boat. Underneath the surface green seaweed danced in the currents and if she strained her eyes she could see the beginnings of the bright reefs.

Morgiana was beside her, and they stood passively watching the clouds go by and the fish swim.

"...Hey Catrina?"

"Yes?" Said part-Fanalis smiles widely at the sound of her name.

"...Is Bad...Scared of the Dungeon?" Catrina blinks, her smile fading.

"No, why?"

"O-oh, I'm sorry, it's just that- well, her hands are...She doesn't seem…" The ex-slave ashamedly clasps her hands together. "She just seems...Afraid, is all"

"...She had a nightmare last night" The Fanalis-Amala replies, trying not to be short with her sister-figure. "I wouldn't ask...She doesn't like to talk about it."

"O-oh." Mor taps her fingers on the wood, pursing her lips. "Hey...A while ago…"

Her eyes flicker over to Catrina's hand, as if remembering the strange looking bite marks the orange eyed girl never explained. The Fanalis-Amala smiles dryly, wishing that she had come up with an excuse instead of just laughing off Morgiana's worry. Her orange eyes flicker to the sea.

"Hm? What's that?"

Out of the waters, coming out with a roar, a giant seahorse-like creature appears with large bulging eyes and puffed up cheeks. The soldiers rushed out onto the deck, and as it drew closer Catrina took Morgiana's hand and pulled her back.

"Ready?" Morgiana nods crisply.

"_Ready_." They take twin stances and build up energy in their coiled muscles, preparing to attack the sea creature. Until, of course, Catrina's nose twitches and she looks above to see a bird.

A big, _huge_ bird.

With...Pisti riding it?

_Oh yeah...That's her thing_.

"Leave it to me!" Pisti swoops down and whistles with her flute. The rampaging seahorse calms down at the high notes emitted, cooing at the small blonde. Pisti coaxes the sea creature to return to it's home, which it does with a final loving sound in the direction of the eighteen year old General.

"Wow!" Catrina cheers, pulling Morgiana toward the railing. "That was amazing Pisti!"

"Thanks, Catrina!" Pisti calls back, seemingly proud of herself. Morgiana stiffens beside her.

"Hm? What's wrong, Mor?"

"A-Alibaba and Aladdin are…" The Fanalis-Amala turns and feels her mouth drop open.

"DOLPHINS!" She shouts ecstatically, throwing her arms up. "THEY ARE SO LUCKY!"

Why was she getting so excited you ask? When Alice Marsden was a child, she had always wanted to go swim with the dolphins- preferably at an amazing resort in Hawaii. Unfortunately, when she was diagnosed with cancer her dream was never fulfilled. It only got worse when her favorite soap opera character Sandra Flores went to Florida to reconcile with her long-lost brother who became a dolphin trainer and adopted one of the beautiful animals as a pet. Martin Flores was also the most beautiful man in the entire world, but she's going to stay on topic for now.

"Wanna try?" Pisti asks her, giggling. Catrina feels like she was given a warm hug from her mother- a feat that hasn't been replicated in four years.

"Can I?" She asks breathlessly, heart expanding in her chest.

"Sure!" Catrina didn't even wait, she peeled off her expensive sleeve and trinkets that go with it, more careful with her laurel from her father, and then jumps off the side of the boat. She didn't even hear Bad asking if she could too. The water wasn't as cold as she was expecting, but almost lukewarm. It quickly soaks through her dress and seeps into her hair. When she emerges, she almost screams when a gray snout surfaces with her. She touches the slippery skin, grinning wildly, and then slides onto it's back, making fangirl-like squeals.

When the dolphin jumps into the air, she hoots and holds on tighter as they go underneath the waves, occasionally swiping her wet locks that cling to her face. When she turns, Bad's beside her on a smaller dolphin, face lightened by a giant smile that holds none of the memories of the previous night.

Then, appearing from the waters with a glorious air around him, Eren rides the rampaging seahorse with the grace of a god.

"I CAN JUMP HIGHER THAN ANY OF YA _BITCHES_" He declares, spreading his arms wide and lifting his face to the sky. Catrina's jaw drops, and she starts laughing so hard she almost falls off her dolphin. Speaking of said mammal, she lovingly strokes the dorsal fin and whispers,

"I'm naming you _**Martin Flores**_"

* * *

"Wanna try too, Mor, Centola?" Centola shakes her head, smiling at the five playing in the waters.

"No. It looks fun but I'm not very fond of salt water" She admits, and Morgiana nods.

"I don't know how to swim...And I don't think I'll get along with the southern sea creature…"

"No, it's alright! With my flute and voice, I can match the wavelengths of their Rukh and make them my friends!" Pisti explains, her giant bird landing on the deck. "But I'm best with birds."

Centola watches Alibaba get plunged back into the sea, his golden hair pasted across his face and sticking to his neck. His cheeks are covered with a blinding smile.

"Cute."

"Hm?"

"O-oh, it's just Bad is so adorable, right? Hahaha!"

* * *

Eren rings Bad's hair with his hands, sitting on the rail and twisting the pink strands around his fist and making the water splatter down onto the wood. Catrina had spun her red hair into a bun, and laid down on the deck as Centola brings over towels for them to use. The Mountain pokes Bad's cheek, telling her to clean off her dress while he does her hair.

The Temptress flung a towel over Alibaba's head and then started to scrub, much like how one would a dog. When he finally pokes his head out from under he glares at her, but she's smiling and poking him with her foot.

"That was a great swim" Eren sighs, relaxed. The water keeps coming out from pink silk, and he frowns. "But Bad's not allowed in the sea again."

"Shut up, oh mighty 'Sea God'"

"Jus 'cause I got the best ride don't mean ya get to be jealous"

"You are such a-"

"Okay!" Centola interrupts, handing them a towel to dry their clothes with. "Thank you, Pisti"

"Yeah!" Aladdin agrees. "Thanks...Pisti" The little general blinks.

"Why not 'Miss' like Yamu?" Aladdin tilts his head.

"Miss…?"

"Yeah, I'm a year older than Alibaba!" Eren laughs, pointing to Alibaba's shocked expression as Pisti begins to tease him. Catrina sits up and leans back onto the Chandlen's leg. Bad giggles and watches as Aladdin goes up toward Pisti-

Aaaaaaannnnnd touches her flat-chest.

"Miss…?"

"THAT'S MEAN, ALADDIN!" Eren's mouth falls open with shock, and he worriedly looks to a silent Bad, who had a blank face that was almost as terrifying as when she was angry. She picks up a ballet flat she had discarded before she swam, felt the weight in her palm, and then throws it straight at the magi's head.

It hit dead center and Aladdin titers off balance, looking back with wide, remembering eyes at the not-quite magician.

"I was only-"

"SAVE IT!" She yells, pointing at him. "YOU PROMISED, ALADDIN!"

"Please don't get angry-"

* * *

Catrina and Mor worriedly crouch by a depressed Pisti, who sighs sadly.

"Why do guys like chesty women?" She looks to their chests, and awkwardly Catrina goes closer to Morgiana.

"Yeah...I wonder" Morgiana answers. Pisti suddenly juts out her hands.

"YEAH! Centola and Zeina are like this...And _Yamu's _like this!" The exaggerated motions make the Fanalis jump back, and Catrina coughs.

"I-I don't think they're _that_ big…"

"_YOU DON'T SEE THEM FROM THE BOTTOM_"

* * *

Aladdin dodges the other shoe Bad chucks at him, holding his hands up in defense.

"I didn't even like it!" He tries, and that was apparently the wrong choice as the girl picks up Eren's even bigger shoe and throws that as well.

"What makes you think I care?!"

"You're throwing shoes at me!"

"_Because you're a cheater_! I hate yoooooouuuuu!" She turns around to run away, but he follows her, rushing after the pinkette.

"Wait! Don't be like that!" Aladdin curses not taking Centola's training seriously, speeding up to stop Bad.

_Why is she so fast?_

"Lunch is ready!"

"No one cares, Hakuryuu!" Bad cries, rushing up to the Prince and slamming him off balance as she hugs him. "Is life even worth living?"

"Yes?" He half-asks, half-answers while balancing the dishes up above the pinkette.

"Wow, that looks great Hakuryuu!" Alibaba helps him move the food onto the table, and Hakuryuu has to push a chair right next to his own so Bad could still hug him while they sit. He almost looks like he want to push her off, but doesn't want to be rude to Sinbad's _ward _of all people. Aladdin tries to sit next to Bad, but she uses her foot to push him away and Eren takes the empty seat next to her, giving the magi an unapologetic shrug.

"Ya snooze ya lose" He smirks, very un-Eren-like.

"Who taught you to cook?" Bad asks, lacking spirit but looking better than before. She completely ignores Aladdin, much to his ire.

"My sister" Hakuryuu replies, looking fondly at the meal he prepared. "She taught me that providing for yourself can be even more fulfilling when you extend it to others"

"She sounds like a nice person" Pisti politely comments, and Hakuryuu's smile widens.

"She is. She's always been there for me, ever since I was a child. She was like a mother"

"I see, so Hakuei made you so reliable!" Catrina comments, nodding her head seriously. "You'll be a great husband, right Mor?"

"Oh, um, sure." Mor hesitantly agrees, making the Prince blink and smile.

"Ah, thank you Morgiana-dono, Catrina-dono"

Bad tilts her head, and Aladdin watches how a thoughtful expression crosses her face, considering Hakuryuu's words and pondering over them. He can imagine her processing the statement and examining it, picking it apart. But then he can see how she lets it go, realizes it's nothing deeper than it seems. But that does draw a question from him.

_But why does it seems like she's worried about him?_

* * *

Aladdin, for all intents and purposes, was suspicious. It was not hard to tell who he was worried about since her existence seemed out of place and he was, strangely, drawn to Badroulbadour.

At first he just wanted to be her friend. But back then that was because he knew nothing of Alma Torran, and he just wanted to understand the girl who had the odd Rukh and chilling grin. Black was a shade he never saw for Rukh, it was the first time he'd ever met someone who had their birds devoid of color. He'd realize later that this wasn't the first time the Rukh looked weird, since Centola's was actually pink and Eren's green- not to mention Catrina's orange and Asad's furtive purple.

But then he was told Alma Torran's story. He learned the existence of another world- of two people he could call 'mom' and 'dad' but is too timid to do so. Aladdin memorized the story of how Djinns were created, how Ugo made a whole new world, and of Al Thamen's formation. But...He frowns, looking out at the sea.

He didn't know what happened to the Divine Staves.

So why is she carrying one in her palm so casually? And not to mention _Queen Sheba's_, of all people. The one taken by Arba before she was sealed away…

Aladdin furiously shakes his head.

Bad is _not _Arba.

It's impossible. Bad is too...Well, she doesn't _feel _like Arba. And Bad hates Al Thamen- there is absolutely no way that his new friend is a thousand-year-old psycho out to destroy the world. He just knows she's not. And that's certainly not a proper piece of evidence, but Aladdin _knows_. He can feel in his heart that Bad isn't all bad, that she's innocent from the charges she's accused of.

But still…

How does she have those Staves?

He fists his knuckles with determination. Next time he has a chance, he'll use Solomon's Wisdom to try to search for the answer. He may not have King Solomon's help this time around, but he knows he can navigate the vortex of knowledge one way or another-

"Al, we've arrived!" Alibaba comes out of nowhere, grabbing the younger's arm. "Come on!"

"O-oh, yeah!" They run to the stern of the ship, joining all the others already waiting.

"Woah" Aladdin comments, cranking his neck to study the large mountains and survey the lush jungle filled with Baobarobu, a tree that grows in clusters with zigzagging trunks. "This...Is gonna be great!"

* * *

"Oh yeah...I forgot to tell you guys something" Centola tilts her head.

"What's that?" Bad sheepishly smiles at her three siblings, each arching an eyebrow.

"Oh dear...Well, it never mattered before but-"

* * *

Asad sighs, amusedly watching Momoka trying to reach the top of the bed to make it. He stands behind her, scratching his head.

"I'll do it" He offers, but she shakes her head.

"It's no problem Master, desu." The nine year old puffs up her cheeks and tugs the covers above her head toward the headboard. Asad takes the bedspread from her small hands and starts to properly make the bed, fluffing the pillows.

"I used to make my own bed before you were around, Momoka. It's not hard for me"

"But I'm your maid, desu" She interjects, child-like attitude surfacing despite her usual blank-faced persona. "I just wanna help Master, desu…"

"You are a help. You make my bed everyday in Kou. It's just too tall for you here" The maid shuffles.

"I'll grow to be as tall as Master, desu" She mutters determinedly, and the Shadow rolls his eyes, nodding.

"Of course you will, Momo."

**Knock, knock, knock.**

"Yeah?" He calls, and Ting Mei comes in with pursed lips.

"A letter came for you" She states, and Asad blinks.

"From Kou?" They had only arrived a few days ago. If a letter was came all the way from Kou, it must've been sent right after they left. Ting Mei nods crisply, holding out the paper with obvious disdain. Asad takes it, slipping a finger under the lip of the envelope and opening it. Frowning, he reads the writing and humphs.

Momoka doesn't say a word, but her eyes stare up at Asad, and he drops a hand on top of her head.

"Cool." Is all he says as he slips the letter back into the envelope, dropping it down his sleeve. "I have to go do something. See you guys later."

"What do you mean?" Ting Mei asks suspiciously, cold eyes narrowing. "Where?"

"Somewhere." He offhandedly replies. "See ya"

"Wait, Asad you shouldn't just go off without consulting the Princess- maintaining the Kou Empire's reputation would be ruined if the symbol of one of our major religions was to get caught making a mess in another country" Her crafty argument makes him study her as he opens the door and slips out.

"Then I won't get caught." It wasn't hard to tell that she'd follow him out, his words made her jaw tighten. He lets the light ripple around him, covering him completely until he's unseen and, for lack of a better word, invisible. He presses up against a wall, watching as Ting Mei exits the room as well and looks up and down the hallway. Confusion flickers across the contours of her face, but she makes a choice, striding purposefully the way he went.

He waits for her to be well in front of him before falling into step behind her, quietly matching his footsteps to hers in case he accidentally makes a sound. He speeds up eventually, eyes trained on an alcove made in a darker corredor.

The air bends and he's revealed from the camouflage of light. The first move he makes is covering her mouth, the second pushing her harshly into the wall of the alcove. Her eyes pop open, burying into his.

He glares right back, the shadows becoming increasingly darker.

"How much of the letter did you read, Ting Mei?" His question is more a demand, stemming from a slowly building anger. Ting Mei doesn't scream when he released the grip over her mouth, but does press herself back into the wall unconsciously to try and make space between her collarbone and the arm he shoves into her kimono to hold her there.

"...I don't know what you mean" She answers in a calm voice, gaze unshakeable. Her palms are flat against the wall.

"Really?" He asks slowly, but of course he knows she read it. "You're _so_ bad at lying, you know that?"

"I don't know what you mean" She reiterates, words harder than before.

"They'll kill you, regardless of your connection to Koumei. Are you really so stupid?" Her nostrils flare, but he's telling the truth. To read the letter from Al Thamen was more than idiotic, it was flat-out life-threatening. "Does your life mean so little to you?"

"_No_." She's breathing in deeply, her words hot. "But I'm loyal to Kou. I will not let Kou suffer for your _organization's_ wishes-"

"_Well that's not your place, now is it_?" Asad's hissing now. "Your fucking boyfriend and his brother are the ones who allow Al Thamen to stay in the country. You can't do jackshit."

"I'm not saying they should leave Kou. But trying to stir up trouble is-" He holds up his free hand to stop her.

"I don't give two _shits _what you investigate for Kou. I could care less about you spying on Sindria for Koumei or trying to keep up this 'reputation' bullshit. But _Goddamit_ Ting Mei, stay the _fuck_ away from Al Thamen, got it?"

Her lips part in shock at his words, but she utters no response.

"_Do you understand_?" He makes her wince with how hard he presses down on her chest.

"Yes" She gasps, knees wobbling as Asad lets her go.

"I'm not kidding." He warns once more, but in a softer tone closer to his normal voice. "Stay away, Mei. They'll kill you"

_I'll kill you._

And Asad leaves her in the darkness of the shadows, breathing heavily and struggling to compose herself.

* * *

_Dear Asad,_

_I hope you're enjoying Sindria, dear. Be a lamb and meet Ithnan and his selected group of 'trainees' in the Sindria harbor. You will be going with him on a little trip to an island outside of Sindria that belongs to the Torran nation and will assist Ithnan during his mission. Please do whatever he says, and don't maim your partner like you did the last one. It took _forever_ to find you a replacement. _

_Oh, and be nice. Dunya's still furious at how you treated her last time. Breaking a girl's heart is just cruel, little Shadow._

_With love and affection, _

_Your 'Witch of Al Thamen'. _

_P.S. That nickname you gave me is just too cute. I hear little Hakuryuu and Hakuei refer to me as that as well. Did you teach it to Kouhime? __**Adorable**__._

* * *

Getting off the boat, Centola blinks with wide eyes at the island, trying not to look so astonished by what Bad had told her.

_**It could be a prank to get us to…**_

_But what if it's not? What she just said...It made _some _sense._

"It doesn't make sense" Catrina mutters, appearing beside Centola and scratching the back of her head. Her lips are down in a frown, something unusual on her happiness-oriented face. "How could that be true?"

"I'm...Not sure. Still, this isn't all that important. It's an explanation, a detail. Let's not dwell on it." Catrina hesitates, but then nods at Centola's response, understanding.

"I don't really get Bad and your's explanation all that well, but I know you're right…" Catrina's voice trails off, and her eyes narrow. "What the heck?"

Centola looks in the same direction, and balks.

"K-King...Abhmad?" She whispers under her breath, shocked. "And Sahbmad?"

Leaving Catrina's side, Centola rushes up beside Alibaba and watches with matching awe. She remembers something like this from the manga, but didn't care for either of the characters and promptly skimmed over the section until it got interesting again.

"Sirs" Centola politely greets. She tries not to think on the past, of how Abhmad tried to make her and her people into slaves. That doesn't means it's not hard, but she knows better than to lash out, and she's always had a mild temperament that helps her in this situation of awkward feelings. Alibaba smiles at them, seemingly unaffected by her problems, but rather relieved that his brothers are alright. Sahbmad chuckles, his pleasant grin never waning.

"Are you surprised, Alibaba? It's been a long time. King Sinbad gave us the job of guiding you all!" Alibaba's face lights up.

"I was totally surprised! What have you been up to? What's with the clothes and stuff?" The youngest of the three brothers pats the ex-viceroy's back and laughs.

"Well, we're working on this island as a part of Sindria's archeology group" Sahbmad explains. Centola's lips form a smile. Jane went through a phase when she was ten or so when she wasn't sure what she was going to be, so she studied everything. Archeology was one of the subjects she decided to analyze, though it was discarded in favor for geology which she gave up for the more suitable study of allopathic medicine.

"You're studying the Torran nation?" The Temptress asks, sincerely curious even though she already knows.

"Y-yes" Sahbmad answers, using a slight stutter and rubbing the back of his neck. Centola intently turns her gaze around her, studying the people's markings and those in Sindrian attire hurrying about with parchments. They moved through the village following Sahbmad and Abhmad, observing the tents and culture that seemed so much different than other things they've witnessed. Bad gravitated toward Centola, and when she appeared by the Temptress' side she greeted her in low tones.

"I've always loved the Torran tribes" The not-quite magician tells her. Centola can see why, each member of the tribe has a wide smile. "They're unique."

"They are" Centola agrees. "Are you serious about what you told us?"

"Yes. Sorry I forgot."

"It's alright." She narrows her eyes. "I'm just having trouble connecting them...How could what you've said and what's here be true?"

"You want to understand?" The pinkette does seem surprised by this. "You never seemed interested before."

"I wasn't, because there was no answer." Centola easily replies. "But now with your theory...It's interesting, that's all"

"You told Catrina not to worry about it" From that sentence springs two options: Catrina told Bad or Bad was eavesdropping.

"She shouldn't. It's a detail. And I happen to enjoy details." Bad snorts. "In any case, are you ready to go Dungeon Diving?"  
"Um, yeah, I was _born _ready" The casual arrogance in her tone makes Centola laugh, especially since the younger was being 100% serious. Then the mischievous glint in her eyes becomes apparent. "Think Abhmad would notice a few coins missing~?"

"Don't steal" Centola automatically answers, surprised at how familiar the sentence was to her. She smiles softly when she remembers a time when she yelled at Kassim about stealing while Alibaba made stupid faces behind her and kept making the dreadlocked boy laugh. Centola was _not _a happy camper that day.

"Cent, you're making a weird face~"

"I am most certainly not"

"Are too"

"I will not fight with you over this"

"You say 'not' a lot"

"You just rhymed"

"..." Bad sighs, looking off towards Eren. "You suck at fighting. I'm going to go play with Eri"

"Wh- I don't suck at- I'm a pacifist-" But she was already off. Irritated, Centola joins Alibaba and sighs dramatically. He takes one look at her and nods in understanding.

"Bad made fun of you?"

"She's not all that nice." In that moment, Centola felt a tug on her dress. Looking downward, a cute little girl holds the end of her dress with chubby hands. Smiling widely, Centola pulls Alibaba over and holds his arm. "Hello sweetie. What do you need?"

The little girl blushes, her brown eyes sparkling as she gazes upwards toward the Temptress. She holds up a necklace of shiny shells and pieces of smooth rocks. Then, she says,

"_**Hi! I made a necklace for you!**_"

Centola pales.

_Huh?_

_**Would you look at that. Bad didn't lie.**_

* * *

"_Oh yeah...I forgot to tell you guys something" Centola tilts her head._

"_What's that?" Bad sheepishly smiles at her three siblings, each arching an eyebrow._

"_Oh dear...Well, it never mattered before but I just wanted to tell you guys something you probably didn't know about the Torran language"_

"_Which is?" The pinkette taps the side of her head. _

"_Well, okay, this is weird but first you have to know that in the Other I learned Torran"_

"_O-kay" Eren slowly says. "Aaaaaaannnnnnd?"_

"_I learned Torran from Gyokuen and Al Thamen. I'm half-sure it's because they kept me inside most of my life and it was literally _so _boring- um, nevermind. I know Torran. So when the End came and I died, I saw your past lives. And the reason I was able to understand what I heard was because…" She makes a, 'you-know' gesture. _

"_What?" Catrina furrows her eyebrows. Centola blinks. _

"_You knew Torran...And that was the reason you could understand what happened in our universe." Then it clicks. "Oh my God. Torran is __**English**_"

* * *

The explanation that Bad gave for the Torran language was this: Jane's, Charlie's, Alice's and John's universe existed in a dimension close to Centola's, Eren's, Catrina's and Asad's universe, the 'magiverse'. But just as their universe had the magiverse as a manga, the magiverse had the most common language, 'English', as 'Torran'. Just like how their universe had the Chinese and Roman Empires, the magiverse had Kou and Reim Empires. There were many similarities, Bad had explained. But that's what made it so useful.

The reality was that Badroulbadour's explanation was hard to understand. She had said that one of the main reasons she had to pick their souls from their dimension was because of these similarities. For instance, if Bad didn't know Torran, she wouldn't have been able to understand anything she heard when she caught glimpses of their past lives, she wouldn't have known who they were or where to find them. Another would be how little an impact the culture shock would have on them because of the preexisting knowledge of the cultures in their previous universe.

A third, and probably most relevant point was that they knew the plot of the magiverse up to the Torran Arc. Which was incredibly helpful since that was, as Bad put it, "where things got a little trippy between our worlds, if you know what I mean".

But wait! Eren had interjected. I thought you said we were important souls that you absolutely needed.

Haven't you been listening? Bad had asked him. You are! Out of all the infinite universes, you four were the only ones who had the right mixture of knowledge, reincarnation compatibility, and easy, close access to this dimension. You're all impossible and perfect.

Reincarnation compatibility?

Bad had rolled her eyes.

'Reincarnation compatibility', as she explained, was a fancy word she came up with to describe the ability to be reborn into a new world without ripping the fabric of space-time. Although, she had added a bit ruefully, they had created a fair share of new people that were designed to fill the cracks in the world's 'fate'.

* * *

Centola bends down carefully, allowing the Torran girl to slip the necklace onto her head so it rests there like a crown.

"It's beautiful" She tells her, forcing her throat not to constrict and her voice to remain steady. "Oh dear...She can't understand me, can she?" Alibaba smiles a little.

"_**Thank you**_" He tells the girl, his voice oddly accented. She accepts his words of thanks and beams at them.

"You know Torran?" Centola curses herself. Of course he does, he learned it at the royal palace.

"A little" He rubs the back of his head, laughing. "I learned it in Balbadd"

"A real genius" She teases, trying to keep him from noticing the pallor of her face. The memories hit her like a tidal wave.

"_What're you guys doing?" All heads snap to Alibaba, who wrinkles his forehead as he looks to Eren. _

"_**O-or are…?**_" _He tries, a heavily accented english. _

Alibaba wasn't confused at what they were saying. He was confused because of how they knew Torran.

"_Whatever." Then Bad glares at Alibaba. "But I swear to __**Jesus**_ _if you start to bother me about it I'll fuck you up"_

"_Language" Sweetly she cuddles into Centola once again._

"_Sorry, Big Sister~! I'll be better from now on, okay?" _

"_**Jesus?**_" _Alibaba furrows his eyebrows. "That word...You know it sounds a lot like-"_

Oh dear God. Centola forces a blinding smile, hoping that the third Prince of Balbadd didn't remember the times she just did. If he does, then there were be explaining to do, and that's something she can't just lie about easily.

Alibaba laughs.

"I know, I'm so smart" The girl turns to him and tugs on his pants.

"Money!" She cries in the common language. Covering her mouth with her hand so she doesn't laugh, Alibaba's face drains of color.

"Wha?" Sahbmad notices them and cries out,

"No, that's not free! You have to pay for it!"

"What?!" Alibaba tries to escape from the girl's clutches, but she's hitting his leg and crying.

"Centola's the one with the necklace!"

"_**You're the pretty lady's boyfriend! Pay for her things!**_" About half of that got to Alibaba and he sputtered. Unfortunately, Centola got all of it and blushed deeply.

Suddenly a hand appeared out of nowhere holding a strange purple orb appeared. Abhmad handed the object to the child, who perked up at the sight of it and took it happily, giving him a big hug in thanks.

"_**Leave my brother and the pretty lady alone. Go home**_" She happily agreed and left, prompting Abhmad to look back at the surprised Alibaba and give him a look that said, 'yeah, I do this often. Bite me.'.

Alibaba tilted his head at the expression in confusion.

"Uh, thanks, Abhmad." The ex-King started walking away, shaking his head.

"Don't thank me. I just don't want trouble with the natives or else I won't get to continue the research on Torran culture."

"...You're quite zealous about your research…" It comes across as a question. Abhmad tightens his hold on his backpack.

"I am. It's the best thing I can do right now...At least, that's...What I've decided." Centola stares after him, watching her ex-King mix with the Sindrian clothed archeologists conducting research on a giant rune. The Temptress looks downwards, hating that she's still so upset about Balbadd despite having made a decision herself that she wouldn't be mad at Kou. Perhaps the next step is forgiving Abhmad. But, she muses with a pain in her heart, would it be real or just something she would say to make herself feel better?

"Abhmad has changed" Alibaba mutters, and Sahbmad comes forward, smiling wider in contrast to his older brother's deep frown.

"He's had the chance to think about many things." The golden eyed boy hears this and smiles a little. The Temptress taps his hand.

"Hey, Ali, remember when we used to do something like that when we were in the Slums?" Centola asks Alibaba, who thinks back to the scam the kid played. He snorts and nods.

"Kassim and I did it a lot, but you used to chicken out last minute" The Temptress giggles.

"I didn't chicken out"

"You _so_ did"

"I didn't…" Her voice trails off, and she hesitantly asks, "Hey, do I suck at fighting?"

Alibaba blinks.

"Yes."

* * *

_These people…_

Hakuryuu frowns. Abhmad...Sahbmad...Alibaba...They're not trying to get their country back. He furrows his eyebrows.

_Why aren't they trying?_

If Kou was taken from the Rens, he knows his stepbrothers would fight tooth and nail to get it back. Hell, _Hakuryuu_ would fight to the last breath to reclaim their Empire. It wouldn't matter what kind of situation they were in, they'd never give up on their homeland. So why were the Salujas?

"They're not giving up" The voice makes him jump, and he notices Kouhime standing next to him. Her red eyes linger on Alibaba's back. "It's just that...They want to do whatever they can for Balbadd without harming anyone. That's what they want."

"...Still, do you think Balbadd is happy under Kou's control?" The girl chuckles, an old sound.

"Some might be. There last regime wasn't the best, you know. But no one wants to be told how to live, Hakuryuu. There are some things that are just too precious to give up" Hakuryuu thinks on this. "Your sister...Hakuei is a good person."

Now that's something he didn't expect to hear.

"Huh?"

"She's a good person. She wants to protect Kou from Al Thamen. I _get _that. I completely do, trust me" Kouhime stares at him intently. "But think about it...If you destroy everything that has to do with Al Thamen, people will grow to hate you, and her. You won't be good people anymore, Hakuryuu"

He shakes his head.

"No. Al Thamen is a organization that exists to inflict pain on everything-"

"I know that" She interrupts him, stopping. The rest of the group is ahead of them now, unknowing of their conversation. "I _know _that, Hakuryuu. They just want to hurt everything they can, and I know they've hurt you as well. But is that hatred so deep that it's worth doing the exact same thing they do? Inflicting pain on your own country? Fighting fire with fire doesn't work, everyone knows that."

"It's not like I'm trying to divide the Empire or something" He growls, fisting his hands. Those words hit her hard, but he doesn't notice. "I want to protect it. I want to accomplish the wishes my brothers and father entrusted to me- I need to protect my sister. Al Thamen _has_ to be stopped. I just can't tolerate the words 'necessary evil' anymore!"

Bad tilts her head, frustration playing on her brow but understanding clear in her eyes.

"I get that. But you don't put a sword through a human shield" He wets his lips.

_She's right. _

That's a horrible thought. But he's stubborn and always has been, and won't submit that easily to the reality of her words. He leaves her with a reply, and then spins on his heel and briskly walks away before he can see the impact it made.

"Then don't use a human shield at all"

* * *

Bad can't help herself.

She laughs.

When Catrina appears by her side and begins to walk with her toward the group converging around a tent, she's still smiling widely.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did."

"What do you think?" Catrina breaths deeply.

"I...Don't know if he's better or worse"

"Oh, he's better all right" Bad can tell her excitement has grown too much for her to control. "Boy has resolve and conviction. Stubborn as a mule to boot. Damn, I hoped he'd cave at my words but instead he pulled out the big guns"

"…Will he really attack Al Thamen head on?"

"Not alone. He can talk the talk but in reality that boy cares too much about his Empire. It'll be a struggle for him to try to go against it" Bad shakes her head. "I really wanna go see Auntie Hakuei now"

"I'd let your anger simmer down before that"

"I'm not angry"

"Uh-huh." Unconvinced, Catrina lightly taps Bad's shoulder as she scowls up at the Fanalis-Amala. "I have a question though, why did you tell him not to be angry at Kou?"

"Because I've disregarded him completely from the plan" Bad boredly informs her. "The less he has to do with it, the better things are for me"

"Do you want him completely gone?" Catrina's voice drops low, soft and probing. Bad tilts her head. Hm, assassination, eh? She's never tried that before. In this life, at least. In the Other there were times when Kouen needed someone supporting Al Thamen gone and suddenly they were, and it wasn't hard to figure out how.

"_I'll dirty myself in anyway, Kouhime. Don't worry about these sort of things"_

"No." She responds at last, and Catrina nods, unneeding of an explanation to her reasoning. They at last converge on the tent, Eren waiting for them. The others were waiting with Sahbmad for the chief to finish his business, chatting about the archeologists' findings so far about the Torran culture and language. Centola seemed the most interested, and Bad could tell she was connecting certain aspects of the culture to the Native Americans that lived in her previous world. Eren laid a hand on Bad's back, a casual and unconscious move that made the girl feel muscles she didn't know were tense relax.

"You should worry about your health more." She rolls her eyes at his worry.

"Meh"

"I'm serious! When's the last time you took a break?"

"The Maharajan"

"Wow. A party that went way past your bedtime, really great for you. And what did you do the next day?"

"...I trained" As if his point is proven, Eren gives her a look. She's about to retaliate when a Torran man pokes his head out from the entrance of the tent.

"_**The Chief will see you now**_"

"The Chief will see us now." The ex-viceroy declares, leading them in. They take seats on the floor in front of a elderly man on an elevated platform, sitting with their legs crossed.

"_**Chieftain, these are the ones I've spoken to you before about. They wish to conquer the Dungeons Zagan and Seere**_" Sahbmad tells the Chief, who snaps his head to them.

"No!" He states firmly in the common tongue, harshly and with the crackle of old vocal chords. "_**You cannot go into the Dungeons. They are the mouths of the devil! It's too dangerous.**_"

Sahbmad translates.

"It's alright, we've been in Dungeons before" Alibaba tells him, with a wide smile.

"_**The other Dungeons are different. Zagan is a Dungeon that eats all the conquers who go near it, even those who didn't even go there with the intention of go inside.**_" Sahbmad shakily repeats this to them, and Alibaba's jaw drops. Bad watches it amusedly.

"But that's impossible! I've never heard of a Dungeon being able to do such a thing!"

"_**A lot of people from the village were devoured by Zagan and never returned. I then created a law that no one was allowed to go near the Dungeons!**_"

2"_**But what about Seere?**_" Bad asks in Torran, tilting her head. "_**Even if we can't go to Zagan, why not Seere?**_"

The Chief blinks at her use of his language, but answers promptly as Sahbmad struggles to translate quick enough for both of them,

"_**Seere is a little ways away from Zagan, but it's a strange Dungeon. Stranger than Zagan, who eats people. I sent some of my best warriors there to capture it, but…**_" The Chief looks uncomfortable. "_**When I sent more to go see the results, the warriors were lying outside of the Dungeon. They didn't capture it, but were thrown out, and had their memories completely wiped.**_"

"_**Completely?**_" Bad leans forward. She's never heard of a Dungeon expelling those who failed- nor of wiping their memories.

"_**Completely. Everything, from their childhood to their wives' and children's names were forgotten entirely**_" The Chief squirms. "_**It was...Unnerving.**_"

Sahbmad takes a breath as he finishes translating the conversation, and the eight all look confused.

"The Dungeon wipes their memories?" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows. "And...Lets them go?"

"...Odd." Bad comments, her usual grin finding it's way to her face. "But it sounds like fun, right~?"

"Only you, Bad. Only you." Eren rolls his eyes, but he nonchalantly shrugs. "Can ya tell the Chief we still want his permission?"

"_**Chief, my companions are still alright with going despite the risks. May we have your permission?**_"

"_**I cannot allow it**_" The Chief shakes his head, until a man behind him dips down and whispers,

"_**But Chief, this is a request from King Sinbad…**_" The Chief and his men turn away, speaking in hushed tones.

"How the heck do you know Torran?" Alibaba asks, turning to her while they wait. Bad shrugs.

"I learned it. Duh."

"I mean where." The third Prince exasperatedly replies, and Bad flutters her eyelashes playfully.

"Oh dear~ I'm afraid I don't remember!" She gasps mockingly. "Did I go into Seere and forget~?"

Eren snorts and Catrina tries to stifle a smile. Hakuryuu narrows his eyes as if to see through her words into a truth, but only blank answers are found.

"Not funny." Alibaba deadpans, and Bad flicks her wrist in dismissal of his words.

"I'm hilarious."

"_**Alright. I give you my permission**_" Bad turns back to the Chief, and smiles widely as Sahbmad delievers the elder's decision to them. The old man then swings an arm toward two tall muscular man and a small girl. "_**But you must allow these children to guide you there with their ships. They are my grandchildren and are experts at steering around the reefs. They'll only accompany you to a certain distance, of course.**_"

Alibaba jumps up and shakes the Chief's hands.

"Thank you, that's more than enough!" Bad tilts her head at the way the girl's gaze flickers to her and then Hakuryuu. Eren pats her head.

"Ready to get your memory wiped?"

"Always am."

* * *

The market was nice, and certainly prosperous, but Bad tuned out the Chief's chatter with the others about King Sinbad's garrison and how he accepted their presence and blah, blah, blah. Her eyes lazily flow over the many merchants haggling prices with the natives, holding up bags and jewelry and merchandise that, if sold in Reim or Aktia, could fetch a hefty price for their unique heritage.

Then, they snapped upwards. Coming out of a crowd of people and speaking with some Torran men, a group of black cloaked individuals come out. Bad's upper lip curls. She could smell Al Thamen members from a mile away, and their ominous air makes her roll her eyes at their obviousness. There is a woman with light green ringlets, a man whose face is obscured by a turban and another pale man with a strand of hair hanging in his face. Then, making Bad tilt her head, there is a tall figure wearing a hood low over his face and a bored looking teen with dirty blonde hair.

Huh. Bad narrows her eyes. She thought there were only three of them.

Eren suddenly tugs her loose hair, making her jolt back into the conversation happening and look up towards the older man.

"Sheba" She just out a hand, and he rolls his eyes.

"Whatever, _your highness_" She smiles at that, watching his hand disappear into the small pouch around his neck and then reappear with her precious Stave.

"Oh!" She dramatically pulls the girl(?) into her arms. "My darling Stave! Have you been well? I haven't played with you in _for-ever_. Well, we're going Dungeon diving, so we can have a ball together now"

Eren sighs.

"Are...You talking to it?" Bad blinks up at Hakuryuu, who points down at her staff of choice. Alibaba's eyes widen.

"No, Hakuryuu _don't_ ask that."

"What-?"

"SHE IS NOT AN IT!" Bad roars, using Sheba to hit the boy's side. He yells in surprise and jumps back, holding onto his hip. He's about to get angry at the girl before he sees her pissed off face. "_She _doesn't like you. _She _is very special and powerful. And _she _has a name"

"O-oh?" Hakuryuu takes a few steps back.

"Yes. It's Sheba" Aladdin's head snaps toward her, but she ignores it, pretending that it's just an occurrence. Just a coincidence that the Stave that belonged to Aladdin's mother also shares his mother's name. Hm. She probably should've thought of this _before _deciding to name Sheba, well, Sheba, but that was name that she and Aladdin decided on in the Other. He told her it was his mother's, and she said that should be the Stave's name.

Aladdin had chuckled at her, and kissed her forehead. She always remembered his stupid little habit of doing that.

Blinking away the memory, Bad glares a little less harshly up at Hakuryuu.

"Treat her with respect" The girl warns. He gulps.

* * *

Centola liked the tent they were given to sleep in. It reminded her of her home as a child, of the dirty house with cloth walls that held just enough room for four. They were given blankets and pillows, and Bad was the one who spoke to the tribal men when the group needed something or wanted to ask a question.

Later in the evening after having a dinner of Torran food, Centola set her makeshift bed up next to Alibaba. She laid down and played with the old green ribbon given to her by Mrs. Gamela, her thoughts circling around her.

"This place reminds me of home" She whispers to him, and the teen stayed quiet for a few beats.

"Me too." He whispers back at last. "I like it."

"Do you miss Balbadd?"

"...Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I just like thinking about it." Is her reply. It's true, the memories swim across her eyes and she recalls the pounding heat, the sparkling waters, the smell of spices in the bazars. Even the shadier parts of the city was remembered fondly, her home of the slums smelling badly and the wooden stage of Mrs. Gamela's bar.

She didn't think of the bad times, the pain had been forgotten in the recesses of her mind. But she did remember that while there were many good things, Centola, for a while, was in a state that some may call 'broken'. That puts a damper on her spirits, but it was true. It was a time where she didn't have Alibaba, Mariam had died in her arms, and she missed her mother deeply. Even now Centola misses Lilliana, the brown haired tavern singer who was so talented and kind.

But when she thinks of her mother, a feeling of love surfaces. Lilliana wouldn't want her to be sad over the past, but think of the future. Her mother, if she was alive, would've told her with a smile to do her best for her goals.

"...I...I loved Balbadd" Alibaba says softly. "It was home. But...I've never done anything good for it."

"What are you saying?" Centola turns to her side and stares at him. It's dark, but she can make out the outline of her blond friend. "You led a revolution to _save_ it"

"But I didn't _win_" He stresses, and the rustle of fabric tells her he fisted his hands on his pillow.

"So? You still-"

"I couldn't stop Kassim...I wouldn't have saved him if you and Aladdin weren't there." She's about to tell him that's not true when, with a terrible feeling in her stomach, she realized he was right. "I'm so pathetic...I just want to be able to grow strong enough to become something useful for Balbadd…!"

Eyes widening, Centola watches her friend bite his lower lip.

_That conviction...Those words...He wasn't suppose to gain those sorts of feelings until later._

Centola slowly smiles.

"That's why you're training, right?" She asks him, reaching out to touch his arm. "You're so stupid."

"What? Am not."

"Are too" She giggles. "Don't you realize you said things in Balbadd that people never heard before? You talk about freedom and the right to decide yourself how you want to live. You're one of a kind, Alibaba. You know what it's like to be a royal and a slum-rat. That's why Balbadd loves you just as much as you love it."

His arm relaxes underneath her fingers.

"...Is that...True?"

"Of course" Centola saw the faces of those who listened to Alibaba's speech in Balbadd, who stood tall and gazed awestruck toward the Prince. She witnessed firsthand that Balbadd, the moment their Prince freed it, fell in love with Alibaba. "You are a wonderful person, Alibaba."

"...Thank you, Centola." There is a moment of silence, and then a small chuckle rises from the eighteen year old. "Why did we start talking about sad things?"  
Centola laughs a little too, quieter than he, because she knows the others in the tent are sleeping.

"Who knows." She runs her fingers down the ribbon in her hands. "Who knows…"

* * *

Across this little tent, Hakuryuu Ren closes his eyes. They're very loud.

But…

_...Alibaba was loved by Balbadd...Eh?_

* * *

Catrina looks over the side of the boat, Bad sitting in her lap.

"This is embarrassing" She groans, but she just giggles amusedly.

"Aw, you're too cute~" She pokes her little sister's cheek. "You used to sit like this when you were younger~!"

"S-shut it" The small girl turns her face away, arms crossed over hers.

"Well, they don't have enough seats for everyone." Hakuryuu points out, jutting his finger towards the other boats. "This is a smaller boat, so you have to sit on Catrina-dono's lap"

"Better Catrina than Alibaba" Bad states, looking on the bright side.

"I heard that!"

"You were suppose to!" Catrina giggles again, holding Bad tighter. Her little sister is mean, but damn is Bad huggable. Holding her is like cuddling with a super-soft blanket. "Urgh...Catrina...Too tight…"

"Sorry" She mutters, sighing contently. She's not sorry.

"You guys have a very good relationship." Hakuryuu comments, and Bad blinks, nodding.

"Of course, Catrina's my precious sister." Catrina smiles brightly.

"We were raised together." She tells the Prince, loosening her grip on Bad so the girl can breath better. "I...Met Bad and her parents when I was ten, and they took me in"

"Parents?"

"Adoptive!" Alibaba shouts from the neighboring boat, and Bad picks Sheba up from where it rested on the floor of the boat and made swings at the Balbaddian Prince.

"No one likes you!"

"So you were adopted?"

"When I was...Six. Almost seven." Bad nods, yawning. "Before that it was just Eri and I. We traveled through the desert together"

"What was it like?" Hakuryuu asks, his eyes lightening.

"It was hot." She deadpans, grinning when he gives her an annoyed look. "And it was beautiful. The first place we went to was Damnat, a desert city with the most beautiful architecture _ever_. Okay, maybe Kou and Sindria beat it but the city was lovely. The sands were gold and the caravans were large."

"Wow. I've never been to the deserts before" He admits. "I've never really left Kou, actually. All I've learned about the outside world comes from books"

"You must be happy to be visiting Sindria, then. After being cooped up for so long." Hakuryuu doesn't comment on the use of the word 'cooped'.

"I am. Sindria is a really nice place."

"_**Um…**_" Looking upwards, Catrina blinks at the Chief's granddaughter speaking to Bad. "_**Can you, um, Miss, translate for me?**_"

"_**Sure**_" Hakuryuu looks back.

"_**I speak a little Torran as well**_" The third Prince informs the girl.

"_**I knew it**_" She nods, serious. "_**You seemed clever, like the Chief of this group. I wanted your friend to speak to you for me, I have something to ask you.**_"

"_**He's not the Chief.**_" Bad tells her, pouting. Catrina smiles.

_Aw, she's jealous the Torran girl didn't think she was the Chief~!_

"_**What do you want to ask?**_" Hakuryuu sends a look to Bad, who smiles sweetly.

"_**Please, take me to the Dungeon with you!**_"

* * *

The island of Zagan and Seere was large, lush, and uninhabited. The Torran girl's boat was waiting for her on the beach, it's end bobbing up and down with the lapping of the waves. Catrina digs her heel into the sand, listening as the girl pleads her case about her mother and father.

"_**You can't come with us**_" Bad tells her, sounding harsh but actually firm. "_**You won't be able to do anything in there. You'll die.**_"

"_**But…**_" The girl's eyes fill with tears. "_**My parents were devoured by the Dungeon Zagan. I want to go save them. And if not...I want revenge**_"

Catrina's breath hitches.

"_**You don't**_" She says before she can stop herself. Hakuryuu snaps his head to the voice of the Fanalis-Amala, who realizes her mistake but must trudge on. "_**Revenge isn't as fancy as you think. No matter how hard you prepare yourself for it, no matter what you say you're ready for, you're not. No amount of hurting others will ever loosen the pain you feel.**_"

"_**How would you know?!**_" The girl questions hotly, her lower lip quivering. "_**Have you ever lost a parent?!**_"

"_**No.**_" Catrina sadly tells her, leaning to her height. "_**But I did something horrible to my family, I resigned myself to revenge for the pain certain people caused me. And in the end, I killed in front of my mother. Her face was something I'll never forget seeing, the pain and...The desire that what she witnessed was false. She was...Disappointed, maybe? Revenge is a one-way street, the only ending being even more pain and sadness.**_"

"_**That…**_" The Torran girl looks shocked at her confession, and Bad's hand ghosts over her shoulder before pulling back.

"_**Listen, if your parents are alive, we'll find them.**_" Catrina takes the girl's hands. "_**We won't leave Zagan until we find them.**_"

And in the end, the little Torran girl gets in her boat and paddles away.

* * *

"This is refreshing, right Mor?" Morgiana looks to Catrina, who skips alongside her.

"...Yes."

"Mou, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you think you'll capture the Dungeon?" That wasn't what she thought the mixed blood Fanalis was going to ask.

"...No."

"Why not?"

"...I am not that kind of person." Morgiana shrugs. "I want to become Alibaba's household member, because he and Aladdin are my friends"

Catrina smiles a little.

"That's good."

"What about you?"

"Me?" Morgiana wonders how the girl is always smiling, her face permanently fixed in a kind expression. "Nah. I'm a magician, ya know"

"Really?"

"Um...Partially. I use a very specific kind of magic, like Centola" Catrina shrugs. "Actually, if the Djinn used the same magic, I think I could capture it."

"Really?"

"Possibly. I mean, magicians can't use Djinns because they can use many types of magic and the Djinns can only use one, thus the order of the spells would be all messed up, right? But if Seere and I use the same specific kind of magic, then there wouldn't be a problem...I think." Catrina shrugs. "I'm probably wrong."

"It's interesting, though" Morgiana answers.

"Hey, Catrina, we're splitting up here!" Bad calls from up front. Morgiana and Catrina hurry up to them, and Bad's group points to another path.

"See you, Mor!"

"Mh. Be careful"

"That's my line!" The groups say their goodbyes, Aladdin pointing to Zagan.

"There it is!" Morgiana squints at the building.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?" Alibaba asks, looking at the Dungeon.

"Did you just see a flash?" Then, a scream slices through the forest.

* * *

It was dark. Everything was dark.

Vaguely she feels someone shaking her side, saying her name. But it was so refreshing to sleep so peacefully, despite the pain.

Pain?

_Oh shit. Pain._

Her throat was dry, like she hadn't had a sip of water in months, and the back of her head ached. She had the vague sense that the rough ground had scratched her cheek and bruised her back, and she didn't want to open her eyes.

The call of her name urged her to.

She slowly groaned and carefully, very carefully allowed her eyelids to slide open, adjusting to the light. She heard a relieved sigh, but didn't feel very relieved to be awake.

"Are you alright?" Red was in her vision.

"Yeah, Cat. I'm...Ugh…" The person shook their head.

"No, you're mistaken." She forced herself to get a grip, making her eyes clear of haziness and adjust better.

"Wha…" Then her eyes widened. "Morgiana? What?"

"Yes, it's me." Morgiana confirms, helping her sit up. "I'm sorry you arrived before me. Otherwise I could've broken your fall."

She just blinks.

"I'm...In Zagan?" Morgiana hesitates, and then nods.

"Yes, Zagan pulled you in." The Fanalis twists her lips as she decides what to say next. "I'm sorry things didn't go better, Bad"

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Centola once accidentally answered a question Alibaba asked her in English.

**Fun Fact #2: **Since the age of sixteen (he's twenty-one now), Eren has yet to be separate from Bad (they're always physically in the same area or city). It's unknown whether or not this'll have an effect on him if he ever _does _go somewhere without Bad.

* * *

Suuuuummmmmmmeeeeeerrrrrrr~~~! This chapter didn't want to get done. It really didn't wanna get done. But I kinda put my head down and a struggled through the writer's block.

**Torran is English:** Like Centola said, this is a detail. I have been planning this for a while, but I don't think anyone noticed Alibaba's discomfort when they spoke Torran. The reasons Bad gave are confusing, but the logic behind it was that just how things from Magi exist in our universe, things from our universe exist in Magi. Then it went into reincarnation and ish.

**Seere:** Seere isn't like most Dungeons. Instead of sucking people into the Dungeon like Zagan, it expels them with wiped memories. This will be explained, no worries.

**Bad's in Zagan!:** Hurray! For all of you wanting our evil heroine to be with the protagonists, here is your bone. Also- who are the Al Thamen members with Ithnan? You probably know, but I like suspense~!

**Hakuryuu:** Once again, Hakuryuu is a very difficult character to work with. I don't think it'll be easy to change his narrow-minded views, but Hakuei did try and the circumstances surrounding the event that made him evil were changed. Hakuryuu is different from his canon counterpart now- being more selfless and dedicated to Kou but with an unfortunate sense of justice and the remaining stubbornness from canon. Now that he's with Alibaba and his gang, I'm sure that he'll start to see things differently ;)

**Hakuei:** Meh, I'll get to her later. Her characterization took a 180, I'll admit XD

**(Off Topic) Sinbad no Bouken:** Yes, I'm aware that I'm really off topic. But holy crap has Sinbad been terrifying anyone else? No one? _Please_? Like, his faces lately make me recoil. _RECOIL_. That cannot happen. He's my bae (at the moment. This title switches a lot). Plus can I just say that I really dislike Serendine? I wanna punch her. Like, she went through all of this harsh situations and before she got _any _characterization, she developed a crush on Sinbad. It's like, work on yourself first girl. Get your spider-swag back on and _then_ fall in love with Sinbad.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	25. Chapter 24: Rely on Me

I'M NOT DEAD HALLELUJAH.

**FANART:**

A giant round of applause to the amazing artists Jangirl183 and ReallyShinyShadows/KuroLoli for making me gorgeous pictures of Bad and Catrina! Jangirl183 made me two: one of Bad (which is OMG) and one of Catrina (WHICH IS OMG) and ReallyShinyShadows made me a picture of Bad (which a-fricken-dorable). Please go and like/follow these amazing artists on Deviantart, they deserve recognition for their hard work and awesome art skills. You can also find the fanart on my profile. Props to you two!

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SEVENTH ARC: **Dungeon Blues

CHAPTER 24: Rely on Me

* * *

_The trees were still, and for a heartbeat, she noticed it. _

_She felt the wind pause in its course, the earth still beneath her feet. Up ahead Eren stretched his arms above his head, his muscles lengthening and tensing as he arches his back. Catrina's feet leave the ground as she skips, her crimson hair swinging up as the dress she wears rides up to her thighs. Centola elegantly picks up the ends of her Balbaddian dress as she goes, her eyelids closing over those bright green mirrors she has for eyes._

_Then, she heard it._

"_Where the _hell _do you think _you're _going?"_

_Her pack became lighter, and instantly- before even seeing the strange tentacle wrapping around her- Bad screamed. _

The memory came back to Bad slowly, bit by bit in slow motion. Sighing, she raises a hand to wave off Morgiana's concern and gently stretches out her right leg, and then the left. She does the same with her back, lengthening it, and then twists slowly to check her ribs. She had long since known her arms were fine, and presses on her collarbone to check for any injuries.

"Looks like I'm fine." Triumphantly she grins at Morgiana. "A little fall never hurt anyone~!"

The Fanalis smiles a little, relaxing and looking upwards to make sure none of their other companions have fallen down yet.

_The tentacle was less than kind to her than the others it picked up, whipping around in a frenzy and shooting her high into the air._

_Someone shouts her name. _

_Bad is whisked downwards, and she snaps her head up, face connecting with the Sacred Gate. _

_Her body was floating. The tentacle was gone, but a giant glowing pillar of light swings toward her, and a red planet with swirling clouds appears before her. _

This is…

_Bad grips Sheba, surprised the Stave made her way with her master this far, and shuts her eyes tightly as she's enveloped by the giant light. _

"_Thief, just _try _to escape my Dungeon"_

_Next thing she knows she's falling and twists to see where she's going-_

**Slap**.

Bad blinks. Oh dear, so that's the sound her body made when it connected with this strange pillar. No wonder her back aches.

"So...I'm in Zagan." Morgiana nods, handing her the water container. Bad smiles at her in thanks, knowing her voice is still scratchy.

"Yes. It looks like Zagan really did attack anyone close to it." Morgiana frowns. "But you were headed to Seere. Why did Zagan reach so far just to get you?"

Bad shrugs. She's decided the voice she heard is something she's not going to speak about just yet.

"Maybe he thought I'd be fun to play with~" Bad suggests, poking Morgiana. The Fanalis blinks at her light attitude and fiddles with her dress.

"Um, Bad, you don't seem very upset."

"Meh. Zagan, Seere, it's all the same," She shrugs, uninterested. Then her eyes narrow. "Sucks that I couldn't be with my pals, but Eren, Cent and Cat are all strong. They should be fine...As long as they capture Seere and don't try to enter Zagan to 'save' me."

"They'd do that?"

"Eren might," Bad admits. "He's more overprotective than you think. Really...As long as I remember, whenever I called his name he was there to save me. Like in Balbadd when we were fighting Judal."

"..." Morgiana seems troubled by this. "Alright then."

"Hm?"

"I'll protect you in Eren's stead." Morgiana nods at her resolve.

"What? No, that's not necessary." Bad laughs, but the Fanalis already made her decision.

"If Eren cares about you that much," She says quietly, determinedly, "Then think about how sad he'd be if you were injured and he couldn't help you. Bad, if you're in trouble, call _my _name and I'll come just like Eren would, alright?"

"..." Bad's lips part and she stares amazed at Morgiana. "You...You're very kind, Mor. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," The ex-slave shrugs. "I'm sure that Eren would do the same for Alibaba or Aladdin if I wasn't there."

_Would he?_

Bad ponders over this. Eren is a very nice person...But he's been with her for five years. They've pulled off stunts like dine-and-dashes, acts of thievery, and once they (accidentally) set a house on fire. Would he do something as kind as this for Prince-y or Aladdin?

Bad knows Eren likes Alibaba...But isn't very impressed with his Djinn skills and lack of perseverance in training. Eren's doesn't like Aladdin- but that's just jealousy stemming from Bad's love for the magi.

Bad gives a small grin.

"He would." It's true. Eren's always had a bleeding heart. If Bad wasn't there, he'd set aside his feelings and help them. But if Bad was there, and she can say this with certainty, Eren would first ask for her orders first. That's right...The Princess leans her chin on her knees.

_Eren will do anything I tell him to._

"Oh-" Morgiana jumps into the air, landing back down with both Aladdin and Hakuryuu in her arms. Bad inches away, making space for them, and watches as the Fanalis sets the two down.

"How long did it take me to wake up?" She asks, and Morgiana looks up as she thinks.

"I don't know how long it was until I arrived, but you woke up only a few minutes later." Bad gives a crisp nod, feeling a sharp pain behind her eye. Feeling the back of her head, she's careful as she searches for blood. She feels a bump, but there is no red staining her hand when she checks.

Bad tsks at herself. She should've been more careful. There was another route toward Seere that was farther away from Zagan's path, but it was more overgrown than the one closer to Zagan.

(At least, that's what Aladdin pointed out to her.

"_Maybe you should still with us for a while longer. This path seems dangerous."_

He almost seemed worried about them.)

Aladdin stirs.

She goes next to him, shaking his shoulder.

"Al," She softly calls, watching his eyes flutter.

"B…Bad…?" The girl starts to nod before his hand reaches up and takes a handful of her hair that fell out of it's ponytail. He grins widely, his eyes glazed. "You're so pretty~"

Her face goes bright red, a deeper shade than Morgiana's hair. If they turned off the lights, it would glow in the dark for sure. She shakes her head furiously, disregarding the pang of her headache.

"Y-You're having a dream!" She declares, trying to get him to let go of her hair. That just makes him make a whiny sound and dump his head into her lap.

"Oh~~~ so nice~~~"

"Eeeeep!" She throws her arms out to the side, trying to lean away from his cuddling. "S-stop!"

"Bad is like a Princess~~~" He sings, his tiny arms looping around her middle. "She's so sweet~~~"

"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what?! Y-y-you d-don't know t-that!" She stutters terribly, reminding her of the Other when she'd would go into fits of stutters when she was embarrassed.

"Yes~~~"

"Aladdin? Bad?" Morgiana comes over to them from where she was checking on Hakuryuu.

"Help, Mor!" Bad cries. "He's sleep-cuddling!"

Mor grabs Aladdin and tears him off of Bad, who scoots far away and hides behind the large bag they brought with them.

"Aladdin, get ahold of yourself!" Mor tells the magi, who murmurs something quietly. Seeing no other choice, the Fanalis grabs a thermos and pours water on his face. The reaction is instantaneous. Aladdin pops up, eyes wide and searching around him. Once he's sure that it was just Mor and not some Dungeon creature, he smiles at the two girls.

"Thanks for waking me up!" He chirps, and Bad nods slowly, unsure if he's faking not remembering latching onto her. "Wait, Bad, why're you here?

"Zagan grabbed me," She explains, picking up Sheba. "Now that you and Ryuu are here, we should prepare to get going."

"What about Alibaba?"

"What about him?" She deadpans, and the two sweatdrop.

"You're harsh, Bad…" Morgiana whispers, a bit offput.

"Meh." The pinkette settles down again. Her gaze flickers to the fourth Prince of Kou. "Oh, you're up, Ryuu-Ren!"

The others turn to the newly awakened and eye-rubbing Hakuryuu, who nods.

"Mhm. Where's Alibaba-dono?" Bad points toward the eight-pointed star above them.

"There." She says simply, and Morgiana has to race to catch the falling blond.

"Bad, I saw you being pulled in. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," She doesn't mention that her back is in pain and her headache hasn't dissipated. But it will take much more than a few minor injuries to throw her out of the game. She grins wickedly, excited. "This is gonna be fun~"

They wait until Alibaba is awake to get ready to go down from the giant pillar.

"What do you think is down there?" She asks, and Mor shakes her head.

"Let's go see." She motions for Bad to climb onto her back like the boys are, but she shakes her head.

"It's okay, I'll just fly down."

"Fly?" Alibaba asks with large eyes, and Bad winks devilishly at him.

"Fly." She runs towards the edge, hearing Hakuryuu call for her to stop in a panicked voice.

"Wait! How do you know you can fly?!" Sheba glows gold at the insult, and the second Bad is in the air she sits atop the long staff, ankles crossed as her dress floats around her.

"Don't underestimate me so," She pouts mockingly, tipping Sheba downwards and flying into the depths.

Flying was amazing. She felt weightless, free, able to do anything she set her mind to. It was a wonderful feeling, one that made her hair fly out of her face and her pain be forgotten. The light enters her vision much too quickly, and a blur of different colors beside her lets her know that Mor has jumped with the others. When she makes it down into the Dungeon area she blinks in surprise at the scenery, the multicolored flowers and thin winged butterflies.

"Wow." She comments, not stepping off Sheba.

"So you can fly?" Alibaba points to her Stave, and Bad throws her hair over her shoulder.

"Why yes, I can," She smirks at him, stroking Sheba. "It's not that hard."

"Look at all these doors!" Aladdin calls, pointing to a few.

"It seems a bit...Too homey in here." Bad points out, lifting herself higher into the air. "There are so many doors...Which is the right one?"

The boys don't seem to hear her, Alibaba and Aladdin quivering from head to toe in excitement.

"There are so many cool things!" Aladdin shouts, pointing to the pretty flowers.

"Where should we start?" Alibaba enthusiastically asks his companion, who claps his hands.

"Anywhere would be great!" Morgiana looks uplifted by their lightheartedness, a small smile appearing on her face. Bad sighs, a little annoyed.

"Oh, look, a turtle!"

"It's so cute!"

"Guys, we really should get going." She tells them.

"Look at the way it trots!"

"Bad, come look at the turtle~!"

"Guys-"

"You...Look **delicious.**" Snapping her head downwards, Bad stares at the turtle.

"...Did that turtle just _talk_?" Oh this she has to see. Hopping down from Sheba she lands gracefully and runs up to Aladdin. A few more turtles pop out of no where. "_**Kickass**_."

"Ah, ow!" Whipping around, Hakuryuu blinks as a turtle bites his finger. "Huh but...It doesn't hurt."

"They're just turtles." She cracks her back, feeling her bruises whine.

"Yeah, we see Drakon talking all the time" Alibaba slaps his forehead.

"That's mean, Aladdin. He was a person at first." Bad holds the back of her head, tuning them out as her palm whispers over the bump.

_Damn this hurts._

She wants to complain about it, but Eren and Catrina aren't around, and neither is Centola. She's not going to reveal weakness in front of those she doesn't have complete faith in-

…

Eren and Catrina aren't here. An icy feeling she determines is anxiety crawls along her arms, but she forces herself to snap out of it. So what they're not here? In Balbadd she spent two weeks without them in a gang's hideout.

_But in Balbadd the minute I called for them they were there-_

Bad wants to laugh at herself. She's so childish, needing her older siblings around her. This just goes to show how dependent she is on their presence beside her. She's done things without them- there is no way that something as small as doing a Dungeon Conquest without them will kill her.

_But what if they get hurt?_

She pauses at the thought. No, she decides. Cat and Eri are too strong to allow something like a separation blind them- and they have Cent, too. Centola is charismatic enough to snap them out of any sort of panic they may engulf themselves in. Not to mention the Temptress, Mountain and Bird are more powerful than average humans are- Cent and Cat being specialized magicians and Eri being an accomplished archer/muscle-freak with a metal vessel.

…

They'll be fine.

"Bad?" Turning to the call of her name, Alibaba raises an eyebrow towards her. "We're moving on."

Bristling at his (worried) tone, she huffs and skips up to him, twirling Sheba in her fingers.

"I was just about to come, Dorky-baba"

Alibaba's eye twitches.

"I think I prefered Ali-baka…"

"What?"

"Nothing!"

* * *

After opening a few doors and successfully getting strange-looking creatures pissed at them, the gang ends up swinging their weapons to get the Dungeon monsters to leave them alone.

"Al!" Bad catches the magi as he's released from some flying worm-like beast's grip. Aladdin flops in the not-quite magician's arms, blinking as he adjusts to his new placement.

"Oh, thank you, Bad!" Said girl sighs at him.

"You don't seem concerned…" She helps him upright, twirling Sheba upwards and sending off a blast of water to ward off the flying monsters.

"Isn't it better if we don't open anymore doors?" Hakuryuu asks as they get through the siege.

"No…" Alibaba shakes his head. "We have to continue. The only way to capture the Dungeon is to find the Treasure room...If we don't find the right passage, we'll be stuck on this first 'level'."

"He's right." Bad agrees, and then pauses. "Oh God I agreed with the Dork King."

"Is this 'new insult day' or something?"

"Yes."

Hakuryuu determinedly swings his polearm downward, only to stop as Aladdin shows him children behind a sunflower-demon. Alibaba points on the inside of the doors, realizing that they had been coming into the monster's homes.

"I'd be pissed if someone like Ass-baba was coming into my house." Bad comments, and the almost eighteen year old glares at her.

"That wasn't one of your best."

"It's a work in progress."

"Everyone, I found a hidden path!" Bad is by Mor's side in an instant.

"Whoa! Good job, Morgiana." They follow the pig-bear-things into the underbrush, listening to them singing while adjusting their packs.

Coming out into the new 'level', Bad admires the scenery even more than the last place's. The large trees were growing with vibrant green leaves, and the small stream was full of crystal clear waters. The grass under her feet was soft even through her shoes, and a variety of Dungeon creatures work on gathering big red fruits or cutting down spotted mushrooms as they sing absentmindedly.

A sunflower-demon falls down, and they watch it drop it's load of food from the trees. Another one of its kind growls at it in reprimand, and Bad giggles.

"This kind of feels like they have a communal system of livelihood," Alibaba points out, watching the workers. "It's not much different from ours."

* * *

"This kind of feels like they have a communal system of livelihood. It's not much different from ours." Hakuryuu listens to these words, smiling a little. He's right, the Dungeon creatures don't seem harmful at all. "This place isn't scary! As long as we stay calm and keep to the rules of this Dungeon, we'll be fine!"

"Tut, tut, mind yourself nicom-baba," Kouhime reminds him, but she's hiding a smile. "You'll jinx us." Hakuryuu smiles some more, walking with them beside the line of marching sunflowers. Kouhime skips up and takes his free hand, surprising him.

"Ne, ne, this is kinda fun~" She giggles, seeming child-like and sweet. Hakuei always said that was a front, but...Hakuryuu squeezes his cousin's hand, grinning. The girl seems to be genuinely happy.

"Yeah!" They come across a hole in the wall, and as they go near the cave the sunflowers stop. Turning his gaze upwards, his jaw drops.

_What._

_The._

_**Hell**__._

"Spare me some honey?" Comes a low, thick voice. It appeared bear like, but was ten times Hakuryuu's height and towered over all of them. It had a giant black mouth that was in a perfect circle, it's eyes looked oval shaped and stared straight at them eerily.

"R-Ryuu-Ren, is that a giant teddy bear?" Kouhime asks, and Hakuryuu tilts his head.

"...Yes?"

"Oh my God." Kouhime slaps Alibaba's side repeatedly, but the teen doesn't turn his attention to her. "Alibaba actually jinxed us!"

"W-what, no!" Alibaba laughs nervously. "T-there's nothing to fear from this guy, haha…"

"Huh? I think I heard something from above." Morgiana tells them, but Hakuryuu shakes his head.

"I didn't hear anything."

"_Spare me some honey...Spare me some honey_?" The monster-teddy bear starts to tremble, impatience taking a toll.

"Sorry, we don't have any on us." Aladdin tells it, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. The monster-teddy seems to accept this. It raises a paw like the magi did and-

...Brings it crashing down onto the sunflower-demons.

Hakuryuu gasps loudly, jumping backwards and pulling his younger cousin back with him. He shoves Kouhime behind him, getting into position with his polearm.

"_**GIIIIIVE MEEEEE HONEEEEEYYYYYYYY!"**_

The fourth Prince disgustedly dodges the drool dripping from the monster-teddy's mouth, now ringed with sharp crooked teeth. Veins pop out on the monster's body, wrapping around his arms and encircling his head like a disturbing crown. It charges, coming straight towards him. He can feel Bad's movement behind him, rushing out of the way. Instead of following, Hakuryuu gulps and runs toward the beast, lining his weapon with magoi.

"_Hakuryuu, never be afraid in the face of danger. Show no fear._"

_Hai, Onee-sama!_

But he's a coward. He knows this. That's reason why his magoi only covers half his polearm (luckily, the blade) and his legs tremble.

"Hakuryuu!" Someone shouts.

"_Ryuu dear, do you know the only thing I fear?"_

"_No, what is it?"_

"_The only thing I fear in this world is not doing something I _could_."_

That's right…

Hakuryuu dodges the monster's paw, stabbing his blade into the skin and allowing the monster-teddy's forward motion to drag it through the flesh in a deep gash. He does it again with it's back leg, slightly blinded by the fur fluttering around him. The monster howls in pain and rage, crashing into the large trees behind it.

"That was awesome!" Kouhime's voice cheers, but the overgrown teddy bear feels the opposite. It scrambles back up, but it's blood curdling roar is cut off by-

"_Hadika Janāza!"_

-a giant wave hitting it's backside, forcing it straight into Morgiana's kicks. Hakuryuu unbelievingly stares up at his cousin and step-sister, who had taken the time to fly up with Sheba and surprise-attack the monster.

His head snaps to Alibaba, who had climbed the rocks near by and jumps from above, a flaming sword held above his head.

"Amon's sword!" He yells, and in two graceful arcs slices open the monster-teddy's flesh just like Hakuryuu did. The monster thrashes on it's back pitifully, screeching,

"_**HONEY!**_"

"I told you we didn't have any!" Aladdin growls in a very un-Aladdin like manner, throwing down his staff.

"_Har har Infigar!"_

A burst of flames much like Bad's wave earlier swallows the beast in a swirls of orange and red, cascading over the animal and igniting it's white fur. It roars in pain, scrambling on it's two good legs and limping down back into it's cave while a blanket of smoke and fire wraps around it tighter.

* * *

"Hi Sin~" Looking upwards, Sinbad's jaw drops.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He points to the pot in the visitor's hands, the large maroon flowers blooming.

A cheeky smile comes from the woman.

"Just dropping off a present~"

"Oh _hell _no," He refuses, hopping up and spreading his arms to stop her. "Zeina, you are _not _putting your damn plants in my office too."

"Don't you like the smell?"

"I don't like the clutter." He responds, looking down at her.

"Hmmm…" Zeina sidesteps him and places her flower pot on a decorative table. "See, it looks great!"

"..." He suspiciously looks at her. "Did...Your landlord make you take back all your plants?"

Bingo.

Her shoulders tense.

"No."

"Oh my God he did."

"Did _not_." Sinbad grins teasingly.

"What, couldn't make him fall in love with you?"

"It was a landlady." She huffs, submitting.

"I've seen you do your thing on girls too." He points an accusing finger at her, almost as if to say, 'you're-_so_-not-above-that'.

"...And she was blind."

Sinbad cackles instantly, throwing his head back with the force of his laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"It's _hilarious_." He rubs his chin and looks at the flowering plant. Maroon flowers, like the one she wears in her hair…Wait, doesn't that mean she'll have to come back every few days to get a new one to put behind her ear?

...

Sinbad shrugs casually.

"Well, I guess it can stay."

"...Really? That easily?" Zeina arcs a perfect eyebrow. "No, 'Get your plants out of my room!'?"

"As long as it's in here and not taking up space in my _bedroom_, that's fine." He deadpans, trying to sound natural. She narrows her eyes at him, knowing he's being fake, but accepts it.

"Fine," She slowly turns around. "But don't you dare try to pick any flowers off it, got it? I _will _finish what that Holy Keeper started."

"Wait, actually, that reminds me."

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you seem worried?" Sin leans against the edge of his desk. "About what Asad tried to do, I mean."

"Aw, you wanted me to come to your rescue?" He glares. "Don't give me that look! I saved your butt a few times, you know."

"_Zein_."

"Well, I suppose…" She taps her chin with a long, delicate finger. "...It's because I knew you didn't do it. That Princess isn't your type."

"All lovely ladies are my type." He replies instantly, and then wants to hit himself. The response was a pre-prepared answer to anything having to do with 'his type'. For instance, a girl he'd be flirting with would blush and say, 'b-but someone like me isn't your type…' and he'll smile charmingly and deliver the phrase and she'd melt.

Zeina doesn't look very happy with how quickly he blurted it out.

"Then I guess I was wrong." She rolls her eyes in exasperation at him, turning away again.

"Wait! That was just one of my lines!"

"I _know _it was one of your lines," The Temptress crosses her arms, glaring. "You always throw out lines. It's annoying. I'm not some faceless dancer, you know!"

He softens.

"Of course I know that," He throws one of his boyish smiles at her, coaxing her arms to relax. "There's not another like you, Zein."

She rolls her eyes again, but faces him, looking more inclined to speak with the King again.

"You were saying about knowing she wasn't my type?"

"I _knew_," She reinstates, "Because you'll flirt with anything that moves when you're drunk but you won't do something as stupid as knocking a girl out to sleep with her. And not with a girl who seemed more interested in Asad than you."

He quickly puts a finger to his lips.

"Zei-"

"Oh I know," She flicks her wrist. "The walls have ears, yeah, yeah. But you have to admit…"

He rubs one of his rings, which heats up under his touch. "...She seems very _close_ to him"

"...You don't think that…?" Her eyes give the answer. His lips form a wry smirk. "_Interesting_."

"Still…" The Temptress carries on with the conversation, jutting out a hip. "I can't solve all your problems~ You have to do _some_ of the work."

He scoffs.

"I _always_ solve my own problems"

"_Arrogant_." Zeina grabs his cheek and pulls on it painfully. "Darn, and I did such a good job beating that out of you before I left. Looks like I'll need to do it again. *Sigh* What a hassel~"

* * *

They heard a commotion down in the first level of the Dungeon, and when they arrived there what greeted them was the Torran girl crying hard and struggling against sunflower-demons.

_**"Eehhhh? What're you doing here, Kid-chan?"**_ Bad asks, twirling Sheba after Hakuryuu warded off the Dungeon creatures attacking her. _**"Aren't you suppose to be back at your village?"**_

_**"Well...I came because I saw your groups about to split up on two different pathes."**_ Her cheeks turn tomato red, which contrasts against her pink eyebags. **_"And that confident girl who said she'd save mom and dad was one of the people going toward Seere."_**

_**"Ryuu-Ren and I were still going to Zagan,"**_ Bad points out. _**"We were going to save your parents."**_

_**"But…"** _Kid-chan gathers her courage and looks Hakuryuu and Bad in the eyes. **_"I didn't really think you both were as reliable as her."_**

"H-huh?!" Hakuryuu looks slapped, shoulders back. _**"W-we're reliable!"**_

Bad's eye twitches.

"First I'm called a translator and now my skills are underestimated…"

"What?" Aladdin tilts his head.

"O-oh, nothing."

_**"I wanna save Mom and Dad!"**_ Kid-chan exclaims._** "More than anything...That's what I want, you know? I couldn't stand the thought of having this chance slip by me!"**_

Sigh.

"Her parents were taken by Zagan..." Alibaba sadly listens to Kid-chan, telling Mor and Aladdin what the conversation was about with his 'average' Torran skills.

_**"I told you not to follow us."** _Hakuryuu tells Kid-chan in disapproval. **_"Even if you don't trust Kouhime and I, didn't you take what Catrina-dono told you to heart? And we promised to find your parents."_**

"Give it a rest, Ryuu-Ren," Bad yawns, stretching her arms out. "She's had enough reprimanding."

_**"I did take Catrina's words to heart,"** _Kid-chan replies softly, unable to understand what Bad said. _**"I won't try to harm the beings in this Dungeon. I even sheathed my knife! But...I need to find mom and dad."**_

_**"...Alright,"**_ Bad replies._** "Stay close to us."**_

_**"Yeah! We'll safely conquer this Dungeon with you and your parents!"**_ Alibaba pats the girl's shoulder, helping her up.

"Y-yes...Thank you, sorry…" The Torran girl stutters in the common tongue.

"_I cannot let you do that!_" Snapping their heads upwards, a blue figure jumps off of a branch on a large tree. It pats the heads of the Dungeon creatures kindly. "Are you alright, Francoise? Are you hurt, Marianne? There, there."

"Who's he?" Alibaba asks confusedly.

"Would you please lay off of my little bears?" The mystery guy requests, snapping his fingers. Bad takes several large hops backwards, eyes narrowing. She recognizes this voice from somewhere…

The blue figure grows taller and wider, shocking the group below him.

"Welcome to my stylish Dungeon! I'm Zagan, the sixty-first Djinn!" Zagan grins down at them in a patronizing way, as if speaking to idiotic children.

"The Djinn? But we're not in the treasure room!" Hakuryuu exclaims, gripping his polearm but pointing the blade to the ground. A second later, before anyone can react, Zagan's hand swoops downwards and grabs Kid-chan.

She screams as he pulls her up to his face.

"Hmm...A village girl~?"

"Let her go!" Hakuryuu yells, getting into position with his polearm. Bad crouches, gripping Sheba.

_Yup, definitely have heard his voice before._

"Should I? I don't think I want to." His tongue pops out of his mouth, licking Kid-chan's dress and sliding up to her face. Then he holds her upside-down in sadistic pleasure. He lifts her leg and peers down as Kid-chan's screams turn into screeches and she vainly tries to lift her dress back up. "I wonder where she tastes best~!"

"_You_!" Hakuryuu rushes forward, and Alibaba is by his side, holding up Amon.

Then in a swish, blocking Hakuryuu and his master, Amon appears.

"Sorry Alibaba." The Djinn apologizes to his surprised King Vessel. "I used your magoi to come out. But I need to ask something of Zagan."

"Tch, Amon...You bothersome old man." The life Djinn looks at the fire Djinn with distaste.

"Zagan...Do you not intend to choose a King?"

"Of course not!" Zagan exclaims, waving his hands wildly. Kid-chan looks sick. "I REEAAALLLLYYY hate humans! Choose a King and then go into that world of human animosity? _Hell no_. I'll just stay here with my stylish and innocent Dungeon creatures and torture those unsightly _people_ that wander around here!"

"W-why you…" Alibaba grits his teeth, but Bad is just plain amused.

"That sounds _wonderful_." She tells him sarcastically, leaning Sheba on her shoulder. "But what'll happen when a magi retracts your Dungeon and makes you go back to Alma Torran?"

"Alma Torran?" Hakuryuu blinks at her, and Aladdin's jaw drops.

_Wait…_

_Oh._

_Oops. _

Amon and Zagan appear bigger at her words.

"Just like I thought," Zagan hisses. "You're a thief, right?! How else would you have my Queen's Divine Stave entrusted to Myeshia?! No way Myeshia would give those staves to a black vessel!"

"Oh chill out." She rolls her eyes. "You're being pretty judgemental right now, Zaggy."

"Z-Zaggy?!" Amon looks amused, but it quickly goes away as he studies the Princess. "You- To think you were going to my precious little brother's Dungeon! The second I sensed you I knew you were no good!"

"Little brother?" Her question is ignored.

"You thief, I'll show you for stealing Alma Torran's relics!" Zagan grips the Torran girl tighter, which makes her cry out. "I'm taking this brat with me. If you reach the treasure room, you can have her back!"

A door with Zagan's face appears out of nowhere, making them flinch in surprise. Then the Djinn jumps into the air, flying upwards.

"I prepared a path! Follow it if you dare, thief and her companions!"

"What the hell?!" Alibaba's eyes are glued to the disappearing Zagan. "That nutcase is a Djinn?!"

"Don't worry." Amon calms them. "He is a Djinn. If you reach the treasure room, he _will _choose a King vessel."

"What did he mean…?" Hakuryuu asks slowly, eyeing Bad. "He called Ko- _Bad_ a thief"

"It's a long story." Bad informs them, knowing she seems too mysterious and calm about things. "Still, he should know better than to question Myeshia."

"...No, he is right," Amon's old eyes gaze down at her. "Why did Myeshia entrust those relics to you, a black vessel and her King?"

"She didn't. It was before I Fell, and she didn't even know what I was." Bad answers, hands behind her head. "She came to help my mother. But after she did she realized that I was the one to 'summon and hold', and chose Eren for his strength."

"...I see." The fire Djinn looks up where Zagan went. "So you were sent by Solomon."

"...More or less."

Amon chuckles, his body flowing back into Alibaba's sword.

"A-Amon, you're leaving?!" Alibaba cries, and he nods.

"Yes, because I didn't borrow the magi's power. There are many Rukh in Dungeons so it's easier to appear here than above ground."

"It takes more power above? Is that why you don't come when I call?"

"No." Bad almost doesn't catch Hakuryuu scooching closer to her. Almost. "Djinn aren't supposed to materialize on the surface. Above, Djinn are pure powers to be used by their Kings. That is the purpose in which Solomon made us. Farewell, Alibaba. We will not meet again for a while"

"Amon!" The master cries, coming close to his Djinn.

"Alibaba, I must tell you something"

"What is it?"

"I...I…" The elderly Djinn holds his stomach. "I will give birth, soon."

Bad throws her head back and laughs hard as Alibaba stares with disappointment at his glowing sword.

"What was he talking about? It was gross."

"Bad?" Blinking, the girl realizes she's flanked on both sides by Aladdin and Hakuryuu. "What did Amon mean by, 'the one to summon and hold'?"

"...Long story." She repeats. "Maybe I'll tell you someday, but that's probably impossible."

Aladdin bites his bottom lip, looking at her with confused and worried eyes. Bad looks away.

"Anyway, let's get going!" She musters cheerfulness in her words, skipping toward the doors looming in wait for them.

* * *

"...I heard a rumor today." Khadeja doesn't flinch at the voice, instead focusing on the sea. Somewhere, on an island, her Mistress tries to capture a Dungeon with her friends.

"Did you?" She acknowledges him boredly. As if granted permission, he sweeps into her room and studies the half-assed clean up job she did that morning.

"That I did." He murmurs, hand reaching out to fix the covers of her bedspread before snapping back in realization that he's not a maid. She smirks, not needing to turn around to know what he's doing.

"Don't touch that." She calls as his hand ghosts over a parchment on her desk. He sticks his hands in his sleeves and approaches her. "What is this 'rumor'?"

"...Are the maids calling you the 'Right Hand of God'?"

"Yes."

"...*Sigh*. Why?"

"Because I'm amazing, obviously." Khadeja grins wickedly, throwing her other leg resting on the windowpane over and patting the now vacant spot. "Sit down Ja'far, I'll tell ya a little story."

Ja'far rolls his eyes, but being used to the self-proclaimed servant's antics leans against the windowpane beside her.

"So, here is the thing. When maids need some encouragement, the best thing to do is challenge them. For me, I set a record time for cleaning a messy room, then mess it up again. Then I challenge all the maids to beat my time, and when they can't, I say it's because I'm the greatest servant ever- I'm the 'Right Hand of God'."

Ja'far stares at her.

"...You're joking."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" She's smirking a little, but she is telling the truth. If he's surprised by this, she really _shouldn't_ tell him about how she encouraged the swordsmen to do better.

"How do you know no one will beat you?"

"They cannot." She states seriously, chin held high. "I know they can't for a fact."

"Are you mentally ill?" He asks seriously, staring at her. She isn't offended, surprisingly.

"Why do you ask?"

"You keep saying strange things like...Things that are happening in other parts of the Palace you shouldn't know, what a person is feeling, their thoughts, what an action means. And you have weird fainting spells and go into some sort of trance. Are you crazy?"

"Why do you assume I'm crazy?"

"Because all the things I've just said are impossible for you to know."

She looks out to sea.

Right now, three are in Seere and five are in Zagan.

"Nothing is impossible," She lazily moves her amethyst eyes to his black ones. "_Nothing_. No matter how improbable something is...In this day and age, anything can happen, and thus many unexplainable things have."

A strange tingling rises in her stomach.

"Ja'far…" One hand fists. "I am not crazy. I'm just different from everyone else, like a lot of people nowadays are."

"Just different." He echoes, his white robe fluttering in the breeze.

"Anything can happen…" She closes her eyes, a distant future fluttering just out of her grasp. "And something impossible will, soon."

* * *

"We can cross this easily!" Alibaba grins, hand pointing toward the opposite side of the floating blocks.

To be honest, Bad was not pleased by these stupid blocks. They looked trippy and the strange bunny creatures with magician hats were ominous.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to 'nope' outta this one." She states, hopping onto Sheba and flying up into the air. "See ya on the other side~!"

"Wait, Bad!" Aladdin calls, making her pause midair. "You should stay near us, in case someone falls."

Unfortunately, she saw the logic in his reasoning, and huffed.

"Fine." And thus she swung her legs back and forth while watching her four fellow Dungeon-divers climb slowly and carefully down the floating blocks. Her gaze slices to Alibaba, easily jumping down them. "Oi, Ape-baba, test the block before getting on it! It may be a trap and fall out from under you."

That makes him instantly halt in his tracks.

"_Thief, you have Amon, a magi and my Queen's staff. That's too much." _The voice in her ear is snarky and deep, filled with obvious distaste. Her eyes widen, and the remembrance of the same voice speaking to her earlier comes back to her.

_Dammit._

A weird song splices through the air. High and almost flute-like, the singer produces a series of 'aaaa' sounds that would make Centola pause and frown from the incorrect pronunciation of the vowel.

"What?" Bad looks side to side, eyes narrowing. This spelled nothing good, and Zagan was probably as pissed at her as he sounded.

"**I WILL KILL YOU!**" Screaming in surprise, Bad lurches back as the magician bunny beside her peels back the skin of it's face and reveals a giant eye surrounded by sharp teeth.

_SWEET GOD-_

"Bad!" Aladdin cries as the bunny launches with it's block in the air toward her. She fumbles with Sheba and, unfortunately, lets go of the staff.

Falling was like flying. The air felt like ribbons being pulled through her fingers and the cloth of her dress tightened around her. She caught a glimpse of the tattoo on her chest, saw her hair flapping in the edges of her sight.

It was peaceful, and for a second, she considered not doing anything to save herself. It would be so easy to disappear, to meld into the darkness of the abyss and forget about everything. It's not like she has the magic to redo this again, it wasn't even _her _magic, and that reassurance is so wonderful. Being obligated to save the world...It's been a burden.

Oh God, she's never thought that before.

But it has been for such a long, _long _time.

There's no way to say that she wouldn't still do it, or that if given the chance she would again. It's just...It's just...

Do you know what it's like to wake up and have no one remember you? Do you know what it's like to gaze with recognition at people you love with all your heart and for them to return it blankly?

When she first saw Aladdin again, his focus was on Alibaba absolutely. When his confused gaze shifted to her, there was no warmth in his azure pools. There was just confusion and curiosity.

She had to remain blank, but…

But she loved him. She loved him with her entire being, she loved him to the moon and back and would do _anything _for him. And he didn't even know her.

He, the love of her life, the candle in her darkness, the one person she's ever, _ever _trusted completely _didn't even __**know her**_.

And it _hurt_.

It was painful both mentally, physically, and emotionally. Especially emotionally. To be honest, Bad won't deny that she can go into some serious bouts of depression, and yes, she's aware that she has a problem. When she's strained, the thought of suicide didn't seem so bad. It doesn't, right now.

So easy.

Too easy.

Oh, look at that, still falling. So she makes her decision.

"_Morgiana_!"

* * *

"_Morgiana_!"

Muscles coiled, legs tensed, she makes her move.

In an instant, like how a viper lunges for it's hypnotised prey, Morgiana jumps to rescue Bad. Her arms outstretch as she shoots through the air and she sees her fingers in front of her spread apart in preparation to catch the falling child.

And she does.

She clutches the girl Eren wants to protect to her as her feet hit a moving block, slamming hard on her knees to keep with the momentum. Bad instantly has her arms around her savior's neck, almost like an instinct, and Mor realizes that it might just be.

"Thank you!" The girl chirps, seeming composed and not in distress at all. Mor realizes she's probably used to situations like this, as well. It's not a good feeling to see someone younger than you be more ready for a situation then you are, not to mention a life-or-death one.

"Wh- Bad, what's up with your- Sheba?!" At this Bad does snap her head up at Hakuryuu's choppy call, seemingly alarmed like she forgot something important.

"Oh," Then the girl says something in Torran that the Fanalis has a suspicion was a curse word and then hops onto a passing block, avoiding the rabid bunnies attacking them.

Blinking, Mor stares in stunned silence at the place where, before the Dungeon Creatures attacked, Bad had been flying.

Bad's staff- Sheba- was attacking the magician rabbits.

_On it's own._

* * *

_Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no._

Bad scrambles onto block after block, cringing as Sheba attacks the Dungeon Creatures.

By itself.

Oh God, she's gonna have to lie her way outta this one, isn't she? It's not like she can just say to them, 'no, don't worry, Sheba is one with my soul! She responds to my emotions!'.

Well, it was more complicated than that simple line, but if she tried to say the whole story then no doubt they'd ask more and more questions which would be troublesome to her in many, many ways.

It's all Myeshia's fault, really.

Myeshia's the one who infused the Staves in Alma Torran with specific magoi so it would react to a certain and corresponding Rukh type in the new world. When Bad was born she happened to have that exact same corresponding type, and an excess of Rukh to summon all seventy-two Staves from Alma Torran to the new world.

Totally Myeshia's fault, but also Gyokuen's too.

But she doesn't have time to curse '_step-mother dearest'_ and throws up her hand.

"Sheba, to me!"

The Stave stops at her command and instantly flies straight into her awaiting palm, acting as if she didn't just go rogue for a minute.

"What're you doing?" Bad scolds quietly. Sheba's light dims. "I mean, you took out three of them but you should know better than to disobey me." She can chastise most of her staffs, but with a few other Staves…The memory of getting shocked by one of her disobedient wands, Raiden, makes her shiver.

Bad pauses, and then sighs.

"It's alright, I forgive you~" Then, turning around as a magician rabbit appears right beside her, she points Sheba directly at it and smirks.

"You were kinda cute before, but now you're just nasty~!"

* * *

Apparently, though Bad missed it, Hakuryuu got his ass saved multiple times during the Mad Hatter raid.

_Heh, Mad Hatter. Because they were rabbits. And had hats. Heh._

Of course, in Bad's opinion, Hakuryuu was just being a whiny little brat when he asked everyone to not help him anymore.

"Don't be so standoffish!" Alibaba tries to change his mind, smiling goodnaturedly. "You're being too serious. Helping one another is good, so don't hold back. You can rely on us!"

"Don't hold back?" Hakuryuu takes this with a serious, and almost shocked face. Alibaba reaches out a hand to him, but Hakuryuu smacks it away. "I can't do that! I'm a Prince, I have to get stronger to help my sister. I have to win over Zagan's recognition and the strength to do what must be done."

"Don't say that…" Alibaba starts but Bad snorts.

"No, Alibaba, he's right," She knows the grin that graces her face is somewhat disturbing. "Let him kill himself. That'd be pretty fun to watch. You know, an idiot getting what's coming to him? Hahaha!"

Hakuryuu glares at her, but that only makes her laughter become stronger.

"If you don't want help anymore Ryuu-Ren, then don't expect it from me."

"Bad-" Alibaba is frowning deeply at her words, looking upset that she would say such a terrible thing, but then a voice booms from the ceiling.

"The thief is right, as much as I hate to agree with her!"

"Ugh. Zaggy is back." Bad groans. Zagan pretends to have not have heard her.

"Don't cooperate too much! You get too strong. If you fight as one I can't identify your individual abilities." It almost sounds like he _is _looking for a potential King. "So at the next station, I'll have you split into two teams."

"Cool." Bad cracks her back, turning away.

"Not so fast, thief! You're going another way," Well that sounds sadistic. "I prepared it just for you~"

"Aw, thank you!" She gushes, making her hand flutter over her heart. "To take the time to do that for me...I'm touched!"

"Now wait a minute," Alibaba interrupts, glaring at the ceiling. "Bad is a child! She shouldn't have to go through a Dungeon path alone!"

"Why do you care? She's being insulting you since the beginning!"

"She's still my friend!" Alibaba argues, and Bad snickers, drawing the attention back to her again.

"Really Alibaba? We're 'friends'? Don't make me laugh. I don't even like you," There is sincerity in her tone that makes her sound as old and mature as she really is. "So how about you worry about yourself? I'll be fine. Probably better without you four slowing me down."

For good measure, she flips her hair over her shoulder and starts off down the path without the rest of the group.

She hears Zagan whistle.

"Wow. Cruel." Then the rest of the group is hurrying after her, and she hears Zagan start up again with talking to her.

"_That was cold hearted."_

She frowns.

_Get out of my head. _

"_Djinns can contact you whenever you're near their metal vessel."_

_Hm, what do I have in my hands...Oh, look at that, not your fucking metal vessel._

"_But you _are _in my Dungeon."_

"_**Whatever.**_" She mutters under her breath.

* * *

In the end Alibaba still tries to get Bad to go with one of the groups, but Zagan threatens that if she doesn't go through on her own he'll destroy the path to the treasure room and lock them inside his Dungeon forever.

"It's fine," She rolls her eyes. This is getting annoying. "Jeez, you're being so _clingy_ today."

"I'm not clingy," He glares again. "I'm just worried about you. Say what you will but we _are _friends."

"Alibaba's right, Bad," Aladdin pops in, his azure eyes large. He stares at her with concern. "We're friends and we don't wanna see you get hurt."

"Meh." She waves a hand at them. "_Clingy_."

She walks over to the plain brown door waiting for her in contrast to the heavily decorated ones the others were given, sighing dramatically.

"Zaggy, please tell me this won't be boring."

"Oh trust me, it won't."

* * *

"...Really?"

"_Why're you so unimpressed?!"_

"I mean...Seriously?"

"_Give me _some _credit__."_

"No, no, it's just...This is the big challenge I have to face? Golems?"

"_They are golems created out of hard minerals, you can't beat them!" _

*Sigh*

"I thought you said this wasn't going to be boring...Oh well."

Lifting Sheba up, Bad smirks and mutters,

"_Sharrar Asfal Baraq"_

* * *

Bad was the first one out of the new path, and she reveled in the realization.

She sat indian style as the she waited for her companions, yawning rubbing her own shoulders in wait.

"Jeez Zaggy, those golems were sorta hard."

"_..."_

"Really? Are you _seriously _ignoring me?"

"_...I spent a lot of time on those golems…"_

"Pansy."

Eventually Alibaba and Aladdin popped their heads through the doors and sighed with relief when they spotted Bad.

"Bad, we're having a talk!" Alibaba announces, coming forward with Aladdin beside him.

"Nice to see you both too. I told you I wouldn't die." They ignore her comment and sit down with determined faces that almost make her giggle out of how serious they look.

"We're friends!" Aladdin starts, staring at her intently. "And we're going to remain friends whether you like it or not."

"I know you dislike me," Alibaba closes his eyes, fisting his hands. "But you've done so much for me. I consider you my friend, and I think you're exaggerating when you talk about hating me."

"Especially at those times," Aladdin adds."You're just teasing, like a sister would a brother! Plus, we hang out often, right? I love my time with you!"

Bad's heart skips a beat, and not just because of Aladdin's words.

_Why...Why do they like me this much?_

"You're wrong." She straightens her back, eyes narrowing. "You act like you know me, but you don't. When have I ever been truly nice about either of you?"

"When I read to you," Alibaba answers, looking straight at her. "When we were in Balbadd and you fell asleep on my shoulder."

"When we played 'go fish' on the boat." Aladdin is next, beaming at her in a way that makes her both blush and feel pain.

"You helped us so much in Balbadd during your time in the Fog Troop."

"And we danced together at the Maharagan!"

"An- wait, you guys danced together?"

"Yep, Bad taught me how and she was blushi-"

"S-s-s-s-stop!" Bad throws Sheba over her head and hits Aladdin on the head, making him hit the floor. "W-what are you talking about?! Stop saying silly things!"

But she is red, she can feel her face turn to fire. So she turns away with her back to them. Then she clears her throat.

"Fine! I'll upgrade you both to 'ally', alright?! S-so stop acting weird." The boys are silent, but when she peeks over her shoulder they're grinning at her.

"See, I told you she gets embarrassed easily!" Aladdin nudges Alibaba's arm, who laughs. But for some reason, Bad doesn't have it in her to get angry.

* * *

"Idiot guy," Bad looks down at the unconscious Hakuryuu, tilting her head. Morgiana is near handing out water and food to everyone as they converge around the sleeping Prince, talking about their experiences up until then. "Using magoi manipulation so recklessly."

"But it was pretty amazing." Morgiana admits, and the other boys in the group nod and stuff their faces.

Bad takes a delicate bite of the bread and cheese handed out to her, knowing it's her fault that they're lower on rations then expected due to the extra mouth. Even so, she doesn't try to not eat even though she knows she should. She might be berating Hakuryuu for wasting magoi, but she herself is pretty tuckered out from the golems and flying around on Sheba so carelessly.

The not-quite magician might have gotten used to the dull ache of her injuries from her earlier fall and her headache had receded, but her eyes felt heavy from the exit of adrenaline from her system and she really wants to sleep. Deciding that Hakuryuu doesn't need to hog all the warmth, she noticeably yawns and crawls under the blankets with her cousin, falling asleep the minute her head hits the pillow.

* * *

_Fire. _

_Fire and Onee-sama alight like a candle. _

_Pain._

_Pain and Yuu-Ren's eyes glowing with passion and fury as he strikes Onee-sama's cheek. _

_Tears._

_Tears and the denial that Mother could never have done such a cruel, monstrous thing. _

_Knowledge. _

_Knowledge and the pity in Onee-sama's eyes as he admits he was wrong. _

"-Kuryuu!" His eyes snap open, a weight on his shoulder pinning him to the cot. For a second panic sets in that a Dungeon creature may be attacking, but then he realizes it's just Alibaba hovering above him and the others looking on with worry.

"Everyone…?"

"Are you alright? You had a nightmare." Alibaba explains, leaning back on his heels while studying him like he might break at any second.

Hakuryuu is not amused by the expression.

"I'm fine." He responds on a clipped tone, surveying around him from his position. It's then that he realizes that the weight on his shoulder is-

_Kouhime?!_

Yes. The girl who was completely onboard with his 'don't-help-me' declaration was now snoozing next to him and clutching his clothes.

"How long have I-?"

"Maybe an hour or two?" Guilt charges through him. He made them wait for hours while he recovering from the overuse of magoi manipulation. "Mor carried you here."

He wants to grit together his teeth.

He's supposed to be stronger than this. He's being training his entire _life _to be stronger than this. So how come he was defeated so easily? Why is Kouhime fine even though she went through it alone? Which draws another question from the frustrated Prince.

"And how long has she-?"

"Around the same time." He rolls his eyes. Does this count as harassment? Because he definitely did not sign up for his estranged cousin to cuddle him in his sleep-

"...Bro...Eri…" The little girl whispers, her voice childish and young while dipped in drowsiness. She snuggles into his shoulder and smiles, giggling.

He pauses.

"She...Seems to be having a good dream." He admits.

"She was really tired," Morgiana tells him, brushing some hair behind her ear. "I was worried about her, but she didn't seem to be hurt by the golems."

Alibaba huffs.

"She had the gall to call them, 'child's play'. Brat."

Kouhime stirs, a yawn forcing her small mouth to open.

"Eren?" She asks sleepily, tugging on Hakuryuu's sleeve. He blushes and stammers, unsure how to explain that her good dream was just that and her older brother figure isn't here. Fortunately, he doesn't have to as the Princess takes in the situation with alarming speed and states in her usual arrogant tone,

"Ew, Hakuryuu, I didn't know you were a pedophile."

"P-pedophile?!" Bad slips out of the bed and smoothes her dress as she stands, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

"Seriously, I wake up and you're clinging to me. What are you, a baby?"

"_You _were clinging to _me_!"

"I'm gonna tell big Brother and Sister on you! They'll kick your ass." Hakuryuu knows better than to not take that threat seriously. He's seen Eren shoot an arrow from a hundred feet away and hit the bulls-eye, and he witnessed Catrina viciously destroy ten training dummies in ten seconds without breaking a sweat.

They're scary people.

Still though, as his body leaves the warmth of the makeshift bed he had been placed in and the cold air attacks him, his mood drops considerably.

_How can I get stronger?_

* * *

"Hey guys! It's me, Zagan. You're doing surprisingly well, beating my golems and rabbits. I'm kind of impressed. But...One~ of you~ is strugg-ling~!" Zagan's voice takes on a sing-song quality. "I wonder who it could be~~~?"

They pretend they can't hear him, but they do pause in walking.

"Come on now, I know you can hear me. I mean you! With the dark hair! They've carried you ever since these trials started. You're a real nuisance, you know that? What right do you have to be with them?" Bad doesn't look at Hakuryuu like the others do. She shows no concern over Zagan's cruel words.

"You're _incompetent_! You're a _**weakling**_!"

"Hey, don't listen to him, Haku...Ryuu?"

Hakuryuu turns toward the group, and Bad's jaw drops.

"But I know! I know he's right!" No way. "WAAAAAAAAAH! WAAAAAH!"

_HE EVEN MAKES BABY NOISES._

"DAMN IT!" Hakuryuu has thick tears cascading down his cheeks, dripping off his thick blobs as he falls to the floor and hits it like a child. "I'm doing my best! But I can't do it! WHY?!"

"_Please tell me I'm imagining this."_

_...I have no words, Zaggy._

"Are you...Crying? Is the weakling _crying_?"

"SHUT UP IDIOT FREAKY MASK-FACE!"

_That come back tho. _

"C-calm down Hakuryuu-" Hakuryuu rounds on Alibaba, snarling. No, really, he _snarls_.

"SHUT UP! WHAT'S YOUR DEAL ANYWAY?! HOW IS SOMEONE SO CAREFREE SO FRICKEN STRONG?! YOU ABANDONED YOUR OWN COUNTRY TO LOAF AROUND IN SINDRIA!"

_Do I spy a vein about to pop?_

Morgiana looks struck by the Kou Prince's biting insult.

"Hakuryuu, you shouldn't say that-"

"SHUT UP, MUSCLE-BOUND SHE-MAN!"

"S-she-m-man?"

Aladdin timidly approaches, and calmly says,

"Please, calm down…"

"YOU SHUT UP TOO, PIP-SQUEAK!"

Oh _hell _no.

Insulting Alibaba? That's hilarious.

Insulting Mor? Ehhhh enough to stir her.

But insulting Aladdin? That is where she draws the fucking line.

"Hey asshole!" She yells, stomping up to him. "I fucking _dare _you to insult me."

Hakuryuu turns, apparently grows a pair, and looks her straight in the eye.

"_You_," Hakuryuu glares at her. Then he takes a deep breath. "YOU MEAN-SPIRITED WHACKJOB! WHY THE HELL IS A BRAT STRONGER THAN ME?! DO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES OR SOMETHING-?!"

Bad stop listening after '_you,_'.

Her hand pulls back, and she bitch-slaps Hakuryuu so hard she's 90% sure she bruised her knuckles.

Silence reigns except for Hakuryuu's sniffles, which gradually die away as well. Bad never looks away from the Fourth Prince's downcast face, her expression stone.

"...Are you done?"

The Prince nods.

The Princess offers him her hand, and he picks himself up from the ground.

"Let's go."

"But I…"

"You don't have to be ashamed," She tells him quietly, but in the silence it rings out through the group. "You have a lot to be thinking about. You're worried about something important."

Alibaba materializes beside her.

"You need to get out of this alive, so you should rely on us. No one can do anything alone."

"Shut up!" Hakuryuu yells, shoving his polearm up towards Alibaba's neck. "I'm not like you! I must fulfill my responsibilities! If I don't, then...Then who'll help my sister, in the end? I have to do this myself!"

Alibaba presses his throat against the blade, locking gazes with Hakuryuu.

"But it's not _**possible **_to do it alone!" Hakuryuu fumbles with his polearm. "Listen, Hakuryuu. At first I rushed ahead to try to handle Balbadd alone! But that was _wrong_. I could have saved Balbadd if I had sucked up my pride and asked for help sooner...And I could've prevented Kassim from turning into a…"

Hakuryuu's hands tremble just as hard as Alibaba's.

"I'm sure there was a way to stop it from happening, but I...But I…It's like, if Aladdin and Centola didn't help me, he would've _died_. And it would've been _my_ fault." Tears, much like Hakuryuu's fall down his cheeks.

"So...So what I'm trying to say is," He sniffs and wipes at his face. "Nobody can do anything alone…"

A beat of silence.

"You're right."

"Huh?" Everyone stares at the Kou Prince.

"I'm sorry for being rude. Even I can't live alone. I've always been really weak and relied on my sister and retainers. I can't say like that forever. But for now, I want to borrow your strength. Please let me fight alongside you!"

"Of course!" Alibaba agrees, his eyes still puffy.

Bad rolls her eyes.

"Hakuryuu, you're kind of stupid. Relying on others is a natural instinct." She cracks her neck, an almost unforgiving sound. "You're better off dead if you don't learn to live with it."

Instead of retaliating, Hakuryuu actually thinks about this.

"Well," He decides, focusing on Bad. "You're right too. I...I don't want to be alone, after all."

Bad stares at him.

And cracks a smile.

"Atta boy."

* * *

So, like, this is where the Torran people ended up?

Oh no, don't get her wrong, this is absolutely awful.

But…

...Trees?

Everyone else in the party was horrified. Morgiana looked like she was staring in the face of a new form of slavery, Hakuryuu like he never knew what slavery was. Alibaba had pinprick eyes and tense arms. Speaking of tenseness, Aladdin brought it to a whole new level, going so still with shock he looked like _rigor mortis_ had set in on his joints.

All of Zagan's Dungeon Creatures ignored the few conscious Torran villagers' screams with tiny sculpted smiles slapped to their faces. They hooked up roots to the people which attached them to the trees and sucked magoi, which in turn made goop covered Dungeon monsters fall to the floor.

Bad peered at one.

It had eyes that were the shade of blood, the same color of her eyes.

"This is fucked up." She states casually, interrupting whatever useless thing Zagan had been droning on about. "Like, really fucked up. I think I'm upset by this."

"You have to think about it?" Zagan has amusement in his tone.

"No. But I do have to think about the ways I'm going to torture you before I slaughter you." She responds easily, looking to the ceiling. "Which reminds me: do you prefer whips or chains?"

"You can't kill me."

"I'm bored by you." She raised Sheba and yawned out,

"_Hadika Janaza"_

Like in Balbadd, multiple water balls formed around her and grow covered in ice.

"Wait, Bad-" Aladdin cries, trying to get her to stop. But it's too late, and she starts to think she had been disgusted and horrified as well.

The balls locked onto their targets, took aim, and shot toward them.

And like that, she killed all the Dungeon creatures there.

A hand whips out and grabs her wrist, pulling her so harshly toward the person that she winces. His hold was bruising.

"What were you thinking?!" Alibaba screams in her face, looking down at her with such pure anger and confusion and intense desperation that she blinks. "They probably had families!"

"So?" Oh, what a poor choice of words. His shock and slight revulsion compels her to mend her slip up. "When Zagan is captured, all the creatures will disappear. Killing them now doesn't matter." When did she start sounding so bored, so cruel?

_Oh dear, I've gone off the deep end. _

"How would you know?" He retaliates, and Bad merely scoffs at him.

"I don't." Her smirk is probably more sickening than the scene they had just witnessed, humans being made into magoi-slaves. "I just assume that. Either way I don't exactly feel guilty."

"You _bitch._" This is a different voice altogether, but at first Bad thinks it's Alibaba who growled at her. Then she spots his confusion as well, and a realization dawns on her.

_Shit._

"You arrogant, selfish _bitch_."

_Shit, I forgot about him._

"You cruel psychopath...I'm gonna fucking kill you, you understand me?!"

"Zaggy! No hard feelings, right-?"

The ground starts to shake. Okay, so maybe there were a _few_ hard feelings.

Bad uses Alibaba's vice-like grip on her to drag him toward the tunnel, yelling at the others to follow her. They exit and start running as hard as they can, trying not to be tossed around according to the movement of the rumbling ground.

Dust lands on her shoulder.

Mentally, she lets out a string of curses that would even make Zagan pause in his onslaught of terror.

They reach a pair of large, open gates guarded by black demon-like wolves. Their eyes are ruby colored, and they lash out at them like they're infected with rabies. Bad lets out a short battle cry and pulls out the big guns.

And she means only partially figuratively.

She summons more waterballs and make them smaller, much smaller.

There is now ten times the amount as last time, and it's harder to create a layer of ice of them, but she knows they'll be much more effective.

They're strong, tough, and fast.

Like…

Well, like bullets.

She pulls the trigger.

The first wolf was in pieces when the bullets ripped into it's flesh, spilling some sort of clear liquid over the floor. It was too dense to be water, but to thick to be syrup. Like blood, but with a sicken smell of flowers. It's black fur and flesh were barely indistinguishable from one another, soaking into the ground and disappearing like how tiny pieces of sugar melt off of a sugar cube.

Then there was the second and third.

The fourth.

The fifth.

Huh.

She was killing, and yet she didn't feel remorse.

She didn't feel anything.

To be honest, she hadn't felt anything since she walked into that room and saw creatures sloppily shoveling soup into the twisted faces of trapped people.

In fact, it felt like routine. Something she's done many times. But she hasn't-

Oh.

Oh yeah.

"Bad" had never done this kind of stuff.

"Kouhime" had.

But even Kouhime had felt disgusting after doing it. Her mind was swamped with images of bones protruding from severed limbs, blood spreading through the ground, fire pyres starting on the muscles and skin of the dead who laid stacked on top of their enemies and allies in gigantic hills.

So who was she?

_What _was she, to be able to stomach death and not bat an eyelash? To be confronted with memories of gore and still feel not a single thing?

Wait.

Haha, oh yeah.

She's just a bad person, obviously.

Bad cracks her neck, aims, and pulls the trigger again.

* * *

The wolves came and came, but the ones unfortunate enough to catch her gaze were instantly slashed into ribbons and lay strewn across the floor. The others didn't reprimand her this time, too busy fighting the beasts as well to notice her bloodshed. Soon enough they made it through the gates and charge through to the entrance of the…

Well, it didn't look like a treasure room.

"_That's 'cause it's not, thief."_

_...It's a battlefield?_

There was no response.

"Oi, Zagan!" Bad yells, pointing Sheba at him. "Release the villagers or else!"

"That why you massacred my bears?" Zagan's eyes are full of pure hatred. "So that you'd stop the magoi consumption from those stupid-ass humans?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Alibaba turn toward her, his lips parted. No. That's not why she killed those creatures. Although, thinking about it now, without any of the monsters there to connect the roots to the humans it is possible that she gave the villagers a break in their torment.

But she didn't do it for that reason, and trying to come across like she did is…

Wrong, maybe? Untruthful? Hm.

"Nah," She gives the Djinn a lazy grin. "I did it 'cause I wanted a warm up, ya know?"

Alibaba doesn't look convinced, but saying that she wanted revenge for those people stuck there and for Kid-chan would make her seem…

More connectable or something like that. Humane, or compassionate or sensitive to others' pain.

Zagan doesn't look like he really cares about her reasons.

He's already decided he's gonna kill her.

But, surprisingly, it's Alibaba who makes the first move.

He makes some sort of wild war cry as he charges at Zagan, Amon's sword hot and ready to slice through the Djinn. Bad sucks in a breath, about to stop him before-

"Who cares?!"

_What?_

"Who cares about your reasons?! Though I don't agree with you…!" Alibaba's sword slashes straight through Zagan's face. "You're still my friend!"

"You…" Her voice comes out as a whisper. The next time she speaks it comes out louder. "Who told you to care…?"

"No one had to tell us to," Aladdin is beside her, his hand briefly taking her arm and squeezing. "We just like you, Bad."

_They like me. _

_They...They like me, despite the fact that I'm a horrible person. _

"I…"

"Hello~!" A force slams against her back.

The last thing she sees before the pain sets in is a shade of azure that perfectly captures the emotion of 'surprise'.

Then pain, pain, shooting, snarling, spreading through the bruises on her back and doubling- no, tripling- no, no, it's ten times worse now-

**CRACK.**

Then her face meets the wall and everything goes black.

* * *

_She dreams of blood. _

_It's not unusual for her to dream of this liquid, but she's never seen that girl before. _

_The girl winces. _

"_U-um, sorry, here…" The blood soaks into the ground, and grass sprouts up in it's stead. "Ah, that's better...And now the sky…" The dark ink of the midnight sky lightens into an afternoon blue, the crescent moon catching on fire and turning into a bright sun. "Awesome! Sorry about the, um, blood. I haven't used this on another person except for Mom yet-"_

_Bad puts her hands behind her head. _

_The girl, whoever or whatever she is, is staring at her. _

"_...Is there a problem?" Bad felt the need to ask the question, but it wasn't as if she needed to. This is...Well, to put it frankly, just some fragment of her imagination, a face taken out of her subconsciousness and placed in a dream. It's happened before. _

_Sometimes she recognized the face from the Other. Once it was a poor soldier drafted to fight for the world and slaughtered because of her carelessness, another time it was a little boy sobbing in the middle of his destroyed village and holding a severed arm to his chest._

_In a few instances it was a woman with a haunted expression and a broken body because a group of men went crazy and raped her._

_Whenever she dreamed of the Other, it was either war and enemies or innocents and their grief._

_Sleep and rest became things she hated, things she feared._

_So who was this black-haired child? Was she from this life or that last?_

_That's a silly question, of course she's from the last. _

_Nightmares are exclusive to the Other._

"_Oh...You're not her."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_You're...But, __I specifically was searching for-"_

"_Who're you?" Bad walks toward the girl with a steady pace, and the child appears to panic. "One of Zagan's bitches?"_

"_Za- um, no- I'm just-"_

"Who are you_?" She's firmer this time, harsher. _

"_Dream!" The girl blurts out, stumbling back. "I'm Dream!" _

_Bad wants to scoff. 'Dream' isn't a name._

_But then again, her name is 'Bad'..._

_Bad stops her assault, eyes narrowing. _

"_Dream, huh? This isn't a nightmare, is it?"_

"_N-no…"_

"_Then who are you and why are you in my head?" The girl swallows, pushing a handful of black hair away from her face. She looks too ashamed and nervous to meet Bad's intense gaze. _

_Bad sighs and gives up her seriousness. _

"_Hey, I'm sorry, don't be afraid." Bad skips over to her and smiles brightly. "I know I can get scary, but I promise I won't hurt you~_

"_Y-You promise?" Dream nervously fiddles with her white dress, gazing up at her. Bad blinks._

She's eastern, but I don't think she's from Kou.

"_I promise. I don't break my promises!" Bad beams, taking the girl's hand. "Hey, if this isn't a dream, then lets meet in real life and be friends, okay?"_

"_O- Really?!" Dream lights up, wildflowers popping up from the ground._

She's too innocent.

_But, well, a person who can slip into others' minds while they are asleep…_

_That's just too strong a potential ally to give up. _

"_What were you searching for, anyhow?" Dream colors. _

"_W-well, um, I was looking for...A person who is special to my aunt." Bad's hold loosens. _

"_Is he lost?"_

_Dream looks down. _

"_That person's been gone for a long time...Auntie's gonna be mad that I didn't find-"_

_All of a sudden, the sky cracks. _

"_Oh- time's up! Um, hey, what's your name?" Bad stares at her, and then the white streak zig-zaging across the sky the same way it would in ice. "Kouhime, eh? That's a pretty name!"_

_Bad's head whips to the girl. She most _definitely _didn't say her name was Kouhime. _

"_I like it! Let's be friends in real life! Bye Kouhime!" _

"_Wai-"_

_the white overrides everything, and Bad _wakes up.

Huh.

She awakes to blood, too.

* * *

"Bad, Bad!" Calling her name wouldn't work, Aladdin was aware, but he couldn't stop trying. There was a pain in his stomach urging him to help her, and when he couldn't do anything it rewarded him with more pain.

He was worried, and he was scared.

Morgiana lay limp in Alibaba's arms, blood coating thickly along her cheeks and neck, soaking into the material of her dress. It was like someone painted the red liquid on, layer after layer, until Aladdin couldn't see the color of her skin.

Bad lay still in Hakuryuu's arms, with Aladdin hovering above her. She was breathing, Hakuryuu had informed him, but it was so slight that the Prince didn't think she was until he held her and felt her lungs expand and contract. She was pale, even more than usual, and her nose- while not broken- had only just stopped sprouting blood. An angry red mark stained her forehead from the collision with the wall. Then there was the scratches of the rocks all along her arms and legs, her dress torn.

Zagan had hurt Bad.

Zagan had hurt Morgiana.

And Aladdin wasn't sure he could forgive him for that.

Sheba was placed with delicate care beside the knocked out girl, and whenever Aladdin touched the mysterious staff that his mother had once held, a pleasant spark went through his body. Almost as if it was comforting him. Almost as if it was telling him that everything was going to be fine.

Hakuryuu coughs loudly.

Alibaba and Aladdin look to him, but he wasn't looking at them and wasn't trying to get their attention. In fact, he looked vaguely green.

"Woah. You're gonna wanna see this." He gently shifts Bad onto her side and pulls down the back of her dress. Alibaba sucks in a sharp breath, and only when his eyes see it does Aladdin's pain double.

Bruises.

Tens of bruises, overlapping and spreading like a disgusting disease all over the span of Bad's back, plunging beneath the edge of the cloth. They were all purple and blue, a few a distorted yellow and green.

Then there is the handprint.

Zagan's handprint.

It left a red outline of his fingers, and the bruises slapped by him were so large and _bubbly_ that a few streaks of blood trickle out from rips in the skin. Blood also streaks Hakuryuu's shirt, which was probably how the Prince was alerted to the child's wounds.

Alibaba chokes, a gurgled sound.

"These were here before Zagan hit her," Hakuryuu tells them quietly, pointing to the slightly less large bruises outside of the red line. "She was hurt this entire time."

"That idiot." Alibaba growls, but there is raw pain in his voice. He shifts Morgiana closer. "If we had known then...Then…"

"There was no way to know." Aladdin's voice is so calm. Why is it so calm? His insides feel like they got scrambled around. "We have to heal them."

Using two rags, Aladdin dabs at Bad's face while Hakuryuu cleans off Morgiana. Alibaba takes out a salve and applies it to Bad's back, wrapping her wounds carefully with bandages. As he wraps the bandages his eyes linger to a tattoo that Aladdin also noticed earlier, a black eight-pointed star on her chest. He'd ask about it when she woke up.

"Bad is fine." Aladdin announces, being careful with his towel. He dips it in water and slowly wipes away the blood as delicately as he can. "Her wounds are physical. Morgiana however…"

"What is it, Al?" Alibaba asks, panic descending. "W-what's wrong?"

"She ran low on magoi. To defeat Zagan she had to use a lot of magoi but she didn't have a lot to begin with so…" Hakuryuu's eyes widen.

"If you use too much magoi at once, you could die." He breathes.

"What?" Alibaba whirls on him, terror in his face.

"When I was learning magoi manipulation, I learned that you can't use all of your magoi at once. Now that Mor's this weak she can recover by herself. She needs to be rushed to a doctor!"

"We don't exactly have a doctor on hand!" Alibaba quivers.

"I'm...Fine…" Their heads snap to Morgiana, who struggles to get up. Alibaba pushes her back down, shaking his head wildly.

"No." He firmly tells her, and for the first time they see her open eyes, the whites a deep scarlet mixing with her carmine iris.

"Don't move!" Aladdin hears himself shout, watching her try to crawl.

"But I…" Her voice cracks, a sharp sound. Tears fall down her cheeks, over the dried, crusty blood. "I'm finally of use to everyone…"

Aladdin's throat constricts. He places the still unconscious Bad down softly, lowering her with care before hopping to his feet and running to the carcass of the Djinn. His hands meet the charred skin, trailing along the petal-like flesh and down to the thick roots. He shivers as flecks of skin prick him and fall onto his hands.

"You did enough!" Alibaba cries. "We'll get you out of here Mor, I promise!"

"Everyone…?" He loses his concentration.

Red eyes in slits, head lolling toward them.

"Zagan…" She coughs, her words a croak. "Is a fucking asshole."

The profanity doesn't stop him from racing to her side. He wants to hug her, to envelope her in his arms. He wants to cry, he wants to make her promise him that she won't get hurt like that again. When a giant blue hand came streaking down and connected with her, he was gonna scream for her to look out, but it was too late.

He couldn't protect her and it was the most disturbing, disgusting feeling in the entire world. A feeling he couldn't shake even dodging Zagan's attacks or when they were trying to retreat. His eyes kept on wanting to snap back to Hakuryuu for just a second to make sure she was still on his back.

Then, when they were falling, he shifted to see Hakuryuu holding onto her tightly, trying to shield her from the ground.

That fear he felt still wracked his core.

But he doesn't have to words to express this, so he just takes her hand and tries to smile, relief smacking into him like a freight train.

"Are you okay?" He asks, and Hakuryuu comes over, helping her to sit up. She sucks in a sharp breath as she does so, letting it out with a hiss.

"Oh yeah, it's all good." Bad sounds like she's trying to joke, but her voice is so weak and filled with a kind of suppressed pain.

"We need doctors." Hakuryuu declares, scooping Bad up. Aladdin pulls Mor's head onto his lap, wishing he was big enough to carry her as easily as Hakuryuu does Bad. "We need to find the exit."

"But we killed the Djinn," Alibaba shakes with horror. "We can't get out."

"No," Aladdin snaps back to the reality of what he was investigating. "We didn't."

"What-"

"The magi is right." The crispy petals shift.

Bad scoffs.

"Lookie, lookie, the flower-fucker is back!"

"Zagan?!" Following the tiny Zagan pops out Kid-chan, tears in her eyes.

"Kid-chan!" Hakuryuu leans down, leaning Bad against his chest as he spreads one arm for her to run in to.

Kid-chan screeches to a stop just before that arm.

She quakes with sobs.

"B-Bad, I'm sorry," The girl takes the pinkette's hand. The rest is in Torran, but Aladdin can tell the regret and sorrow in her words are genuine and directed straight at Bad.

Bad's lips quirk, and she pats Kid-chan's head. The words she speaks in Torran are quick and smooth.

_Confident._

Their attention is diverted however when Alibaba makes a swipe at Zagan.

* * *

"B-Bad, I'm sorry," Bad awoke to blood, too. She awoke to the smell of iron and a bitter taste in her mouth, she awoke to the crackling of dried blood across her cheeks and lips. She awoke to Morgiana's still form with red tears trailing from her eyes and flowing slowly like slop onto the ground.

**Plop, plop, plop.**

She awoke to the scared face of Aladdin, overcome with relief, she awoke to Hakuryuu's arms being so utterly gentle and bandages coating her body.

She awoke to an apology from a terrified little girl.

"_**I'm sorry you got hurt so badly," **_Kid-chan cries, wiping at her face. "_**If I had just stayed away like you three said then- then Zagan wouldn't have taken me an-and he wouldn't have h-hurt you all!"**_

The Torran girl thought it was her fault.

She blamed herself for them getting hurt. She thought that because Zagan captured her, they went all that way to save her and got hurt in the process. She didn't understand anything that they were saying in the common tongue, so she assumed that it was all for her.

She blamed herself for their wounds.

Bad smirks.

"_**Eh? Quit being selfish. We would've gotten hurt with or without you." **_Her hand lifts, and she pats the head of the child. "_**We're 'heroes'. Getting hurt is all in the line of duty- we do it for our goal, not for a specific person."**_

Then Alibaba makes a swipe at Chibi-Zagan.

"Wait, I'm returning the girl!" Chibi-Zagan puts his hands up in defense, hopping away from Alibaba's glittering sword. "I'm the last 'flower', I don't have any power left!"

"'Flower'?" Bad forces herself to focus. Her head is pounding and her back feels destroyed but it's not gonna kill her so there's no point in wasting time feeling sorry for herself.

"It's like what the magi said. We're not the real Djinn," Chibi-Zagan kicks the ground, looking ashamed. "We're just Dungeon creatures he created in imitation of him. We broke free from the real one's control and were just playing a little game…"

"Little game my ass." Bad hisses, and then actually hisses when she tries to move. Hakuryuu swaddles her in his arms and picks her up, whispering to her to be still.

"Return the Torran villagers to their original form!" Alibaba demands. "And release us from the Dungeon!"

"I can't!" Chibi-Zagan hops back again, eyes locked on Amon's blade. "Only the real one can! Go to the treasury and the real Zagan will release all the villagers! I promise!"

"How can we trust you?"

"That's what I arranged with the original a little while ago." Chibi-Zagan points to the cord on his stomach leading back into the carcass. "Maybe he'll even heal your friend."

Bad stares at Hakuryuu.

"...What?"

"Put me down."

"Uh, yeah, no."

"Why not?"

"Because you're severely injured!"

"Aw worried?"

"Yes, actually, I am."

"Tch." Bad gives him a cold expression. "Well, don't be." And she pushes against him, falling out of his hold. Then she addresses Chibi-Zagan, unable to keep from wincing when she stands up straight. "I'm guessing you'll only heal Morgiana?"

Chibi-Zagan's face goes to stone.

"Of course. Why would we bother with someone like you?"

"Heh." Bad scoops up Sheba and ignores the black spots in her vision as she takes steps away from the party. "Who said I need to be healed? Something of this level doesn't even hurt me."

That's a lie, but she delivers it perfectly. In truth, the pain was terrible. It stretched along all of her back, igniting a flame across the bumps of her spine, digging deep into her flesh and stinging, pounding, scraping at her. The more she moved the more black spots shimmered in and out of her sight, making her feel heavy and empty at the same time. But she's felt worse, she knows she has, but at the moment this trumped all the other times.

But she wouldn't whine about it.

You can have your cake and eat it, but only if you pay for it first.

She zones out as Zagan talks about the 'path to the treasury blah blah I'm blue blah blah let me massage your feet, Bad-sama-'

Hm.

Maybe he _didn't_ say that last part...

Either way, Bad's not sure she cares.

That is, until Zagan gets his head sliced off.

Zagan didn't spurt blood, but rather the same clear liquid that the wolves did. A spear made of rock protrudes from the earth where it disconnected his head from his shoulders. The Chibi-Zagan has one arm go flying and from the force of having the spear go through his chin and through, his upper jaw disconnects from the lower, teeth being flung about.

Bad doesn't miss a beat.

"Run!" She yells, but not before Aladdin snaps his head to the top of the hole they're in, his eyes widening.

"Who are they?" Alibaba sees the figures, blinking. Bad dares to flicker her eyes up for a moment, grinding her teeth together. Black Rukh.

_We're fucked._

"Run!" She repeats, tugging on Hakuryuu. "Let's go! Don't let them get to the treasure room first!"

Hakuryuu snatches up Morgiana, Kid-chan hot on his heels. Aladdin pushes Alibaba forward and pumping her legs, last but not least, Bad races forward.

They go down a long staircase, down hundreds of steps with chilling anxiety clinging to their backs, propelling them forward. The black spots in Bad's vision worsen, consuming everything. She suddenly feels too hot, constricted by her clothing. Her feet are too clumsy, and she-

She slips.

A hand roughly seizes her arm, forcing her forward. Her feet leave the ground and she hears someone grunt.

"Idiot," Alibaba huffs, struggling to carry her down the stairs. "Don't try to pretend you're not in pain. If you need help, just say so!"

"...I...Thank you." She whispers, tightening her hold on his neck.

"...I think that was the first time you said that to me." But the sentiment can't be relished as the stairs melt away to a plaza-like square, and a pair of doors await them.

"Good, it's still closed!" Aladdin's relieved-filled words aren't what cause Bad's eyes to widen. She struggles against Alibaba until the teen is forced to drop her, staring at her with confusion. "Open Sesame!"

She doesn't have time to think.

So, staring at Ithnan's checker mask, Bad snaps up Sheba and growls,

"_Sharrar Asfal Baraq"_

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Guess what? July 7th was my birthday! You know what the best present would be? Getting a review from my lovely and amazing readers! Huzzah~~~3!

**Fun Fact #2: **Blah blah something about Alibaba and Bad's relationship blah *fart noise*.

* * *

**Late Chapter**: I know, I'm terrible. But I went on a cruise to Alaska and wasn't even finished with this chappie, so I couldn't post on time nor could I bring my laptop on the ship with me. But hey, at least I'm back now, right? Expect the next chappie to be on time: July 28th.

**Bad Being a Thief: **For those who are confused: Zagan is calling Bad a thief because she has the Divine Staves. Zagan does not like that one bit, mainly since she's a black vessel and Myeshia was suppose to entrust the Staves to 'the purest guardian who summoned them' (like Bad said, this is a long story). In chapter 3 Bad does mention being the guardian of relics, but that was a long time ago and it hasn't really been mentioned since then. Bad's backstory has already been partially revealed (at least her paternal parentage has), but in truth there is a shit ton more I need to tell y'all about. Buuuuut I can't complain because I love complex character backstories.

**Hakuryuu POV: **Don't know if you care or not, but in Hakuryuu's POV he calls Bad by her Kou name, Kouhime. And in some parts of the chapter he's almost/has called her that aloud as well.

**No Seere?!: **That's next chapter. I divided the Dungeon Blues Arc into three/four parts: going to Zagan, Dungeon-diving in Zagan, Dungeon-diving in Seere and the Final Fight, which may or may not be in the next chapter depending on pacingand if I'm motivated.

**Related stories in the Future: **I have literally been starting and stopping so many related stories to SS it's not even funny. I have a Koumei piece about his first meeting with Ting Mei (I'm proud of some of the comedy I wrote in this one), Khadeja's days in 'The Monster''s prison, and Zeina and Sinbad in Sasan after the 'Desert Palaces' short. I was thinking of writing a prequel about the Other following Kouhime's life, but that would be after much more in SS has been revealed. Writing that as it's own story sounds _really_ fun.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	26. Chapter 25: Be a King

Jankitty (the wonderful) made me a gorgeous picture of Centola (THE EYES ARE PERFECT) And it shall be on my profile if you'd like to see it. Now, onto the chapter :)

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SEVENTH ARC: **Dungeon Blues

CHAPTER 25: Be a King

* * *

"To be alone is to be a lack of everything you are, and an entirety of truth."

Is that a lie?

* * *

Kouen used to hate his father.

It wasn't hard to tell why.

Like most noble children, Kouen was raised not knowing his father except for the formal meetings and sightings on their grounds. Unlike most noble children, he did know his cousins and uncle.

His uncle.

Strong, courageous, wise, dignified. Everything Kouen thought a person needed to be king, to be _emperor_. He wished with all his heart that Hakutoku, who laughed with his sons and held his daughter close, was his father. To be born to such a man, to have Hakuyuu and Hakuren as his brothers, that would be a dream. Even little Hakuei was like her father, being kind to Kouen in her own, strangely mature way. There was also Hakutoku's wife Gyokuen, who, despite her years, didn't look a day over twenty-five, still beautiful and gentle. Hakuryuu cried often, but he smiled even more, and took his older sister's hand with gusto as they walked along.

If only they were his family.

But things weren't all bad. He had his brother Koumei, even though the younger had a sleepy personality and was quite lazy. They shared a mother who was...Interesting, to say the least. A bit on the tightlaced side, envious of her husband's mistresses and boastful that she had given him not one, but _two _sons.

His father never bothered to settle her worries nor stop her gloating.

In fact, he took many more wives, all which gave him daughters except for one.

Kouen had sisters, but he didn't care about them. Not one of them was like Hakuei, who prefered a sword but sometimes knitted because she, 'wanted to be well-rounded'. None was like her, and he didn't need sisters who sneered when they saw Hakuei training with her brothers.

There was Kouha, who was ten years younger and born roughly the same time as Kougyoku, the latter which Kouen never bothered to meet until he became Crown Prince.

Crown Prince.

He wasn't like Hakutoku, or Hakuyuu, or Hakuren. He would never be like them, and he couldn't even consol the eleven year old Hakuei who looked at him and Koumei and saw…

What did she see?

All he knew was that there was resignation in her face when she looked to them on that bed, her burn wounds wrapped up and hidden away. There was acceptance and a sort of biting edge to her words that shocked him and Koumei, who were only used to her smiles and eager conversation. When Koutoku was crowned Emperor, her face was blank, and she held the hand of the restless Hakuryuu.

Kouen blamed Koutoku.

That wasn't right since his father didn't kill Hakutoku, but there was no other face that really fit the bill, that made a suitable villain to Hakuei and Hakuryuu's plight. When he was made Crown Prince, Kouen dared to look into his father's face, intent on holding the gaze and challenging him, telling him that he was a man now with a Djinn on side, and he wouldn't forget his hatred.

And in the red eyes of the Second Emperor Kouen saw things.

Things that he couldn't describe.

He saw the battlefields his father had treaded in his youth. He saw the life and death of comrades and enemies and innocents who perished in the uniting of three eastern countries. He witnessed the Emperor committing acts that his uncle didn't know about, sins that Koutoku did for the good of Kou- for the good of his elder brother.

In those revealing eyes, Kouen could see the shame and guilt and pain, the raw hatred and envy that developed from being the only one to feel such a hideous burden. There was a hole in his chest that couldn't be filled by women nor alcohol, and then, vividly, the moment that Koutoku let go of everything.

The moment he just stopped caring, and let himself become a disgrace, let himself be hated by his eldest son.

His achievements in the military faded away, but the crimes he committed in secret remained fresh in his mind. Even when he became Emperor, he just didn't care about anything other than going through the motions and indulging in whores and wine.

It was so disturbing Kouen turned his eyes away, and pretended he didn't just realize what the inside of a empty man looked like.

A second later, as Koumei looked up at him with confusion, Kouen understood what it meant to be a king, to be _emperor_. The grasping of hands to reach up and touch the Gods, to sit on a throne and rule over a country that was equal parts glorious, kind and corrupt. He knew, and he resolved to never let his eyes be like his father's.

He, Kouen Ren, Crown Prince of the Kou Empire, decided to take on that responsibility of kingliness he had never considered for himself before. He would heal wounds long forgotten, he would make a world where good people like his cousins didn't have to grieve so stoically, where there would be no meaningless death, where eyes could show a soul that wasn't broken into a million pieces.

And he was determined he would succeed.

* * *

A scream.

It was a scream that Eren immediately recognized.

It was a scream that tore from the girl he wants to protect, something that stilled his blood but made him twist towards her.

Her, being whisked away. Bad, being whipped through the air, a strange tentacle squeezing her.

He shouted her name, screeched it almost.

Where is it taking her? Is she okay? She looks scared, should he Djinn Equip? What is doing this? Is it Al Thamen? _Is it Al Thamen?!_

Centola appears the same second he reaches for his cuff, grabbing his wrist.

"It's Zagan!" She tries to tell him, but his mind is in a blur. Catrina is a panicked face, Centola a reassuring one, Bad disappearing from his sight.

He has to protect her- he's always protected her.

If he's not with her then who'll take care of her? No one knows her like he does, no one understands how to care for her like he does. Alibaba, Morgiana, Hakuryuu, _Aladdin_, none of them knows how she conceals her pain, puts up a facade of bravado so astonishingly performed it seems real. If he's not around, then, then-

He realizes he's breathing too fast and Centola is talking to him in a quick manner.

"No!" He snaps, even though he doesn't know what she was saying. "No, no, no I'm not lettin' her go alone into a Dungeon _no._"

"Eren, she's-"

"N. O." He whispers to Centola in a dangerously low voice. Catrina looks even more panicked than before, unconsciously rubbing her sweaty hands together.

"We- what- what do we do?" Her normally cheerful voice is desperate, far-away and scared. "Bad- Cent?"

Eren's heart lurches. He doesn't only have one little sister.

"It's fine," He tells her, but he feels wild and unsure. "It'll be- I'll go after her."

"No." Centola blocks his path, arms outstretched. "Both of you, listen to me." The Temptress can have such a commanding voice.

"Don't fight me on this, Centola." Back to that threatening voice. He'd do anything for Bad. She's-

"B-Brother?" He tenses. He turns. Catrina and him lock gazes.

There is a million words that should pass between them, but only a few do.

'_Cat, she-'_

'_I know.'_

'_And we-'_

'_I know.'_

'_We made a promise.'_

'_I know.'_

Eren's shoulders drop. He opens his arms. He closes his eyes.

The warmth of the Fanalis-Amala is instantly there, holding onto him as if trying to gain the reassurance that neither of them feel.

"I would do the same for you, too." He says into her hair quietly, patting her back as her trembles fade. "I would react the same."

"I know."

When he opens his eyes, he resignedly meets Centola's gaze.

"I'll go to Seere." His voice is a pained, bitter mutter. This is what Bad would want him to do, but now more than ever he wants to hold her hand. He wants her to call him an old man and demand he carry her through the forest to the Dungeon.

"Do you trust Bad?" Centola asks him, a test.

"With my life." He answers without hesitation.

"Do you trust Bad with her own life?"

A pause.

"No," He couldn't find it within him to lie. The Temptress's green eyes widen a fraction, not expecting such a reply. "She's too reckless alone. She can't remind herself of the future, she slips up too often." When Bad feels lonely, she drifts off to a place that Eren could never imagine going to.

Another deep pause.

"She gives-"

_She gives up on herself. She wants to die. _

But with Catrina beside him, staring up at him with orange eyes that don't know this truth about their younger sibling yet, Eren stops.

"No." He merely admits again. He couldn't bear the thought of Catrina realizing that Bad thought about suicide, he could imagine her stricken face. He hates it when she's upset, because then she'll deny everything and her lips will quiver until she starts to sob. Eren can't stand it when Catrina cries.

Bad never cries, but she doesn't have to.

He can hear her soul moaning in pain.

Centola is quiet.

"Do you trust that she won't give up on her goals?"

Eren wants to say no. But he can't find it within him to lie.

"Yes." Bad won't give up on her goals. Her goals, no matter the sizable burden, are what save her from thoughts of death. Eren is scared of what happens after she finishes her goals. No, not scared. He's terrified.

"Then you know she won't fail, right?"

Eren hangs his head.

"Okay. Let's go." Catrina takes his hand, looking like a lost child. She must be feeling the same as him, wanting to go to Bad, feeling helpless without her. But Catrina isn't the type to be scared when something happens to her friends, she reacts. She fights tooth and nail for them.

But this isn't a friend. This is Bad. This is the person they both love a bit _too _much. And Catrina is afraid that her heart will be broken the same way it was when she was forced to leave her homeland.

Eren knows how hard it is for Catrina to trust others. She'll be friendly with them, she'll go out with them and have fun, but she's always prepared mentally for a backstab or harsh word. That's the reason she can be so carefree, because she's always reassured by herself that no matter what is said or done to her, she can shrug it off as easily as one would dust.

But Catrina _trusts _him and Bad and Yamu and Yunan, she loves them with all her heart. He doesn't want that love to be betrayed.

Then Centola is there.

She takes their held hands in both of hers, gentle and understanding.

"Don't worry. In canon, everything turned out alright. With Bad there, it'll only be easier for them to conquer Zagan!" Eren knows she's right, but it's so hard to not be worried. Catrina puts on a brave face, smiling tightly.

"Y-yeah, it'll be fine! Bad is strong!"

_Bad is strong._

They turn on their heels, walking towards the new Dungeon.

_Bad is strong._

Each step feels heavy.

_Bad is strong._

Each step feels guilty.

_Bad is strong._

* * *

The seventieth Dungeon wasn't like most Dungeons.

It had an youthful feeling to it, freshly built with a modern look. Well, modern for Magi standards. The outside was white-house like, with stately moldings and regal roman-esque columns painted in shades of gray and white. The marble floors leading to the gateway were all laid out with precision in a nicely contrasting blackish-gray. Looking up at the ceiling, one would be astounded by the paintings in light colors, depicting a sunrise spreading over fields of flowers, wheat, and willow trees.

Seere wasn't like most Djinns.

That was clear to almost every Djinn. He didn't care much for politics even when he was a part of King Solomon's household, instead acting like himself: an eager young man with an older brother who was a little _too _overprotective of him. Seere was whimsical and friendly, earthly and artistic. In the eyes of most, he was not a respectable choice for Solomon's household, but those who truly knew him understood Solomon's reasoning.

He wasn't like most idealists.

While he could be incredibly kind and believed the best in people, there was also a truth that kept him on point when he corrected the faults of others'.

Seere knew what it took to become King.

Three walked the path toward his Dungeon, looking up at the structure with determination in their hearts.

The Djinn taps his fingers on the tiles of the treasure room, watching. He studied the first one, faltering only a fraction.

A beauty with pure emotions. She was steadfast and smart, and her eyes had seen a great deal of things- both good and evil. Not bad, but the way she held herself...Seere shook his head. She didn't want any more fighting, yet wasn't prepared to achieve her goal.

He studied the second, tilting his lips in a wry smile.

A warrior with a kind smile. This one was female as well, and had felt pain more than once. She was strong, steady, brave...Seere nods. A good candidate. Yet there was a pinching under her skin. She had given up her dream for another's. The Djinn frowns.

He moved to the third and tilted his head, lips parted.

A hunter with deep reserves of strength. He already captured a Dungeon before, and Myeshia called to him from the cuff on the man's wrist. A bow and sheath of arrows lay on his back. He had lived with evil, but his very presence had quelled it's intensity. He had a dream, but like the previous, it was one he gained from another. Unlike the previous, it was one he embraced because he never had a goal before it.

**Tap, tap, tap, tap.**

Interesting, interesting!

Who to pick? The resolved hunter? The pained warrior? The hesitant genius?

All three are good, even though two are specialized magicians.

Seere grins.

Of course, not even their strengths or magic can beat his Dungeon. His dungeon is made of the bones of morality and the flesh of harsh reality, infused with the tang of personal defeat.

Hm, who to pick? The resolved hunter? The pained warrior? The hesitant genius?

Seere points his finger.

"I pick you. You'll go first in the games!"

* * *

"What a beautiful painting," Catrina gapes, spinning beneath the mural on the ceiling. "It almost looks real. Who do you think painted it?"

"I dunno." Eren scratches his neck. "We all died 'fore the end of the Alma Torran arc, so it's not like we know much about Djinns."

"Bad said that the Djinns used to be the Chiefs of their races, and ruled underground cities," Centola points out. "The artist could have been one of Seere's friends."

The Fanalis-Amala frowns.

"That's kinda sad."

The older two don't respond.

"Here's the gate." Catrina watches Eren's eyes shift. "Time to go…"

"Let's hold hands." They stare at Centola, who blushes.

"Scared?"

"N-no, it's just that if we hold hands, there might be a better chance of arriving at the same time," The girl brushes her hair out of her eyes. "I've been thinking and I wanted to test out a theory of mine."

"What's that?"

"Well, have either of you seen anyone arrive in a Dungeon at the same time?" Eren pauses.

"Bad n' I did, but she was holdin' onto me." Centola has a conspiratory smile.

"I think that the reason companions are split apart upon arrival to the Dungeon is because they aren't in contact to one another when they go through the gate. At least, that's what I think. I'd like to do an experiment." Catrina stands in the middle, holding each of her adoptive siblings' offered hands.

"So we just hold hands?"

"Yes, that's it." Centola's brightness diminishes. "It's too bad I won't be able to test out my experiment multiple times for a decent amount of results, but no matter."

"_**Jane**_," Eren whispers. "SMH."

"What does SMH mean?"

"Shakin' My Head."

"Don't be rude, Eren!" Catrina jumps forward, her knee touching the gateway. A brightness envelopes them.

* * *

The Dungeon wasn't what they were expecting.

It didn't look like a Dungeon at all, actually.

It was a large open area, looking like…

...Balbadd?

The streets were the same uneven and surprisingly chipper yellow of the country, and the scent of the sea and garbage and spicy bazaars hung in the air. They were in the Palace courtyard where they fought the Kou bodyguards, the sun blaring out a desert heat but the wind from the waters making the temperature feel like a mild yet warm hug.

Centola feels like she's gonna puke.

"What the hell?" Eren mutters, turning around. "It's a perfect copy."

It was. Every chip was where she remembered it, each wall standing before her as if awaiting her review.

Her home. How was she back home?

"The Djinn must've used his magic to create a scenery." She states calmly. "But why would he give us home field advantage?"

"This is an advantage?" Eren questions. "Feels more like a mind-game."

"We all know the layout however. No matter what traps are laid, we'll know how to evade them."

"Well, I'm freaked out," Catrina shivers, scanning the palace. "It looks _exactly _the same. How did he get in our heads like that?"

"Magic?" Centola suggests, but that's the only plausible explanation. How else would he know about Balbadd? About each detail of the home Centola loves?  
Of course, she doubts this is what it looks like anymore. The kingdom she was born in is probably gone, replaced with Kou houses and customs. It hurts a little, but it's the truth. Would she ever get it back?

"Yes, magic." Their heads snap to the palace's towers. There, a Djinn hung.

He was holding onto a tower the way a man would hang off a trolley car, one hand gripping the metal and a foot there to steady him, the rest casually leaning outward to see the sights. He was in Djinn form, which was the reason his large hand wrapped all around the stone structure, and he gave an easygoing smile despite his dominating presence.

"Wh- Djinns can't leave the treasure room!" Centola yells, pointing at him. He cocks his head at her and hops down, landing with a startling amount of sound. A gust of wind hits them and blows back their hair and clothing.

"True, they can't." The Djinn admits, shrinking. "You've already noticed I'm not the real Seere, eh Centola?"

"How do you know my name?" Stay calm, Centola. Do as your aunt taught you.

"You probably already know the answer to that, too." The fake-Seere is shrunken down now, the same height as Eren. His skin is blue, but a vibrant color that seems lighter than what Djinns Jane's seen in the anime have. His eyes are a striking green, strange because she has never heard of a Djinn without blue eyes, and his hair is as pale as snow. Like most Djinns, a simple white piece of cloth wraps around his waist and a few necklaces lay comfortably on his chest- each gleaming either gold and silver with rubies and emeralds strung into the precious metals. He seems handsome, but his eyelashes are thick and make his strong jaw seem out of place on a feminine face.

Centola felt the need to answer him, even though he didn't ask a question.

"You used some sort of magic to create a battlefield." Seere chuckles.

"Yes, but this isn't a battlefield little Temptress." He turns. "Eren, how is Myeshia?"

"Good?"

"Ah, that's nice. I haven't seen her in so long. Her being here means that the guardian has arrived, right?" Fake-Seere's eyes glow. "I'm so happy. My dear King Solomon's will is moving forward like Ugo and Myeshia said!"

"Um, excuse me?" Catrina ventures, waiting for the Djinn to turn his eyes to her. "If you're not the real Seere, then who are you?"

"I'm a Dungeon Creature created by Seere to run the games since he cannot. Call me 'Pseudo'!"

_Psuedo, because he's a fake. Clever._

"Seere's elder brother taught him how to make replicas of himself. Thus me, Pseudo. Of course, Zagan's copies tend to run amuck. Not me though! I happen to like my job under Seere." Pseudo smiles wider. "Now, let's start the games, hm?"

"What are these games?" Pseudo's smile drops. His face becomes somber.

"Tests of Kingliness."

"Kingliness?"

"Yes. There are three tests you must go through in order to prove to me that you are worthy King Vessels. From your results, Seere will pick a King." His lowers his gaze, ominous suddenly. "If you fail, your memories will be wiped and you will be thrown out of the Dungeon."

"Why?" Catrina blurts, staring at him. "Why would we-"

"Centola knows." Said girl pursues her lips as the other two look at her for answers.

"Because…" Pseudo gives her an encouraging nod. "Their memories are wiped because of the trauma. And they're kicked out of the Dungeon because Seere doesn't actually want to kill anyone...Or maybe because his tests _can't_ kill anyone."

Pseudo laughs as Eren and Catrina take in this revelation.

"You are a smart one, Centola. I was correct about each of you, apparently." He scans over them. "A genius, a warrior, a hunter." He sighs, a calm sound. "Alright, let's start! First challenge, 'Cruelty'! A test of the strength of the soul!"

* * *

**1st Level: Cruelty **

**Challenger: Centola**

**Answer: ?**

* * *

The fake-Djinn holds out his hands to Catrina and Eren, which they take hesitantly. Instantly the Djinn secures an iron grip on them and jumps up onto the wall, landing with each of the two under his arm.

"Allllllright! It's me, Pseudo, your test administrator!" Pseudo booms, laughing. "First test goes out to my homegirl Centola! Ready?" The Temptress takes in a quick breath and looks around her, thoughts racing. She turns to him and calls,

"Wait, don't you have to explain the rules?"

"Rules?"

"It is a game, right?" She gazes at him intently. "You said it yourself."

Pseudo returns her gaze right back, still smiling but in a way that sends a horrible chill down her back.

"Rules, hm? No outside help from your companions. No compromises. Finish the objective, and tell me what 'cruelty' truly is for a King." He chuckles. "There's no time limit, but trust me, you'll wanna finish it quick. It just gets worse the longer you do nothing."

_What 'cruelty' truly is for a King? What does he mean by that?_

She can't dwell on it, even though it's her task. It's unclear what's going on and what this so-called 'test' is, but if what he's saying is true about longer you do nothing then she has to finish this fast.

She fists her hands. She'll complete this task for sure. Centola can't even begin to think what it would be like if she forgot about Alibaba and Kassim and everyone else. To forget her entire life and the important things she's learned. If she loses everything, then there won't be a 'Centola' anymore. There won't even be a 'Jane'.

That's terrifying.

"Ready! Set!" A long, frightening pause. "GO!"

She prepares for something to come at her but-

A blinding light makes her lose her sight. She throws up her hands against it, but just as fast as it came it's gone. She blinks the spots out of her eyes, feeling her heart racing and her head pound.

Her breathing stops.

A sputtering scream breaks through the air, tearing at her heart as she backs away. It's not her scream.

It's Khadeja's.

"Mi...Mistress!" She coughs out, blood splattering against the ground. Khadeja holds her stomach tightly, breathing in ragged breathes.

Someone grabs her shoulders. She lets out a loud gasp and turns-

_Sinbad?_

"Centola, I'm so sorry." He tells her, eyes hard and not looking at her. "But Al Thamen's gotten her. There's no way to stop her transformation."

Nothing makes sense. _Nothing. _Why- no, how did Al Thamen get Khadeja? How? What is going on and where-? There's too many questions and the screaming continues on. There are onlookers as well. Alibaba, looking sick, Zeina, covering her mouth, Ja'far-

Ja'far with wide, scared eyes and a shivering form.

The air is cold.

Her hands are shaking terribly.

_**What, scared of a little death?**_

Scared? No. Haunted by, weary of? Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

What is she suppose to do?

_Cruelty._

Ice encases her heart, freezing the muscles and leaving her unable to move.

"_Mistress, I won't ever betray you."_

"Mistress!" Khadeja cries, tears pouring down her cheeks. She's letting out wails of pain and finally her knees hit the ground, strength waning. More blood sprays from her right eye. "Please, we can't-" Centola knows. She knows what Khadeja's saying. If Al Thamen truly was able to 'get' her, then- then Centola can't let them win. Because if they win, Khadeja will be forced to help them with her strange abilities. And the world will burn, like Bad showed her.

There's a knife being pressed into her palm.

"Centola." Sinbad's eyes are gazing into hers, so resolved and hardset. He knows what she's thinking. He understands because he's been in this situation before, has accomplished this task. Because he's a King.

He just nods to her.

That's all.

But it's worth the thousand words he could've said.

Centola takes the first step, her vision blurry. It can't be blurry. It needs to be sharp, so she can memorize the lines of Khadeja's face, the forgiveness in her tears, the encouragement in those bright amethyst eyes.

_Please no, please no, please, please, please no._

The two words keep repeating in her head until she doesn't know which one she started praying first. Her footsteps are so steady and precise, but she doesn't feel herself moving. She doesn't feel her hand gripping the knife, nor herself dropping to her knees in front of Khadeja.

Khadeja lets out groans of audible pain as one freshly-clawed hand snaps forward to slash up Centola, but her still human hand grabs the other before it hits it's mark. Centola doesn't react to it. She doesn't move anymore.

"Please," Khadeja whispers. "_Please._"

_**She's begging you.**_

The claw inches forward, only stopped by Khadeja's struggle. The plates of the wrist are sharp, and in her struggle to hold on her hand is cut up and bloody. Her tears are red now.

Centola felt the knife entering Khadeja's body.

She didn't realize she would feel it.

All she was aware of was something sliding into place within herself, and falling forward to gather Khadeja in a hug.

The knife plunged right into the meat of the stomach smoothly, severing muscles and veins. Her hand becomes warm and wet, but she can't see it. She pretends it's water. The crying and groaning stops, the clawed hand and the human hand falling onto her back.

Centola lets go of the knife, relishes the quiet, and wraps her arms around Khadeja.

Khadeja breaths in, breaths out, and is gone.

"Thank you, Centola."

Then there is white light which she ignores, and everyone who was once there was gone.

Khadeja's corpse in her lap is gone. Ja'far's hysterical sobbing is gone. Zeina's turned back is gone. Alibaba's horrified face is gone.

Sinbad's resolved eyes are gone, but she remembers them much more clearly than anything else. She'll remember them forever and ever, past even her own death.

"Centola!" Catrina's there. Tears stream down the Fanalis-Amala's face, and she stops just short of Centola, wiping her cheeks furiously and hiccuping.

"I'm so sorry." She gets out, and Eren avoids her gaze when he comes up beside them. The Chandlen steps forward and takes Centola's shoulders. He pulls her into his arms in a jerking motion and uses a hand to stroke her hair.

"Cent," His arms are so warm. He's all muscle, and it's hard beneath her cheek, but he's so warm and gentle like he's practiced how to hold a person and relieve them of their burdens. "Don't cry. It's okay."

She chokes.

Crying?

_**You finally noticed?**_

_I just thought it was Khadeja's blood._

* * *

"Good job!" Eren glares at Pseudo, who appears from the top of the wall. He smiles at them, the sobbing Centola especially, who noticeably tries to stifle her emotions. "Tut, tut, Eren! No need to glare."

"Fuck off." Eren growls, holding Centola tighter. Standing above and seeing Centola's lifeless face as she was forced to kill Khadeja...It was too much. Catrina started bawling, wanting to look away, and Eren stood with a sickening feeling of hypnotism, unable to stop watching. The gleaming knife held in a shaking palm, shocked green eyes, and their final embrace. Every moment was mesmerizing and deeply troubling.

Then the tears Centola didn't even to notice she was shedding, each droplet filled with pain and agony and the memories of their time together, even though it wasn't real. Well, it sure as hell seemed real.

"Hey, that's not nice Eren! I know that test was harsh, but you'll have to pass them in order to become worthy of meeting Seere." Pseudo stands on his heels, zoning in on the Temptress. "I like that look in your eye, Cent. I'm sorry things had to be this way for you to gain it."

Eren looks down at Centola, confused. Anger boils in the pit of his stomach, but he tries to exercise self restraint.

Then he sees it.

Centola's eyes always resembled mirrors, but now they _were _mirrors. At least, that's what Eren saw. The tears were slowing, but unwavering mirrors were reflecting back the image of Pseudo in perfect clarity, glowing green and strong.

"So? What's cruelty?"

Centola's voice wavers when she responds, but holds steady.

"To a King, cruelty is making the decisions others cannot. Even if it means hurting people you love, it's for the good of your goals...And sometimes, for themselves."

Pseudo's face melts into a tender expression.

"That's a nice answer."

* * *

**1st Level: Cruelty **

**Challenger: Centola**

**Answer: Correct**

* * *

"Okay! Next test!"

"What? Right now?" Pseudo sticks his tongue out at them.

"Of course now! And you're the lucky contestant!" Balbadd crumbles under their feet, the floor giving away in a shower of crumbling stones and dust. They fall into the blackness, the light fading quickly and the familiarity of home slipping away from Centola. "Be prepared! This one is 'humbleness'!"

* * *

**2st Level: Humbleness **

**Challenger: Catrina**

**Answer: ?**

* * *

Homefield.

Catrina understood what Centola had meant by that now.

"Where are we?"

Catrina's lips mouth words, but no sound comes out to go with the movement. Her feet start forward, down the familiar path. The achingly familiar path. Made of soft dirt and downtrodden grass, a dark color in the night. Lights pour out from the little cottages, and the fields lay curled around the hills- a few actually swallowing them up in grape crops.

It smells so wonderful- like sunshine and fresh fruits and a distinct fragrance that she can't describe but goes with one word: _Amala_.

_Amala._

Home.

_Amala._

She's finally home.

A tear falls down her cheek, but not because she's sad.

_Amala._

She whirls around, much to the surprise of her two companions, and she throws out her arms, relishing the cool air and the silver rays of the moon that just don't shine right anywhere else. She spots the town. The town hasn't changed at all! Farther in, in the center of the territory, is the city lights glowing as orange as her eyes.

_Visubris, Amala, home._

Wait.

Home.

She turns on her heel, ignoring Eren and Centola completely.

Home.

Mother.

As she starts to run, a light laugh escapes her. It doesn't sound like a laugh, but rather a sound of pure happiness and joy. The curves of the path are the same. The twists and turns sometimes slight and other times giant around the hills.

She reaches a hand to the stars that sparkle in the heavens and prays that she'll never have to leave again. Even if no one accepts her here, she still loves it more than anything else in the world. The cottage's lights dim, but that's okay. She's memorized the path to her house. Catrina thought about her house so many times that she even remembers the tomato plants in her mother's garden with perfect accuracy.

"Mama," Catrina whispers, eyes glittering. "I'm coming home! I'm really coming home!"

She imagines her mother. Her long black hair, meticulously tied into a ponytail and braided, her orange eyes alive and gleaming. The ridge of her nose, her smiling lips. The sound of her voice, exactly like Catrina's, unsmooth and unfinished and full of knowledge. Those arms, always willing to hug her and shield her. Aisha never looked strong, but her body was trained and honed like that of the best Alpha out there.

Her ears prick to sounds down the road.

She frowns, but her joyous spirit doesn't lessen. The sounds get louder and louder, and with growing anxiousness Catrina realizes she's nearing not only the sounds but her home as well.

Then it comes into sight.

Her home.

The cottage looked different. Of course, she rationalizes, it had to be remade because of the fire. She should have remembered that. The door was wide open, spilling lights made from candles out over the lawn. Inside, four figures yell at one another.

She stumbles. Five figures.

There was one apart from the rest, standing passive, like a bystander. He was at the foot of the pathway toward the house, watching almost boredly as three men and a woman argue.

She's not that close, but icy realization and their words hit her.

"...Fuckin' shi' Aiiii," One drawls, and a thick waft of alcohol hits her. "Don' yelll! Ya're the one 'ho fucked a monsta and brough' that shitty bra' in here!"

"Ya!" The two others agree, drunk but much more clear headed than the other. "Don't blame us."

She could see, with her Fanalis eyes, the inside of the house made by the window and open door. Her mother is there, on the other side of the window.

She looks pissed as all hell.

"Get out of my house, _now_." Aisha fists her hands on the dish towel she is holding, her words a harsh growl.

The drunkards laugh.

"You ans'ered the door~" The first sings. "S're you didn't wan' us 'ere?"

_They're harassing her._

Catrina feels hatred wake from it's burrow deep, deep inside, leaving unpleasant scratches on the walls as it climbs it's way up her throat.

She keeps going, silently, and tries to watch the scene while not being noticed by the man outside her house.

"You said you were going to bust down the door if I didn't." Aishia shouts, slamming her hand down on the kitchen table. The sounds doesn't even make the men flinch.

"Well, well, the town whore is making a fuss!" One of the less drunk men chuckles, his eyes making a movement that sickens Catrina.

Are they…

Are they _leering _at Aishia?

"I'm not a whore." Her mother stands stoically, eyes narrowed. "I've only ever slept with Catrina's father. I've never been interested in the mutts here."

"_We're _the mutts?" One of them hisses, taking a step that makes Catrina's blood boil. "After you went out and spread your legs to some trash on the outside?"

"Only trash would barge into a person's home uninvited."

"You bitch-"

She gasps as the first man rushes towards her mother.

Unfortunately, that triggers the person outside her house to stumble forward and whip around to look at her.

He was a guy a little older than her, with Amala standard eyes and hair. He looked familiar somehow, but she couldn't dwell on that. A large-

**Crash-**

Comes from the inside, and Catrina tries to go forward.

"Stop!" The boy exclaims, standing in her way. His eyes narrow.

More-

**Thwack,**

**Shatter,**

**Bang-**

Sounds echo in her ears.

"Get out of my way, I need to go help her-"

"_You_." Just one word. Just a single word, charged with hatred. The boy's hands fist. "_You_."

She doesn't have time for this.

"I don't have time," She tells him urgently. "Let me by-"

"You...You're Catrina Exsos." Exsos, huh? That was her mother's maiden name. At least, it used to be, before she left the tribe and threw away her father's surname. No one had ever called her 'Catrina Exsos' before. Hell, she never called herself 'Catrina Exsos'. She rarely ever thought about the last name. She was just Catrina.

"W-well, yes, I suppose so."

"I knew it." His eyes are burning, intensely dangerous like pure flames. "That red hair; I _knew _it was you from the moment I saw you. You're the reason my life is shit."

What?

"Who are...You?" He's familiar. She's seen him. No...Not just seen him...He saw her-

"You're the one…"

He saw her when she-

"...Who killed my parents."

-When she fought Jabari and Dalila.

He was Jabari and Dalila's son.

_She killed them in front of him._

* * *

_I once thought I was a good person. _

Walk, walk, step, step.

_I once thought that if I held out my hand, those people I really, really loved wouldn't hesitate to take it. I thought I would never have to worry about being rejected. _

Pause.

_But I really am starting to worry. Who am I, anyway? Why do I feel like lying is second nature and death is first? Asking questions really, really sucks. _

_This isn't the first time I've angsted about bullshit like this. This isn't the first time I've thought of myself as a monster. But nothing I do seems to fit right with what I say, and if I can't even accept that I'm not as evil or good as I think I am, then how will I ever be able to move forward? Seriously...Why do I even care anymore? What matters anymore?_

"Yo, let's get going! I'm sick of waiting for your sorry ass,"

"Just a minute, _asshole._"

"Jeez, you're crankier than usual,"

_...Does karma really exist? And if so, why won't it just put me out of my __misery?_

_Oh right._

_Because my death needs to be more painful than this._

* * *

"Well, you can call me Nym! I'm a Dungeon Creature created by Seere to administer the tests and such. It's funny you're here, I had a group already go inside."

"We're aware."

"I see. Well, are you ready for the first test?"

"Bring it."

* * *

**1st Level: Cruelty **

**Challenger: Unknown**

**Answer: ?**

* * *

"The fuck is that pipsqueak doin'?" Pseudo shushes Eren, pushing both him and Centola down more. The hill they chose to hide on was located the perfect distance away to watch the drama unfolding, from Catrina's pale face to Aishia's wickedly hard punches. Pseudo cringes as she lands a perfect one on one of the men, breaking his nose.

"That pipsqueak," Pseudo points to him. "Is the son of the couple Catrina murdered."

Eren and Centola gape at him.

"What?" Centola manages, her jaw dropped. "Catrina- She never said anything about-"

"Five years ago, Catrina's house which she lived in with her mother was attacked. The ones who orchestrated it was Aishia's old friends and their cronies. They tied up Aishia outside and set the house on fire with Catrina still in it. They didn't expect that she'd be able to get out, but, well, she did. And boy was there a fight afterwards. After her first two kills, one of them got a hold on her and slashed open a wound on her arm. She was in such pain that this boy's mother, Dalila, was able to drag her close to the flames and light up her arm." Pseudo's voice gets quiet.

"The boy's father, Jabari, was laughing the whole time. And her mother was crying. Catrina got free and plunged her hand straight through Dalila's stomach. Blood everywhere. A gruesome fight between Jabari and Catrina took place, with spectators too scared and in awe to interfere. Finally Catrina used her magic to stick hundreds of sharp bones into Jabari's entire body, and she ripped him apart."

Beats of dark silence.

"Then it was quiet except for Catrina's panting. Someone in the crowd started crying. That someone was Dalila's and Jabari's son, who sobbed like there was no tomorrow coming. Catrina was so horrified that when she looked at the onlookers, all she saw was disgust. And yes, a few did look that way. But most of them were just scared."

"That's...That's why she ran away, right?"

"She just turned and ran as fast as she could. She thought she could hear people yelling at her in the background, but no one was saying a word."

Centola sniffles, droplets of salt water hitting the grass.

"How do you know?" Eren hoarsely asks, voice so strained it sounds like it's about to snap. Pseudo looks to the cloudless sky, alight with stars so unfamiliar to him.

"_This is a new world. Solomon and Ugo must've made their stars ten times more beautiful than ours."_

But Pseudo disagreed with Seere. To him, the stars on Alma Torran were the most elegantly arranged and wonderful, made of pure silver. The ones here jumped with red and blue and white and variations of colors he can't describe. A grey that could be purple, a blue so dark it looks green...Or a green so dark it looks blue. They wink in patterns across the silky liquid of the night sky, twinkling as if to tell him that Alma Torran's constellations may have been still and beautiful, but this world's are alive. They're alive with Solomon's will. They're alive with _freedom_.

"Life magic." Is his simple response. "A very unique life magic."

* * *

"You killed them." His voice is weak and defeated and angry and hard. "Why? Why did you have to kill them?! If you're as strong as Father and everyone always went on about, then why couldn't you've just had _mercy_?"

_Mercy._

What a cruel, cruel word.

"My father...I know he was a bad man. But, but, mother didn't laugh like he did. I know she was just as bad but...But she's the one who tucked me into bed at night and told me she loved me the most in the entire world. Why'd you take her away like that? Why'd you shove your claw into her stomach and out the back, revealing her spine? I don't understand!"

There was no reason.

Catrina tries to think back to what she felt.

_What did I feel?_

Angry. Angry. So fucking angry.

And hurt. Like a wounded animal striking out to protect itself. It can't be blamed, but it still did something _terrible_.

"An-and dad too, why'd you have to rip him apart like that? Did it feel good to make him scream when you thrust those damn bone-spears into his legs and arms and torso? Did you feel it when his left leg separated first and then his right arm slowly tore itself off?" The boy is sobbing now, his words layered with tears. A physical pain builds in Catrina's chest, a hollowness that she's all too aware of.

_Why did I kill him like that?_

Because he wouldn't stop coming at her. No matter how hard she tried to defend, he just _kept coming at her. _Catrina fired off shots to him that intentionally only left a small gash, but he still didn't react. He used abilities only a head Alpha could know, and she was just a trainee. Her magic wasn't on par with his. He should've killed her.

But Catrina is a Fanalis.

And she kicked and punched and left bruises that would never heal on his body. But he wouldn't stop. He was furious about Dalila, he was in agony over his wounds, and...And maybe he didn't want to lose to the daughter of the man who stole his first love away. Maybe his true love.

That thought made her snap.

How dare he make her do this in front of her mother. How dare he _think _he was _worthy _of her mother. She was going to _tear this piece of __**shit apart**_.

And she did.

But she doesn't feel good about it. She'll never feel good about it. There is no excuse for what she did to this boy's father.

"I…" Catrina can't say 'I'm sorry'. That's not enough. Catrina falls to her knees, and presses her forehead to the ground. "You're right."

"I killed both your parents. I killed them. I can't make an excuse, because human life is precious and I took that _away _from them, like I had some sort of right to pass such judgement. I can never, ever be forgiven. But, but...But Tendaji!" She snaps her head up to stare into his eyes. Water blurs her vision, tears falling steadily like rain down her cheeks. "There's not a day that goes by where I don't regret my actions! I always think of you, Dalila, Jabari, Faraji and all the others I mercilessly slaughtered! I think of you every _fucking day. _Please, please, don't let me by because you forgive me, do it because inside that house is someone so precious and innocent in all of this that I can't stand the thought of not being able to protect her…"

Her voice cracks hard and loud.

"Please...I don't wanna fight you...I never want to hurt my family ever again…" Tendaji is sniffling and coughing back his sobs.

"...I'll always hate you, Catrina Exsos. Always." He promises, stepping off the path. "I'm doing this because I'll never stoop to your level and hurt _your_ mother." She stands shakily and looks him in the eye, even though her face is red and she looks just as ugly as she really is.

"Thank you."

* * *

"MA-!" Barging into the room, Catrina expects to beat some stupid drunk ass. Instead, she walks right into her mother screaming at three tied up males on the floor and hitting them with a wet dishtowel. "-Ma?"

Aishia freezes. She turns around and sees Catrina, her lips quivering.

"Baby?" Instantly Catrina is in her mother's arms, crying softly into her dress. Aishia holds her daughter close and strokes her hair, voice shaking. "Oh my God, you're home! You finally came home!"

"You were waiting?"

"I'd wait a thousand years for you to come back, Kitten."

A flash of brilliant light, and suddenly Catrina's arms are empty.

"Mama?" But the house is gone. The goons are gone. Tendaji is gone. And her mom is gone, too.

* * *

Somewhere far away, a woman named Aishia pauses in her cooking. She looks up at her stretch of farmland and the little garden outside the kitchen window. Aishia smiles at the large tomatoes.

She feels love blossom in her chest.

"_I'd wait a thousand years, Kitten."_

* * *

This was a Dungeon.

Catrina had completely forgotten.

But it had felt so real! The smell, the air, the atmosphere-

…

She wasn't at home at all.

Catrina turns with her heavy feet and walks straight into Centola's embrace, deciding to never let go of the good feeling of her mother's arms.

"This Dungeon is warped."

"You're not the first to say that~" Pseudo sing-songs, prancing over to the group. "Are you ready to give up?"

"No." All three answer at once, surprising the fake-Djinn.

"Good. Losers aren't worthy to be King. Hey, Catrina, what is 'humbleness' to a King?"

"..." Catrina looks at Pseudo for a while. "To a King, humbleness is putting aside your own feelings for the good of others...For the good of your goal."

"...Good answer."

* * *

**2st Level: Humbleness **

**Challenger: Catrina**

**Answer: Correct**

* * *

A house at the edge of a forest.

A house on fire at the edge of a forest.

"Well...That seemed like it sucked, Hitomi."

"Shut up, Shade."

Nym walks up to them slowly.

"No hesitation...You must be determined."

"I am."

"...I...Well, that's good! I wish my brother Pseudo could see you! Hahaha!"

"Oh, I get it. Pseudo and Nym. _Pseudonym_. Har-har."

"What's next?"

"Now, now, Shade. Don't rush! What's cruelty, Hitomi?"

A harsh smile.

"Cruelty is crushing others for your goals."

Nym's brightness fades.

"Oh."

* * *

**1st Level: Cruelty **

**Challenger: Hitomi**

**Answer: Obscure**

* * *

"Time for the third test!" Pseudo announces, flashing a bright smile. "Guess who's next~?"

"Gee, I think it's Eren!" Catrina sarcastically answers, her hold tight on Centola, who shows no objection.

"Correct my friends!" Pseudo falters for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Centola asks cautiously, and the test administrator forces a laugh.

"Nothing, nothing! Let's get going, quickly!"

Once again, the land crumbles underfoot and into blackness they fall.

"Third level: love!"

* * *

**2st Level: Humbleness **

**Challenger: Shade(?)**

**Answer: ?**

* * *

"Shit, man." Shade doesn't respond to Hitomi's words nor his low whistle.

The blade in his hands is wet with the blood of attackers, and the crying girl behind him refuses to look at him. He refuses to look at her.

_I once thought I was good. Now I'm not sure. _

"Humbleness is forgetting yourself to help others." Nym surveys the scene.

"...Correct."

* * *

**2st Level: Humbleness **

**Challenger: Shade(?)**

**Answer: Correct**

* * *

**3rd Level: Love **

**Challenger: Eren**

**Answer: ?**

* * *

Eren knew what was happening.

He was going to be thrust into some freaky-ass situation and forced to kill someone he loves (like Centola) or bow in front of someone who hates him (like Catrina).

(Disgusting.)

It was disgusting.

Seere was one sick fuck, of course that's a given considering his elder brother is the creepiest Djinn Eren saw in the manga. That mask always gave Charlie the shivers, and he wasn't exactly sure why. But Eren was confused.

Who exactly was going to appear before him? He didn't hate anyone and wasn't hated by anyone...As far as he knew, at least. Plus this level is 'love', right? Shouldn't this be easy? Oh crap, what is love? He's suppose to answer Seere right?

For Centola and Catrina, their answers came easily. Bitterly, harshly, achingly, but easily. The words slipped from their mouths and to Pseudo's ears in a way that seemed painful and quick. Eren had wished to take their places, to handle all the raw pain himself for the sake of their peace of minds. But he couldn't, and he had to watch Centola's shaking sobs and Catrina's defeated bow.

He felt like...

He felt like he was watching his siblings being _humiliated_, and he couldn't do anything.

It pissed him off more than he could ever express into words. It made his blood pound in his veins and roar through his heart, shaking a core within him that was usually calm and mellow. Every inch of him exploded with the pure desire to wring Seere's fucking neck, and to destroy all the things in this world that could harm his sisters.

It made his vision go blurry and thoughts of terrible things feel right.

_That's_ how angry Eren was.

_This is a Dungeon, this is a Dungeon..._

Eren might be stupid, but he realized as soon as the floor gave away beneath him that if he forgot where he was, he was going to lose his battle. he's not like Catrina and Centola, to go smoothly with the scenario placed before them to complete the test. To do things that, if they occurred in real life, they would actually do.

To apologize and to kill.

To kill and to apologize

Eren wouldn't be able to do that.

He just isn't made to-

_This is a-_

This is home.

He should've known that he'd go back home.

Centola returned to Balbadd...Catrina back that that peaceful looking farming village.

Why wouldn't he appear at the base of the Chandlen Mountains, looking up at the tall pine trees and foggy forest? The pine needles crunched under his feet as he started walking, caught in a dream.

Home.

This must be what Centola and Catrina felt, right? It was this melancholy feeling that absorbed you, lead you up the old paths you recall and would never forget. But it was terrible too, because-

Because-

Because this is where you haven't been in so long, and there is no guarantee that it remembers you like you it.

But it's still home.

He enjoys the crispness of the air. Balbadd (though he'd never say this to Centola) smelled too much like hot salt and garbage for him, and while the scent of Catrina's homeland was something mellow, it was also vibrant and too...Constant for him. Sindria was nice but it was so cramped with citizens that the smells of decaying flowers overwhelmed him.

The Chandlen Mountains smelled fresh.

They didn't consume you with different scents, it just welcomed you with a whiff of pine and then left you alone to enjoy the coolness of the forest and variety of game animals. It was so...Gentle.

Like the people.

The Chandlens had pride for their seasoned and exceptional hunters, but they also cherished their colorful artworks and master dishes prepared by the womenfolk. The Chandlen women were master cooks and artisans, spending most of their time perfecting their skills and exploring each others designs. His mother, Uzza, was like that. She was a wonderful chef, and to be honest she sort of overfed him.

Then again, he usually eats a lot to maintain his enormous muscle mass, but that's not the point.

The morning sun raises behind him, illuminating the fog. It was beautiful and surreal.

He trudges on up the paths, a smile tugging at his lips.

To be back here after five years of travel...It makes him wonder what had changed. Had any of his sisters found good husbands? Did his brother Makin have any more children with his wife? What of his (favorite) brother Haroun? How was he? And Hanif! His father! Did he become chief of the lodge like Uzza always teased him about doing?

Now that he thinks about it, Makin must be forty-one. After all, he is twenty years older than Eren. What a strange, strange thought. Every one must've gotten older, actually.

...

His mother is fifty-seven. His father is fifty-nine. Are they...Are they still alive?

The fifties are a harsh age in this world. Rural folks, like farmers, don't always live past age fifty. Those in the city with access to medical care and make a good living can definitely make it to that age, but...

...

_Are_ his parents still alive?

The thought makes him quicken his pace. What if they're not? What if he never got to see them again? Why hadn't he _realized that he never **said goodbye to his father?**_

Then the Chandlen Compounds comes into view.

He slows, because this is definitely not what he had been expecting.

For one thing, it was larger than he remembered. In fact, he wasn't even halfway up the mountain, where it was suppose to be, and yet it's already here, a quarter of the way down.

That's when he realizes why.

People.

People milling around, green haired and brown haired, mostly, chatting and laughing together.

Did...

His head connects the dots. The compound had been opened to strangers...And now it was twice the size it had previously been. _It was much, much bigger_. He walks out into the open, really hating his height, and tries acting casual as he walks into the Compound. The people notice him. They turn to him, their eyes big, and he wonders if he looks weird or something.

The whispers start.

_What?_

Then-

"Chief! Chief's back!" Chief? Where?

Someone rushes up to him. He stumbles as they tackle him in a hug, laughing.

"Chief Eren!" Huh? "Welcome home! How was ya trip?"

"Uh- Good?" He poses this like a question, but the boy takes it as a confirmation, smiling.

"I'm so happy you're back!" His face takes a dark turn. "_She's _been rilin' people up."

_She?_

A crowd forms around him, pulling him through the large dirt paths through the Compound. The laughter escalates, and calls of, 'Yo, Chief!' and more echo off the wood lodges. He follows only because this is new to him and he'd rather like to see his family, but they seem to be pulling him in a new direction, up the mountain still but also toward a crowded city center.

"Where are we goin'?" A man to his left answers him.

"Sorry Chief, but we'd like to get this 'business' finished quickly."

"What business?"

"The execution." Eren balks, the blood draining from his face. An Execution? Why? What did the person do? And most importantly...Who?

They arrive at the center, and Eren's question is answered.

Disbelief.

Denial.

Coursing thing through his body, running like ice through his veins. How could she be the one they want to _execute? _There's no way-

_This is a Dungeon._

It's not real. It's not real. None of this is real. He should've guessed that the second someone called him 'Chief'. This is nothing. This doesn't count as a betrayal if he's just trying to clear the stage by doing what the sick bastard Seere wants...Right?

Bad stands before him.

Her hands were tied behind her back, but she had that triumphant twinkle in her eye that she always seems to have even when she's in a bad situation. It glows brighter when she sees him. Her purple dress was dirty and her hair ratty because no one had bothered to brush it, but she still looked every bit like the arrogant little brat she was. The smirk playing on her lips intensifies.

"Hey, Chief!" She jokes, the tips of her teeth showing through a crack between her lips. She's making fun of him like she always does, _Chief _dipped in a sort of hidden humor that they both understand. "How's business?"

"Good," He responds because what else is he suppose to do? "How's bein' tied up?"

"It's...Dang it I had something for this!" Her face scrunches up in concentration. "Something about rope...Or was it string?"

"..." He's suppose to kill her? The Chandlens around him uncomfortably shift. A hunter to his right comes up with a sword.

"Chief, if you will..." He motions to Bad, as if it should be obvious what he's saying.

It's not.

Kill her, huh?

Kill the one single person in this world and the last that actually made him feel special, huh?

No. Not feel special...Made him special. She needed him, and he was there for her. He needed her just as much as she needed him, but in his case it was because he was alone and ordinary and stuck in a world full of magic but he didn't even know it. He needed her to show him how to get to glory, and she led him down a road of brilliance and wonder.

Bad gave him the keys to the world.

Why would he kill someone as precious as her?

"Chief," The hunter insists, pushing the sword into his hands. He takes steps forward. Bad's eyes sparkle even more.

_This is a Dungeon._

This isn't his Bad.

"I'm glad it's you," Bad looks up at him. She's always been so tiny compared to his gigantic physique. "I'd really prefer it if it was you."

What does she expect him to do with those words? Accept them? Murder her?

No.

That's not-

_She's not my Bad._

She's not his Bad.

He raises the sword, his his arm is weak. He's weak.

"I..."

"Ne, didn't we have fun?" Her eyes close. "Didn't we do so much? I'm happy."

"...I..."

"You and me...Like always. This is a nice ending...For me."

"...You..."

"...I love you, Brother. I'll always be with you-"

**Clang**

"Ya _Idiot_!" The sword fell out of his hands. He drops to his knees before her, pulling her into his arms. "Ya self-centered idiot! Don't ya think about anyone else? Don't ya realize that if ya die, Catrina and I won't be able to stand it? Stop bein' so selfish!"

"Eri-?"

"I won't let ya leave me! Catrina...Catrina could get over your death, but not me." His voice turns broken. "Don't you get that? I wouldn't be able to stand it."

"Chief-" A Chandlen starts. Eren turns to him, snarling.

"No. If this is what it takes to become Chief, I don't want it." He stands with Bad in his arms. He clears his throat. "_Seere_! Ya shitty _motherfucker_! Listen up 'cause ya obviously don't understand me and what I want!"

The Chandlens all still at once and fade away like mirages.

"My goal ain't makin' a country. It's not becoming a King. This girl," He holds Bad closer, clutching her like she's precious, which she is. "This girl _is _my goal! And I love her!"

"You love her?"

The Bad in his arms hugs him, tightly.

"Of course I do," Eren rests his chin on her head. "She's my everything."

Pseudo appears in front of him.

"...Not a bad answer, Eren."

* * *

**3rd Level: Love **

**Challenger: Eren**

**Answer: Correct**

* * *

"To be alone is to be a lack of everything you are, and an entirety of truth."

Is that a lie?

What a pretty lie.

But what an ugly meaning.

* * *

**Tales to Know**

Why Bad Didn't Know Aladdin was a Pervert

**The Other**

It was a nice day in Balbadd. The birds were chirping, Hakutei was babbling to him about his tutors ("And one keeps on _farting_, Uncle! Can you believe that? Like, he's talking about the 'history of Balbadd' and then *fart noise*! Seriously!"), and overall, things were peaceful.

"Hm? No, that's totally unbelievable!" Aladdin answers, smiling at his friend's son. The boy beams and nods his head as if that was the answer he wanted.

"Can you help me tell Dad to get rid of him?" The magi shrugs.

"Sure. Where's Alibaba?"

"I dunno." Alibaba walks into the play room. "Just kidding!"

"What're you two up to?"

"We're talking about the old tutor who farts!" Aladdin blinks. Huh, he missed that part. Alibaba chokes on his spit.

"O-oh?"

"Yeah! I swear, it's loud and _wet_! I think he even sharted one time because he got this horrified look on his face and had to leave the roo-"

"Okay how about we take a break from that, Tei." Alibaba quickly interrupts, ushering his son up and out the door. Aladdin chuckles, following. After sending Hakutei to go find his mother, Alibaba turns to his old friend. "Oh yeah, Aladdin, I have a question to ask about Kouhime."

"What about her?"

"Is she...Unaware of your 'manly interests'?" Instantly Aladdin stops and grabs Alibaba's shoulders, pinning him with a steady gaze. Slowly, as if talking Alibaba down from a ledge, he asks,

"You didn't say anything to her, right?"

Alibaba's eyes narrow.

"You didn't tell her that you're a closet perv."

"You didn't say anything, _right_?"

"Holy crap she doesn't know her boyfriend used to randomly grab women's breasts." The humorous tone in his voice is intensely ominous to Aladdin.

"Alibaba," He says this with complete seriousness. "Do _not _tell Hime, okay-"

Too late.

Alibaba's already running.

"Oh, you _bitch_!" Aladdin calls after him, running as well.

* * *

It was a nice day in Balbadd. The birds were chirping, Hakuei was babbling to her about Hakutei's tutors ("And one keeps on _farting_, Kouhime. It's disgusting. One minute he's talking about the 'history of Balbadd' and then I swear a building explodes. _I can smell it through the door._"), and overall, things were peaceful.

"That's bad," Kouhime absentmindedly comments, thoughts drifting. Hakuei nods seriously.

"I need to talk to Alibaba about it."

"Hey you two!" The grin the King of Balbadd wore was borderline creepy.

"Speak of the devil!" Hakuei greets her husband.

"I sent Hakutei to go find you, could you go get him?"

"Of course. Be right back!" Kouhime smiles at Alibaba, and the King most definitely smiles back at her.

"Hey, Hime..."

"Yes?"

"Did you know that Al used to-"

Suddenly and without warning, a flash of blue comes out of no where and full on body tackles Alibaba, pinning him to the ground. The King's mouth is covered with a hand, and a ruffled looking Aladdin peers up at her, forcing a smile.

"Hey Hime, how's the weather?"

"...Good?"

"Good! I think Alibaba and I'll take a little walk, see you later!"

(And that is why Bad never knew that Aladdin was a pervert.)

* * *

**Fun Fact: **Eren doesn't get a lot of his own screen time, despite being one of the strongest OCs.

**Fun Fact: **Catrina's mother believed in a gentle parenting style.

* * *

Whenever I read other people's stories, it makes me want to write. That happen to you? BTW SORRY FOR BEING SO LATE HOLY SHIEBE. I do not know how the days flew by so quickly, they just did. Oh and my laptop broke (again, and yes, I BROKE IT IN THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE STOP BEING JUDGMENTAL GOD). So yeah, that made me really depressed and now I'm using my dad's computer to write. Also I have summer homework for an asshole AP course I'm taking next year, so that sorta bitchslapped me pretty hard.

**Kouen Monologue in the Beginning: **I wish I could tell you this was foreshadowing, but it's kinda not. I just felt like adding to the 'what it means to be king' theme of this chapter.

**Seere: **This Dungeon was one tough bitch (excuse profanity and pretend Seere is female). To choose a King Vessel, Seere split his Dungeon into three 'levels of kingliness', each representing a quality that Seere believed a true King should possess. Which of course were...

**First Level: **The first level was 'cruelty' or to make decisions other cannot. Centola faced this challenge and had to kill Khadeja because the woman begged her to do it to foil Al Thamen's plan.

**Second Level: **The second level was 'humbleness', or to set aside your own feelings for the good of others. Catrina, in this instance had to accept Tendaji's anger and beg him to save her mother.

**Third Level: **The final level which was 'love', or to never give up on your goals. Eren was told to kill Bad for the good of his country, but Eren refused to do it even though he was aware it wasn't the real Bad, stating that a country was never his aim and that Bad '_is_ his goal'. This was what Seere wanted, to show that even if you stoop low to achieve your dreams, you should never abandon them.

**Shade and Hitomi: **AND THE AL THAMEN GOONS STRIKE!

**Tales to Know: **My version of omakes, but they're often depressing (sorry?). This one was funny though, and I have to hand it to a friend of mine for that (Jankitty) XD

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	27. Chapter 26: Saints and Sinners

Who has two thumbs, is about 2 months late and tired AF? This girl! That's right, your wonderful Gold Sparrow is finally back in the business! My excuse goes as follows: Alg 2/trig sucks ass, AP Euro is a bitch, and apparently writing a goddamn autobiography is the appropriate assignment to give to sophomores on the first week of school. Plus writers block. Plus no motivation. Plus DBZ abridged, which I recommend VERY MUCH.

In other words, I apologize very, very, very much. But hey, I got something done for y'all! One more chapter of the Dungeon Blues Arc and we're on to World Adventures, baby!

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SEVENTH ARC: **Dungeon Blues

CHAPTER 26: Saints and Sinners

* * *

We must ask a question.

"How does fate choose its victims?"

What a question, yeah?

What is the answer? Surely there must be one, as their is an explanation to all things. But, in the end, there is two ways to think of this.

The first way is this: fate is a pre-existing thing that guides us forward. It draws lines in the sand of possibility, and keeps us within the borders in which we exist. We are not necessarily trapped, but unaware of our own inabilities, and move forward according to the arrows paved in our paths. We are destroyed by the curves of fate's will, and we are created by its turns. Fate is the entirety of ourselves and made of the predetermined steps we'll someday take.

…

Dunya was surprised by the pink haired girl.

She was a petite little thing, seemingly carved out of porcelain and inlaid with precious jewels and silk. She seemed sweet, at least her appearance was, and in need of a knight. Like her. Yes, the little girl reminded Dunya of herself in terms of daintiness and Princess-esque mannerisms.

Except Dunya had her capable Knight Isaac, and this little girl only had that scraggly-looking blonde boy holding her bridal style.

Why would anyone bring a little girl into a Dungeon? Probably the same reason they'd bring a little boy like the one who pried open the doors toward the Treasury.

Oh well.

It's really a shame they have to die.

Bloody rubies meet insidious topazes, and the two Princesses catch a glimpse of the other's face. Enraptured, Dunya points her rock dragon toward the children and their teenage companions and sighs out in a melancholy voice,

"Crush them."

With cat-like grace, the pink haired child shoots away from the teen holding her and points up a beautifully gleaming staff at them.

"_Sharrar Asfal Baraq_"

_Huh?_

That was the last thought she had before her rock dragon connected with an ice dragon.

* * *

"Go!" It was her scream that graced the air, full of demand. As if they didn't realize why she was saying it or unconsciously understood what she was doing, her companions rushed inside the now open doorway.

Bad stayed outside, riding on top of a dragon made of ice and wind. The rock dragon in which her opponents stood atop skittered back and the Al Thamen agents all hissed out disapproval. She felt disgusting inside, her bruises moaning and spitting blood down her back, soaking through the bandages they were wrapped in. The strength it took to create this dragon wasn't something she could easily dismiss, and to be honest she was running low on that wonderful little substance called magoi.

(Screwed. She is totally screwed.)

But Bad grins like she won the lotto.

"Hi friends!" She chirps. "You didn't just try to attack us from behind, right? Of course not! That's extremely rude, after all."

"...Exactly what are you trying to accomplish, child?" She tries to will her eyes not to turn to the voice talking to her, but it proves to be impossible.

Ithnan.

"_Are you going to try again?_

"_...Yes."_

"_..." The __black and gold checkered mask stares down at her. "Why do you never say 'no'?"_

"_...Shoul__d I?"_

"_Yes."_

"_But...When?" Ithnan sighs, sitting on the roka. Kouhime pads over to him, hesitating as he pats the spot beside him. _

_Ithnan takes off his mask and unveils his face covered by the cloth. He reveals to her his sharp purple eyes and messy blonde hair, but she finds herself staring at his goatee. As if realizing what she's thinking, the older man grasps his chin and glares at her._

"_...You were just thinking my goatee looked bad, weren't you?!"_

"_What? No!" Despite his glaring eyes, his lips form a smile._

"_That's when you say 'no', kid."_

"Ehhh? What're you asking, oji-san?" She can tell his eyes are narrowing despite the distance. A smirk adorns her face. "Don't you know what I'm doing already? Or has Gyokuen refrained from telling you that as well?"

He growls. Literally.

"I won't be talked down upon by a mere girl."

"Mere girl?" She echoes, relishing his disdain. "How rude of you~ should you really be speaking to Al Thamen's valuable Princess like that~?"

"_Ithnan, I did it!" Excitement fills her. _

"_Good job, Kouhime." Ithnan does that rare thing he does; lifts her onto his lap. "You're a good girl."_

"_...Really?" Affection was something Kouhime barely got, excluding the occasions when Gyokuen came by and smothered her with it. And, when she thinks of it, that strange woman with the droopy eyes that sometimes visited from Parthevia. Ithnan pats her head, smoothing down her hair in a soothing manner._

"_Yes. You're Al Thamen's valuable Princess."_

* * *

Dunya looks confused.

"Ithnan, what in the world is she talking about?"

Ithnan was confused as well.

An inkling of…Something flickers in the back of his mind. Something slowly forming into a thought, which would awaken the memories of who or what this child is. But for the moment, he was unaware and in need of some explanation as to why she would call herself 'Al Thamen's Princess'.

"What's your name?" Ithnan slowly asks, watching her expression.

"Hm~? You should know that, oji-san~ I don't expect Dunya to know, but really, you should be more aware of Gyokuen's plans, yes?" She fiddles with her ponytail, tsking. "Well, my name is Bad."

_Bad._

That's weirdly familiar...He thinks back to his conversations with Gyokuen. Of course, some were long and challenging infused with the bite of regret and the fury of how to continue on, while others were as simple as saying hello.

_Bad._

He's heard the name. He's had to, otherwise it wouldn't seem so familiar.

Then he realizes where it's from.

"_Lady Gyokuen, I've heard the reports on what has happened in Balbadd. Is it true that Judal was persuaded into destroying Marrkio's clone?" _

"_...Yes. It is true."_

"_Yet the Holy Keeper lied about the matter to the point you had to drag him in front of the entire court. Is it possible he's the one who arranged this-"_

"_No, Asad is and will remain under my thumb. He doesn't have the means to do something like this against Al Thamen...It was _Bad's _doing."_

"_What?"_

"_Hm? Oh no, don't mind me."_

"Bad," More memories flicker through him. Sheba's staff, Gyokuen's plans, a scared woman in chains twelve years ago… His eyes narrow."You're that dreadful girl Gyokuen made."

"Not necessarily made, per say," Bad taps her chin, unable to hide her amused expression. "Oh, I was so worried you wouldn't remember me, oji-san! Even though I know so much about you~"

"What do you want?" She tilts her way like a puppy would, with eyes that are confused and a lower lip that slightly goes forward. As if what she wants should be completely obvious.

"To kill you, obviously."

* * *

They were halfway toward the staircase leading to the treasury when Aladdin realized that Bad wasn't behind them. It was a quick peek back, a headcount, and then ice running over the skin of his back. His mind, which had been flying with thoughts and thinking ahead screeched to a halt and lowered itself back into his head, images of that reckless girl soaking into his brain.

"Where's Bad?!" He yells to Alibaba, whose face goes pale.

"She- She stayed behind!"

Anger.

It was surprising that he felt angry, because this was Alibaba. His precious friend who he loved and treasured.

But…

_But?_

Why was there a 'but'?

There shouldn't be a 'but'. And even if there was one, it shouldn't be soaked with such despair and worry. So why was there one?

Aladdin slams on his breaks.

That's a question he wants to have answered. So he turns back and starts running toward the open doors.

In that instant, the wall separating Bad and him explodes.

* * *

"...Not a bad answer, Eren." Eren nods self-righteously.

"No crip."

"Crip?"

"I decided I wasn't gonna swear fronta Catrina and Bad anymore."

"You called me a 'shitty motherfucker' about fifty seconds ago."

"Nooo," Eren rolls his eyes. "I called _Seere_ a shibby mother-lover." Pseudo stares at him.

And cracks up.

"I'm Seere," It's around that moment where Eren realizes that Pseudo's eyes weren't the same vibrant green anymore, but a bright blue. "I figured if you were going to call me out specifically, I might as well come."

Eren freezes.

He swore at a Djinn.

HE SWORE AT A DJINN.

"Hey, so, sorry I kinda said that…" He apologizes awkwardly, shifting Bad in his arms. "Well, I totally mean what I said but that's not the point."

Seere just laughs some more.

A flash of bright light, and Bad disappears. His eyes widen and his heart does this strange ba-dump that is a lot stronger than his usual heartbeats and makes him stumble. He flushes, remembering that the Bad he held was a fake.

It hurts.

Is she okay? Does she need him? He swears to God- _Solomon_\- that if that stupid son of a bitch Zagan did something to her then-

"Ouch!" His cuff heats up and burns his wrist, Myeshia scolding him in her own way.

"_Those are bad thoughts, my King," _She whispers in his mind. "_Do not love so much as to hate."_

He feels a prick of shame.

_Sorry, Myeshia._

The burn turns to a sweet hum.

The scenery disappears in a bright flash, but instead of the ground falling out from under them it was instead replaced with a large circular room, built-in shelves holding loads upon loads of treasure that shined ethereally. Beyond a mountain of coins Seere stands, and grows larger and larger until he appears to glow like the clouds at daybreak, blue as the sky. Pseudo really was a copy of him, but suddenly the short-ish hairstyle he sported disappeared as Seere's hair tumbled down to his waist in sleek waves interwoven with vines and leaves, which he played with nonchalantly.

In a puff of white smoke, Pseudo appears with Catrina's arm in one hand and Centola's in the other.

"We're here, boss! Please choose quickly!" Eren almost disregards Pseudo's impatience expect for the way his eyes dart around the treasury. Seere studies him and nods, understanding.

"Alright," The mighty Djinn lifts himself up and booms, "Where is the one who would be King?"

Catrina, Eren and Centola lift up their arms hesitantly at the same time.

"My name is Seere, Djinn of Obsession and Glory," His eyes scan over them. "I was created by my beloved King Solomon. As Master of this Dungeon, I hereby state that you three have cleared-"

A rumble.

A deep, deep rumble that starts to shake and rock the Treasury in a way that makes it hard to stand. Even Seere appears disoriented, his jaw slackening.

"We're too late," Pseudo lunges at Eren with the two girls still in his grasp, pushing them into his arms. Dust on the ceiling starts to fall down onto their shoulders. "Listen, we're sending you-"

The roar of the- is it an earthquake?- drowns out pieces of the sentences.

"Don't panic-It'll be alright-To the bottom-Go and-You'll win!"

"What?!"

The floor gives away under them.

* * *

Bad definitely wanted to get a ruse out of them.

But Dunya has some serious anger management issues.

A single second after she said, 'To kill you, obviously', Dunya flickered her wand and the rock dragon leapt forward through the air. She flinched back and on it's own accord Sheba glowed, compelling the ice dragon to dodge to the side and snap it's tail at the head of the rock-beast. Not expecting this the Al Thamen troop bounce on the head and held on tightly as their beast was knocked into the wall, Ithnan shouting something at Dunya about remaining calm.

Bad regains her bearings.

And instantly swings Sheba toward them. The ice dragon lunges for its opponent and slams it against the wall- _hard._

A deep groan, a single crack, and then the wall caves inward.

_Zagan, your Dungeon sucks._

She drops onto her stomach, her face pressed against the cold ice, and squeezes her eyes shut as both dragons fall through a cascade of stone to the other side. She prays to the love of her life's father that she'll make it through.

Through her eyelids Sheba once again shines.

The ice dragon cracks and breaks, the ice melting into water that reaches up and shields her as she flies through the air, a tidal wave forming below her that tickles her legs and safely carries her through the storm of stone.

She washes up with her knees on the floor and Sheba in her lap, looking around herself with bewilderedness.

"She-chan, I told you not to act on your own," Bad quickly scolds, watching the piece of metal. A moment passes and she sighs. "Well, I suppose I do owe you a thank you. You're the best."

The Stave shimmers.

"But you wasted the magoi I charged you with. I can't refill you right now, so I might need to call out another Stave just in case." Sheba heats up under her cold fingers with disagreement. "What do you mean, 'I still have some'! You can't trick me, missy! If you're out of my magoi you can't act on your own, and since you pulled that stupid rabbit-attacking fiasco earlier, you're very lo-"

"Bad!"

"Eep!" Bad twists and stares toward the voice, pretending that she most definitely was not just talking to her staff. She blinks. "Al?"

"Bad! Are you alrigh-"

"You idiot!" She didn't mean to snap at Aladdin, but she hops to her feet and glowers harshly, gripping Sheba. "I told you to run! Why else would I stay back?!"

Aladdin gapes at her, stopping a few feet away. He looks down, his bangs covering his eyes.

"If you get to the Djinn, then Al Thamen won't win!"

"..." Aladdin's hands fist, she notices.

"I can handle these-"

"You're more important!" He explodes. His eyes burrow into hers, blaring out intensity that she shies away from. "You're the idiot! Don't you understand that no matter how strong you are or what airs you put on you still need help? What good is it to hurt yourself for us?! We're not going to thank you for staying behind, stupid!"

_He never called me stupid before. _

It..._Stung_.

"You're ten times more important than that perverted Djinn, so stop thinking that I won't come back for you!" He crosses to her, his lips curling inward and his eyes looking hurt instead of angry. "I-I-"

"...But I'm not important," She whispers, enraptured by his eyes. Those beautiful, beautiful eyes. "I'm _not_, Al."

"Of course you are," He responds, the hurt intensifying. His voice is softer now. "Don't you get that in the end sometimes you have to think about yourself? Do you ever do that, Bad?"

Does she ever do that?

No, no now's not the time to be thinking about this- but if not now, then when? Tomorrow? The day afterwards?

No.

She would have placed it in the back of her head where it would never resurface.

It's always 'save the world', 'save everyone', 'protect this disgusting planet of mine'. But why is it always that? Why can't she be happy?

But this is her choice. She chose this path. So why can't she be happy while doing it? Why has she forsaken her life solely for the purpose of destroying Al Thamen? Doesn't she deserve to be happy?

(Maybe she was never meant to be happy.)

And yet she has been happy. At the Maharagan. Studying magic with Yamu and Aladdin. Making fun of that annoying Prince-y.

So why-

She feels tired suddenly. She always goes back to feeling tired. Tired of the two lives she's lived so far, tired of the constant keeping track of what she's said and to who, tired of the mind games and trickery and aggression and fighting.

Sick and tired of the wars she's fought...In the Other and now.

"...I'll try," She tells him finally, sighing. "I'll try to think about myself, Aladdin. I really will. I just...I don't think I have any time for that."

"Bad!" Her eyes flicker up again, and she groans.

"Seriously Ali-baka? How're _you _supposed to help?"

"Nice to see you too, brat."

**Boom!**

"Oh no,"

"Oh no? Why?" Alibaba turns toward the sound of the noise, and Bad cringes.

"I totally forgot. We have company."

* * *

Seere furrows his eyebrows in thought, clicking his tongue in concentration. Pseudo does this strange antsy thing he does and honestly it's not working for the Djinn.

"Pseudo, where's Nym?" Seere barks, and the tinier copy hops from foot to foot.

"I don't know," He blurts in response, looking around him. "I-I think that he's with those other two-"

Another deep rumble shakes the treasure room.

"What the hell are they doing?"

"I don't know!" Pseudo throws his hands up. Finding no help in his, well, _help_, Seere turns away and toward a shimmering mirror that appears with a flick of his hand. On it the three adventurers fall through the blackness, and Seere lets out a breath.

He pulls a scenery from his mind, imagining the large grassy land of his old home on Alma Torran, of the three suns shining down and the tall trees that held delicous blue fruits. There were wildflowers that contained precious little beings that sparkled and shined and large, twisting flowers in a rainbow of colors that grew where they walked. In the distance a large chasm split apart his tribe's land and the sparse landscape of the desert.

He watches it come alive under the three people's feet, and they look around with wide eyes. Then he goes to a more dangerous task, and opens up the ground beneath the other two challenger's feet, praying to Solomon that Al Thamen won't win.

* * *

And the second way to think about it: fate does not choose its victims. We bring about our own paths and influence others the same way others influence ours. We are beings that create ourselves and destroy ourselves, we make the choices that send ripples into a turbulent sea. Fate is merely the ebb and flow of humanity's steps forward.

…

Dunya, once again, came face to face with the tiny girl and her companions. Except now, instead of feeling pity for the poor thing being tossed into the Dungeon, she only felt disdain and annoyance.

"Bad," She starts slowly, tasting the strange name on her tongue. "Destroying my rock dragon was very rude of you. You even stained my dress!" It was true, the pink skirts she had fluttering around her legs had streaks of dirt all along the fabric.

Ithnan doesn't seem concerned with her predicament, but Isaac draws his sword, insulted on behalf of his Princess. She's flattered by the action, though she is not looking for a fight at the moment and raises a hand to stop him. Reluctantly the knight sheathes his sword and steps back.

"However, I too have been rude, attacking so suddenly." She curtsies. "Let us start again. My name is Dunya Musta'sim of the Musta'sim Kingdom. This is my personal Knight, Isaac. I suppose you already know Ithnan, with how you spoke to him."

"I am quite aware of who you are," Bad replies, spinning her long, golden staff. "However I do believe that the Musta'sim Kingdom was dissolved and replaced by Magnostadt ten years ago. Could it be you wish to revive your long-dead dynasty?"

Dunya's shoulders both involuntarily flinch noticeably, but her face doesn't move an inch from it's serene expression.

_How impudent. _

A little girl talking about her Musta'sim like she understands anything about it? About the spring and flowers and the Palace she grew up in? How dare she speak a single _word _about Musta'sim or Magnostadt, the tratorious academy concerned with only their own personal _agenda_.

"Actually," But being calm is the only way to resolve her anger. "I do. That's why I would like to ask a favor; please allow us to conquer this Dungeon. This is a task asked of us by the organization, so…"

The blue haired boy stares up at her with a blank expression, matched by his two companions.

"That's impossible. We cannot allow the organization to have Zagan."

"I see…" Dunya shrugs. Of course they wouldn't understand anything, how could foolish people like them possibly sympathize with her? It saddens her that things must come to this, but obtaining Zagan is necessary for the resurrection of her country. "So what you're saying is that to be the conquerors, we have to kill all of you with my dark metal vessel."

"Dark metal vessel?" Alibaba confusedly repeats, and Ithnan motions his hand to Dunya to explain.

"A dark metal vessel is created by the organization, whereas Solomon's white Metal Vessels are created by him. The white Metal Vessels use white Rukh as 'food', whereas ours use black Rukh as 'food'." His voice drops. "You saw a black Djinn before, right? That's what a metal vessel does. Only, the way we made that Slum boy turn into a Djinn was different than the way we usually create Djinns."

Dunya studies as King Alibaba's face slowly drains of it's color, a fascinating show of emotion she can't look away from.

"Ithnan, Isaac, don't interfere," She raises her dark metal vessel, pointing it toward her stomach. "I will prove my power to the organization."

Then she shoves the blade through her body.

* * *

Instead of the white flash that instantly created a landscape, they land in a whoosh of air in a zone of blurry, indecisive colors. They twist around, watching with wonder as the colors gather and melt into objects and shapes, a distorted mess whipped together in the blink of an eye.

Then it takes form, and Centola gasps.

"Whoa."

"I feel," Eren furrows his eyebrows. "Those are some big-arse trees."

"Why did he send us here?" Catrina asks nervously, her eyes still puffy from the tears she had shedded. "I thought we finished all the trials!"

Centola thinks, trying to ignore the splitting headache at the thought of the trials.

_Eren got lucky. _

It was a cruel thing to think, but it was true. Catrina had to relive the worst night of her life, Centola had to kill one of her trusted friends, and Eren…

Eren had to kill Bad, but in the end he didn't. He didn't, and he still passed.

_If I didn't, would I've passed?_

Yes? No? If so, then why didn't she do it? Why did she-

_Cruelty._

But-

_Cruelty._

But she's not cruel! She's not, she's not...She can't be, because Khadeja was suffering she- she ended it and- and-

No.

No, no more thinking about it. No more pain and suffering and knives that go in easily.

The wind blows through her hair, drifting to her the scent of flowers and leaves.

"Something caused that earthquake," Centola tells her companions, looking at them unflinchingly. "This isn't another test. Whoever did that wants the Djinn, and isn't willing to let us win. So…"

"You think Seere sent us here to talk to him?" Eren knots his eyebrows. "The earthquake-maker, I mean."

Centola nods.

"Yes and no. I think he sent us here…"

A rush of strong wind, and two figures are dropped on the ground a little distance away.

"...To fight them."

* * *

Ithnan didn't know this girl.

But for some reason, she felt…Familiar. Her black Rukh flutter to him as if they know him while her white Rukh shy away. Her eyes hold the sheen of recognition. She seems…Angry at him. Amused by him. Saddened by him.

"It's strange," She starts, Sheba's stave glimmering beside her. "I thought killing all of the members of Al Thamen would make me feel- what's the word!- Oh, whole. Instead its more melancholy, you know?"

He didn't know.

"You think you'll be able to destroy Al Thamen, girl?"

"Well of course," She answers, her lips twitching into a smirk that feels...Threatening. "It's funny, actually. Al Thamen created me, and I will destroy it."

Dunya was fighting the silly magi and Isaac the wanna-be King vessel. That left the both of them staring at each other and awaiting their next move. Bad's eyes flicker over to the remains of the wall Dunya smashed open, and her teeth are flashed as if finding the memory of Dunya's attack hilarious. After Dunya shifted, they broke off into respective fights, with the young Prince Hakuryuu making a mad dash toward the Treasury with a little tribal girl and a broken Fanalis in tow.

Ithnan wishes he could say that he was able to go after him, but then that pink-haired illegitimate spawn of Koutoku, a chained woman and Gyokuen's sick mind got in the way.

The chained woman.

Bad held a little resemblance to her with her straight, silky hair and smooth skin, but otherwise she looked like the rest of Koutoku's children: pale, red-eyed, and pink-haired.

…

Except instead of holding a naturally devilish look to her, she had a sweet face. Her mother too had a sweet face.

"You look like her," He comments, and then blinks when he realized that he had spoken aloud.

She stares at him for a moment. She knows who he's talking about.

"You freed her." He goes rigid. Her face is still blank. "I suppose I should thank you, otherwise Gyokuen would've made her have more children like me."

Yes, well, he couldn't stop Gyokuen from making the chained woman have this demon, so he decided if he couldn't reason with Gyokuen, he'd free the prisoner. As if reading Ithnan's mind, the illegitimate daughter adds,

"She's dead now. She killed herself."

…_Oh._

"I see." He softly responds. She bows her head, and then bores those red eyes straight into his soul. She grins.

"Oh dear, does that upset you~? I do apologize~!" He doesn't like this girl. What child jokes about their own mother's death? "I wonder though, did you free that woman because you wanted to get back at Gyokuen or because she made you love her~? _Mother_ was always good at that~"

The way she says 'mother' is biting and cruel.

"Such a selfish woman. She used you to escape, and she killed herself without considering my feelings. How selfish, how selfish!" Ithnan grits his teeth.

"_Enough chatting_," He spits. "Are you going to fight me or uselessly stand there like the bastard you are?!"

Well, he wants her to attack. And now she is.

Sheba's staff glows and water pours out from the air, surrounding Bad. Her eyes are murderous, but that smile of hers is just excited.

"Bastard? I'm not exactly upset by your phrasing, oji-san~" She uses a slower, deeper voice now. "But if you insist, I'll get to killing you now!"

* * *

There were two of them.

Instantly Centola knew that she, Catrina and Eren had a major upper hand against their opponents-

"FuCk THIs DuNGEon!" One of them screeches, a man with blond hair and a heaving chest. The other doesn't seemed upset by his partner's outburst, though his face is obscured from view by a large hood, and his body hidden by a cloak.

"Stop being a pansy, Hitomi." The hooded one drones, but the blonde snaps, growling,

"Fuck you, Shade. Fuck. You." Shade merely gives a small shake of the head. "We- That was wrong. This Dungeon is _wrong _and how _dare _Seere. And Nym, that wuss. Hope he rots in hell."

Shade doesn't respond. Hitomi continues.

"Where's the Djinn?! I wanna talk to hi-" Then he spots Centola and her group. His face sours. "More illusions?"

"We're fellow Dungeon Capturers," Centola explains, eyeing them both. Hitomi has brown eyes and a crooked nose, wearing clothing much like a traveling desert merchant's, with a dark red sash wrapped around his waist with harem pants and a shirt. Shade is just a tall figure in a brown cloak.

"'Fellow' Dungeon Capturers?" Hitomi almost mocks. "_We're _here to capture Seere, not you three…" He studies them. "Freaks."

His anger seems to have disappeared in a second. Suddenly he seems composed, orderly. It unnerves Centola slightly.

Catrina smoothly shifts into a defensive position, wearily surveying their opponents as her shoulders pull back and her knees bend, chin drawing downward. Eren seemingly casually leans back on his heels, but his arms are bent in such a way that he could do a Djinn Equip in a snap.

Cockily, Hitomi sneers at them.

"Hey, how about you just give up and let us capture the Dungeon? We'll let you live." He says it like it's a rare gift, something that they should instantly accept without delay.

"No way," Eren narrows his eyes. "We got here first."

Not necessarily the best opposition, but Centola adds their other reasons as well.

"And we won't let Al Thamen get the Metal Vessel," Her voice is strong and unwavering. She doesn't care who gets the Djinn as long as it's not one of these two.

"No?" Hitomi's face starts to get very red. "_No?" _Centola blinks at his tone, getting higher and higher in pitch. "What do you think of _that_, partner?"

Shade says nothing.

"Whatever. _Whatever. _It didn't have to come to this, but I guess I have no choice!" Hitomi grabs a black knife hidden in his sash, and Centola has an instant realization. Shade seems to realize as well, as he rushes away from his partner.

"Don't!" Centola screams, but it's too late, and Hitomi shoves the blade into the flesh of his abdomen.

He laughs, a hysterical, loud cackle that comes out like the cracking of glass. Blood pours out into his hands, spilling over the blade and pooling into his palms. It splatters all over the grass and oozes out onto his skin, staining the white of his pants red.

The blade sinks in and in until it disappears, and Hitomi's skin turns gray. He grins at them, walking forward slightly as black birds start to wiggle their way into the jagged cut he inflicted into his own skin, like bugs crawling into a hole.

Suddenly he's covered with the black Rukh, his entire body black as they feast on him, laying themselves layer by layer onto his skin. He grows tall and large, and then, there is a Djinn before them.

Bile rises in Centola's throat.

_Just like what happened to Kassim._

But Kassim didn't inflict the wound on himself. He was tricked into turning into a Djinn, he was forced to.

This man chose to do it.

The Dark Djinn- Hitomi- was taller than Kassim was, his head was squarish with long spiralling ram horns on top of his head, framing the edges of his large jaw. He opens his mouth and instead of one, _three_ layers of teeth bare at them. His shoulders are bulky, as if wearing football shoulder padding, as was his chest, but it tapered off at his waist- which was pinched like a shell. Two legs pop out awkwardly, small and growing larger toward the bottom until the knee, where it almost looks like black plates cover his legs and his massive feet.

He- It, really, has to crouch to support the mass of its upper body, its head thrusted forward because of the weight of its ram horns. It lets out terribly loud pants, making grunting noises.

_Dear God._

How could she be of use against _that? _She's never tried before, but Temptation magic might not be the best tactic against a mindless beast.

Catrina lets out a long breath, her eyes darting around to study everything about the opponent in front of her.

"So um, we're fighting that?" She asks softly, as if hoping one of the two others would tell her no. They don't respond. "Okay."

Eren touches his Metal Vessel, eyes locked with the Djinn as if to tell what it is planning to do next. Then he chants in a low voice,

_"Spirits of Justice and Balance,_

_Reside in my body,_

_Take my magoi and make me_

_Into a powerful Djinn!_

_Myeshia!"_

Eren's body is coated with thick colors and that take shape into his Djinn Equip, and he growls low at the Djinn, daring it to come at him. It growls in return and launches itself toward them. Next thing Centola knows, she's being hurled off to the side by Catrina, who then takes a large leap no normal human could do and lands atop the Djinn's head, grabbing its horns. Eren howls a quick compliment toward the Fanalis-Amala and uses his bow to fire off three white arrows that explode upon impact with the Djinn.

"_Get the other!" _Eren yells. Her head snaps toward the hooded figure of Shade. "_We'll handle this guy!" _

_**You can do this.**_

_Believe in them. _

Centola stands, ignoring the shaking voice that quivers in the back of her head. It whispers about what happened the last time the Djinn attacked, how powerless she had been then.

It makes her remember how she lost Kassim.

Not Kassim, but the Kassim who loved her. The Kassim _she _loved.

A gulp is taken, and her eyes blaze.

She focuses on that persona Jane had possessed, the genius and the coldness and the reliable strength that she kept in reserve.

Centola peers at the hooded man she's about to face and states clearly,

"Well now, hiding your face from a lady is rude, isn't it?"

* * *

"...Heh." Bad knew she couldn't win. She knew, but that has and will never stopped her from trying. She was low on magoi and Sheba had none in reserve, so really she was running on wisps of steam.

Ithnan peers down at her with slitted eyes, barely winded from their small scuffle.

"...That's all?"

"I'm kinda in a shitty situation right now," She half-explains, almost annoyed. "Of course, I'm thinking that I won't have to deal with this for more than a few more minutes."

"What?"

Just then, Dunya's Djinn form haphazardly sprayed rock spears in Ithnan's direction.

_Oh dear. _

Except that she was in that same area.

_Double oh dear._

Oh well. She didn't want to do this, but really there is no way out and Ithnan looks like he's trying to pop both eyes out of their sockets. But there is the question as to whether or not one of her Staves will actually respond to her distress with the same intensity that Sheba would. The spears hurtle toward her, fifteen feet away.

_Geronimo, hm?_

She pulls down the fabric of her dress and presses her fingers onto the eight pointed star on her chest, taking in a breath and throwing her head back.

Ten feet away.

"_Come forth,"_ There was a shower of light in her eyes, strong and white and illuminating the space around her. Metal that was cool like rain slides into her palm, as if he was excited to be used. Then a large shock jolts up her arm, as if in reprimand for not letting him out sooner. She wants to chuckle. Of course he'd be mad. "_Raiden!"_

Five feet away.

Sheba in her other left hand hums low, as if in protest, but it's as if she's also sighing in defeat, unable to protect Bad. Raiden lets out a sizzling tingle along the metal of it's staff, and just before she's skewered, summons a borg.

The pieces of earth connects with her shield, creating a loud, rumbling sound that almost sounds vaguely like a slap with a low tone. She holds Raiden in front of her, her hair flying back with the force. The rock tears itself apart, clumps and crumbs of dirt and stone landing on either side of her steel-like bubble, hitting one another mid-air and skidding all around the battlefield. The second spear grazes the edge of her borg and sheers off an entire section of crumbling earth that flies over her head and explodes into millions of chunks.

Ithnan gets the worst of it, lances hitting him hard and fast, a network of cracks appearing across his borg like a giant spider web. When the storm ended, dust mushroomed around them and billowed into the air.

"You idiot!" Ithnan screams at Dunya, eyes blazing. The large Djinn just tilts its head like she doesn't understand the magician's words, furthering Ithnan's anger. Bad takes the chance to sprint toward her fellow fighters, the staves in each hand. She reaches them and takes deep breaths, tired.

Alibaba eyes linger on the suddenly new staff that came out of nowhere.

"What's that?"

"Eh, something." Aladdin's eyes don't move from it, and the blue hues scans her face.

"How is that possible?" He mutters, lips barely moving.

Dunya roars.

They're focused in again, and that's when Bad notices the still figure of Isaac laying some ways away.

"Dunya, you've disappointed me. To be so reckless in a fight is unlike you." He sighs, as if annoyed. "No matter, I'll contribute it to my inability to watch you fight because of that bastard," His thumb juts toward Bad, almost comical in her eyes. "Here Dunya, awaken your true power!"

He flings his staff toward her, a trail of light flowing toward the panting Djinn. Dunya screeches, a horrible sound, and the Rukh flows away from her. It shrinks away, leaving her in her dark Djinn Equip.

"Shoot." Bad pouts. "Oopsies, looks like I forgot about that."

"Forgot about what, exactly?!" Alibaba hisses, shocked.

"Well, that sometimes a user can intensify a dark Djinn into an armor like a normal Djinn Equip- like Eren's. I just figured that Dunya didn't have it in her."

"How do you even know that?"

"Because I'm not a dumbass, like you."

"You two, stop it," Aladdin snaps, surprising both of his friends. "This is serious. We can't let her defeat us and take Zagan."

"Sorry," Alibaba apologizes. Bad nods along.

"You two take her, I'll fight Ithnan again," She smirks a little. "I think he enjoys my company."

"Bad," Aladdin warns, but saidgirl merely grins at the magi.

"What makes you think I'm not taking this seriously~?" She knows she's almost appearing mocking, but her grin is saturated in sadism. "I intend to make him suffer, my darlings."

Then she takes a few hops away and sets down Sheba, clearing her throat.

"HEY, ITHNAN!" The magician turns his head to her, obviously annoyed. She raises Raiden in the air and his entire body freezes. "DO YOU MISS YOUR DIVINE STAVE? CAUSE HE SURE AS HELL DOESN'T MISS YOU!"

"What are you doing?!" Aladdin yells at her. She winks in return.

"If I take Ithnan, he won't be able to recharge Dunya with lightning magic. Good luck, Al~!"

Ithnan hurtles toward her so fast she has to dodge back a good ten feet before he pauses in his onslaught and instead studies her.

"How do you have that?" He asks it with such a growl and such hatred that Bad actually draws a blank. Then she finds her reason again.

"Oh, you know, I'm a collector." She drawls, purposefully antagonistic. Ithnan draws up his staff, the masquerade mask on the end glittering dangerously. "Say, how did it feel to have your Stave confiscated by Myeshia back in Alma Torran? Were you just so angry you decided to rebel? No, I bet it was because Setta died, right? I have his Stave too, if you'd like to see it."

"You're lying,"

"I'm not."

"Myeshia was always on Solomon's side," Ithnan's shoulders are shaking. "_Always_. I tried to convince her that what he did was _wrong_, and she _knew _that I was right but she- she didn't understand what I was telling her! She kept saying "Sheba needs me, Sheba needs my help", well what about us? The magicians? What about me and Falan and Wahid? But Sheba meant more to her, and Solomon meant more to her, and Ugo meant _more _to her."

She only wanted him to attack, but it seems the reappearance of his old memento is drawing up some painful memories.

"And Setta didn't deserve to die...Why him? Why Tess? _Why didn't Solomon leave more guards back at the homebase?" _Ithnan spits the words like they're poison in his mouth. "If he hadn't...Then none of this wouldn't have happened...Setta would've had children, Tess would've become a great man, Arba would've-"

His voice catches on the woman's name.

"Arba-" Once again it catches. "...I never knew she was like that under those calf brown eyes…"

"No one did," Bad answers him, hushed. "In the end...We can never know anyone completely other than ourselves."

"That's not true," He shivers, the fabric of his robes rippling. "It may take time, but you can grow to know every inch of a person, evil and good. It's just that some are great at pretending to be who they're not."

The things he's saying...Is it possible? Could she really..._Convince_ Ithnan to stop Dunya and Isaac? She weighs her options. She's resolved a long time ago that Al Thamen, the organization of terror and monsters, was her true enemy. She promised herself on her mother's dead soul that she'd destroy them.

But what if destroying them was by loosening the morals of their cult? Weakening the bonds of trust, placing unease where there used to be steadiness?

She wants to try.

But it's more than what she's said above, and she knows it. She knows that she's being biased in her decision. She's placing reasoning in such a way that it supports her idea.

Bad _likes_ Ithnan.

That's the simpleness of it all.

Kouhime saw him as a wonderful, wonderful man who taught her magic until he disappeared. Well...Of course she knew how. She was told the story. She didn't blame Aladdin or Alibaba or Sinbad...Even though it really hurt and she wanted to for a while.

This decision, attack him while he's weak or make him weaker is hard for her, because if she truly is letting her past emotions get in the way then how does she know that it won't happen in the future, and she'll let her enemies get the best of her?

On the other hand…

"Things don't have to be like this, Ithnan," She lowers his staff, and though she cannot see his face she imagines him hesitating with fight or flight, truth or trap. "They really _don't_. Wasn't Solomon your friend? Haven't you had a thousand years to think about what you've done? Doesn't something just feel...Off?"  
The masquerade mask reflects the light of Aladdin's fire as he battles Dunya.

"...I will never see eye to eye with Solomon over this. I know I won't...Because he didn't lose anything that day. He didn't lose Sheba, or his son...He didn't lose Ugo or Arba nor his army of magicians- though they at the time were so consumed with grief they weren't of any use. He beat David, and he became God. _He _became God. And Setta and Tess were forced into a place where their souls couldn't stay with me or Falan and Wahid. _Solomon _did that." There are several breaths that are taken.

"He was our friend, and he betrayed us and left us for something greater...Doesn't he realize how that feels? I'm not like Arba. I'm not upset because Ill Illah got replaced...Even though I can't really except Sheba's words on the matter. I'm upset because even if I die, I won't get to go back to my brother ever again. And I want to go back to him. So I don't care if it's through these kinds of means that I get to accomplish that; I _will _see him again. Even if it means destroying this world and dying with it."

Bad understands that.

Well, maybe that's a lie.

Actually, it's not.

"I know what it's like to never get to see someone again." Hakutei. Her little cousin.

Aladdin, the love who went to extraordinary lengths for her.

Alibaba, the one whom she felt was like a older brother.

Hakuryuu, the scarred one who taught her about regret and forgiveness.

And many more. Sure, they're not dead, but they're not the ones she knew. They'll probably never be the ones she knew again, and she really would give anything to talk to them one last time. One last conversation, goodbye, hug.

She really wishes she could do over her goodbye with Aladdin again. In the fire of their demise, she'd say more than what she did. She'd make that goodbye sweeter, that hug longer. But she knows that even if she got to redo it she'd want to rewind it again and again, just to hear that kind voice telling her that he loved her, probably because she'd never hear him say it again.

But the pinkette folds.

"I really do. I'm sorry, Ithnan but...Aren't you being **selfish?**"

"...What?"

"Selfish. Are you seriously going to whine about what you've lost and then say that you're willing to sacrifice other people's brothers for your own? Is that really what Setta would _want?_"

"Shut up! You don't understand-!"

"Of course I do!" Raiden lets loose crackles of electricity along the handle, visible blue streaks zigzaging up and down the metal. "It's you that's being narrow minded! You'll put other people in your situation because you're so miserable! And let me tell you, once you start that cycle of hatred nothing can seal the rifts in humanity. We'll all want destruction as our path, war to be the answer. I can't agree with you, but I understand what you're saying!"

"Stop saying the same thing as Myeshia!" Ithnan roars. "I refuse to talk with you any longer! Fight me!"

* * *

"Well now, hiding your face from a lady is rude, isn't it?"

There was no response.

No matter, she'd just have to turn up the charm. She feels the pink mist traveling down from her shoulders, unraveling like ribbons from her arms and spinning gracefully onto the field. The man shifts, making a movement under his robes almost like stroking something at his hip.

Centola freezes.

"...No way."

She looks closer. There wasn't just a shadow that hide his face, and even if there was one she'd be able to tell what his chin looked like, or his nose. No. It was a pool of darkness, nestled like cement inside the hood.

"...Asad?"

Shade says nothing.

"Asad, is that you?"

He doesn't respond.

A blade appears, a familiar katana. The hood is pushed back, the shadows pouring out of the fabric and sliding down the cloak, melting into the folds. Silver hair shines in the sun.

"Oh Centola, forgive me. I had no idea it was a Lady I was fighting," And there, smirking, Asad mocks her.

* * *

**One Day Ago…**

Of course Ting Mei wouldn't approve.

It wasn't as though Asad was blissfully unaware of his assistant's hidden motives, nor of her distaste for anything connected to Al Thamen and Gyokuen. Of course, Ting Mei's dislike of Gyokuen is attached to a whole other situation entirely, not Al Thamen itself.

But still, Asad shouldn't have choked her like that. He should've been less physical and more- no. No point in thinking of what's done.

He sits in the rocking boat, trying to ignore Isaac's emotionless stare and Hitomi's useless chattering. The man looks eighteen but, from what he's said, is really thirty or something. He wants to say that the guy's just aged gracefully, but really it's probably just some weird form of anime logic. Or magic. He doesn't actually care that much.

"So what's your name anyway?" Asad sighs. Some people are just so annoying to be around.

"Pick one," He drawls, letting the breeze fan his face.

"Shade," This was a new voice entirely. He looks over to Dunya, her face a mask of pleasantry and flowers. "We at the organization call him 'the Shadow', but some prefer Shade."

He doesn't react to that, because not many actually call him 'Shade'. Only the few that have escaped his blade have called him by that nickname, and mostly in fear and suspicion.

"Weird name," Hitomi snorts. Asad mentally rolls his eyes.

_Wait till you meet Bad._

Dunya is still smiling, taking the brunt of Hitomi's idle chit-chat so he doesn't have to.

"Dunya, how's Isaac?" She blinks at him, the smile dropping for a few seconds.

"Well."

"How's Ithnan?"

"Well."

"I think you mean dickish, as usual," Hitomi chokes on his spit before erupting into laughter. Dunya's cheeks color pink.

"Your language is the same as always," She lifts her head higher, like a royal. Well, she is an ex-royal, so he supposes it's a natural quirk.

"And yet your beauty has grown," He responds, capturing her hand in his own. "How is that even possible? A true Queen's glow."

Suddenly the pink is a red.

She snaps her hand away and stammers, turning and hurrying away from him. Isaac's emotionless stare turns into an emotionless glare.

A low whistle.

"Quite the charmer, eh Shade?"

"Nope."

"I'm quite the lady's man myself," He's not so subtle in his bragging, hm? Where did Al Thamen even get this loser? Any man that calls himself a player is probably not an actual player. "I met this girl once…"

Ugh. Shoot him.

* * *

When they got to the Torran Island, Asad puts up his hood. He fills it with darkness and ink and leaves it there to solidify, treading through the market with his head down.

He is the Shadow now.

He is the infamous assassin who took too many lives.

But he still sees her.

Badroulbadour glances at them first, instantly recognizing ringlets (Dunya), emo (Ithnan) and the tin soldier (Isaac). But she looks at him and she doesn't recognize him. She sees the Shadow and she doesn't know him.

He wants to go to her. He wants to ask about Judal, about where he is, about what she is planning, about where from here they'll go.

He didn't, but it took willpower. When else would he have a chance to talk to her without the prying eyes of the Sindrian Palace? Even when she visited Kou he had to keep himself from asking about his brother, lest Al Thamen be there to hear.

But he keeps his head down, and follows Ithnan into the unknown, where he's never wished to go to before.

* * *

The Dungeon is interesting. Horrifying, but interesting.

He himself doesn't find it odd to see more death, but Hitomi seems like the type who never experienced it. So when a woman with silky black hair invited him into a petite cabin near the woods and kissed his cheek, Asad though it would be hard for Hitomi to kill her.

Nym told him that the woman was Hitomi's wife.

He thought it would be impossible for the blonde to kill her.

But Hitomi smiled at her, said he needed to go do something outside, and then lit the house on fire.

Asad is used to death.

But he'll never, ever kill his own family. He's protected Judal his entire life because he is family. He's kept Kougyoku safe because he, at one point and possibly still, wanted to marry her. If he has children, which he's not sure he will, he'd do everything in his power to keep them safe.

He'll do anything if it meant protecting his family.

John's mother used to say,

"_**Su familia es tan importante que otras personas.**_"

_Your family is more important than other people._

Though, Asad muses, she too fought often with John's father and John himself. He wonders if she really believed her own words. John did. Asad still does.

Hitomi, apparently, didn't even care about his.

* * *

He tries to ask about what happened. In between the first and second trials, he tries. Hitomi just stares at him.

"What do you think?"

He thought a lot of things.

"That she's already dead."

A brief silence at his answer. A grin cracks.

"You really are observant, huh~?"

* * *

The second trial is expected. He still thinks it's cruel.

_Humbleness._

There are definitions to some words, he thinks. There are clear statements that completely explain a phrase. But there will never, ever be a way to understand everyone's emotions and the degrees to which they feel them.

Kougyoku was crying behind him, and he was slaughtering her brothers.

_Protect her._

Over everything else, protect her.

It was something sprung from the depths of his mind, something he forgot from the manga. Kouen had spewed something about mind control and Koumei about not being able to trust her anymore, and Asad knew he had to kill them.

_Protect her._

Always protect her. Always.

She wouldn't look at him even as she disappeared from view.

_Protect her, even if she won't forgive you._

* * *

The last trial is when Hitomi snaps.

He is faced with a tiny girl.

A tiny black haired girl with wide eyes and a small smile.

_Love._

Asad sat in the background, watching as Hitomi is handed a sword and expected to kill the child.

"That's his daughter." Nym explains, hushed.

Hitomi's hands are shaking.

"She's dead too, huh?"

Nym pauses.

"No."

An eyebrow raised. A gaze avoided.

"She's not really his…'Blood' daughter."

An understanding jolt.

"Ah...I see."

Seconds pass by. The shine of the sword catches on the sun as it's raised, sweat dripping off it's wielder's face.

"He's a terrible person," Nym tells him, as if that isn't obvious. "He's a terrible person who does terrible things. He killed his wife once he found out that his daughter wasn't-"

"I know," Asad sighs. "I know. But terrible people still love. I think that's why…"

He stares to the imitation of a bright, sunny day.

Blood splatters all over the dirt.

"...Why I don't really agree with Solomon. But it's not possible to agree completely with someone, unless you give up your own opinion for them…" The Shadow shakes his head. "No. There are no bad decisions, just bad people."

A gurgled scream, and Hitomi activates his dark Metal Vessel.

* * *

After causing an earthquake, Hitomi thrusts his sword into Nym's body.

"_...My brother Pseudo…"_

Asad closes his eyes and blocks it out, ignoring the dying gasps of someone who has a sibling they cherish just like him.

Judal wouldn't be alright if he died here.

Or would he?

Let's face it: Judal wasn't happy once he found out about Asad's...Work. And yet...No, he has to protect Judal. He's always had to, and he always will. Even if the magi grows to hate him, grows to fight against him, he'll always take the bullet for Judal.

_Protect him, always. _

Asad opens his eyes and stares into Nym's, watches as a cloud so unclear and smoggy grows underneath the shininess of his green irises. Building like a storm, brewing and spewing upwards from below. Instead of blood, a clear substance pulls around his shredded middle. He's making slow breathes now, his gaze locked with Asad's. Asad had watched many people die, but the intensity of Nym's stuck with him somehow. He couldn't look away, even when Hitomi let out another earthquake of rage.

"Pseudo…"

Nym is dead.

_At least it was his brother's name that he died with._

* * *

**Now…**

"You're just as stupid as you look, Lord Asad" Centola bites. Asad clucks.

"How rude, Lady Centola."

"Is it rude if it's true?"

"Is it true if it's rude?" Ah, how amusing. "Now tell me my dear Lady, where is Badroulbadour?"

"Unfortunately she is unavailable at the moment."

"But you do know where she is."

"On a pilgrimage," Centola smiles angelically, but the sting hits true. "Oh! Just like Judal. What a coincidence."

"You can be quite insufferable, you know that?" The Temptress hums in her honeyed voice.

"I'm afraid no one has ever told me that before. What a first!" Then her eyes narrow. "But all joking aside, how about you tell me a bit about why in God's name you are in this Dungeon."

"The same reason you are," He boredly replies, leaning back on his heels. "I was sent here by my _beloved_ organization." She doesn't laugh at his joke.

"I don't want to fight you," She tells him seriously, and he cracks a grin.

"How cowardly,"

"_I'm serious_. You know you can't let the organization have this place, right? You realize they can never gain this sort of power, _right_?"

"Of course I know that," He snaps. "I've been with them since they kidnapped me when was a damn baby. What, does it look like I'm enjoying my stay at _**Casa Loca**_?"

"That's not what I meant,"

"Fuck what you _meant_," He's spitting the words now, tangible anger tickling his tongue. "I know what you meant. I bet you think it's easy working for the people I hate more than anything else. I bet you think it's easy from me to kill people because I'm an assassin. And you know what? I don't want Al Thamen to get this Dungeon. Stop being such a fucking saint all the time, will you?"

She flinches, his words hitting her straight in the gut.

"Someone has to be," She mutters. "Someone has to be the good guy in this tangled mess of evil and corruption. Sinbad, Bad, Al Thamen, _you_. If not me then who? I can trust anyone else other than myself with this."

He contemplates this, silent.

"Maybe so," He feels anger boil in the pit of his stomach. "Either way, I'm still a 'villain'. And you're still a 'hero'. So come at me, Centola!"

* * *

A dark Djinn.

It had to be a dark Djinn.

Lets just say that Catrina wasn't amused with this development. She was tired and spent from the challenges Seere presented her with, and now she had to grapple with a fifteen foot tall monster with three rows of teeth.

Eren was doing well, especially in his Djinn Equip, but keeping the freaking thing still was harder than it should be. She dug her feet into the top of its head and tightened her hold on the giant spiralling ram horns, grunting with the strain of holding on. A white flash and she's hanging on for dear life as the Djinn is pushed back with the blow of Eren's magic, roaring out its anger and dissatisfaction.

She moans with sudden motion sickness, sweat trickling down her forehead. Catrina grits her teeth and pulls the head of the Djinn back, making it cry out and flail harder.

"Go for the kill!" She screams, and Eren readies his arrow.

Then she's falling. Falling into a facefull of black Rukh, circling around her and pushing her down with them as they condense and-

_Oh crap._

Dark Djinn Equip.

It had to be dark Djinn Equip.

Hitomi stares down at her with a sort of amusement, holding her bridal style. He offers her a grin that makes her feel the beginnings of a barf.

"Oh, what a cute girl you are~!" He leers, hand stroking her thigh. "I had no idea a Fanalis could be this pretty! The last one I saw was scarred and chained up like a- well, a slave. Hah!"

Her mind reboots, and she tries to get out of his hold, only to find that-

_I...I'm stuck?!_

Hitomi's hands were plated with black scales that travel up his forearm, where it then grows thicker like plates and hugs his shoulders. From there it tampers off, leaving his middrift free of armor but in its place filled with painted swirls. Then, much like his Djinn form, his knees are plated with boot-like armor as well, and around his waist a red piece of cloth covers him. From his head small ram horns spiral outwards, and under his eyes two upside-down triangles in red paint drip down toward his mouth, where sharp, sharp canines protrude.

"Let me go!" She demands, struggling. He smirks wider.

"Aw, how _cute_. What's the magic word, sweetie?" She wants to curl into herself. She glares at him, her chest rippling with the heat of furiousness.

"_Please_." She snarls.

"Oh no sweetie, it's '_Master'_. I'd figure a Fanalis would know that." And then, whatever little patience she had was spent. She might not be able to get out of his grip but...Her arm is thrust forward, and her fist connects with his face.

He howls in pain, blood spurting down his chin. Instinctively he lets go of her and she hits the ground, stumbling up and clambering back toward Eren, who pushes her behind him.

"_I'm going to kill him," _Eren decides, eyes hooded. "I swear to _God_ I'm going to _kill_ him."

"I'm okay, Eri," Oh, but she wasn't. She felt disgusted that his filthy hands had touched her, she felt enraged at what he had spewed about her race. But Eren's bloodlust made her feel worse, so she tugs on his arm and tries to soothe him. "I'm really okay."

"That was _not _okay, Cat!" He bellows, white hair whipping around him. "It _wasn't! _That bastard is not allowed to touch my sister!"

"Er-" But he's already hurling himself toward Hitomi, and Catrina throws her hands up against the onslaught of wind thrown in her face.

* * *

The first time Centola and Asad had exchanged blows, she had thought nothing of it. She thought it would be easy.

(A poor, poor thought.)

Her magic was flowing steadily, light magic was easy to counter, and she knew that those silver swords weren't even going to come an inch close to her skin.

(Oh, is that arrogance? Or confidence? They're so alike.)

She'd put Asad to sleep and help the others- then they'd capture the Djinn and be free of this Dungeon for the rest of their lives. She wasn't going to harm anyone. Especially not Asad. She couldn't say the same about Hitomi.

(Ah, _biased_. How beautiful a beauty can be.)

And then…

Then Asad sliced through her mist.

Cut straight through, like slicing bread. It separated around him, dissipating into the air even though she didn't command it to. It was so shocking she flinched backwards and retreated several steps. Asad studied her, face expressionless. Around his swords, a thin layer of-

_No. No. Goddammit no._

-magoi shifted and rocked.

Magoi manipulation. Asad knew how to do fucking _magoi manipulation_. In addition to his stupid disappearing act, in addition to his mastery of his sword style, magoi manipulation. As if he wasn't strong enough already.

(But there were flaws in all of his abilities. She knew this, but it just wasn't fair that he was so strong and she was so _weak_.)

"You don't think the organization hasn't been watching you, Cent?" His voice was so monotone it sounded robotic. "They've been watching you for a long time, longer than you know. They've been watching Zeina since she started entangling herself with Sinbad...I would know. I _was_ there, or did I never tell you that?"

"Slipped your mind."

"I killed people," He said it nonchalantly, the ice chipped away. For him, this must be a simple sentence. _I killed people_. "Lots of people, all from Sindria. It was such a wild night. I killed that friend of Sinbad's too. I forget the name. He totally went batshit when it happened, Zeina ramped up her magic one hundred fucking percent." A pause. "Your aunt never did take me seriously until I did that. Probably because I just never had killed anyone before on my other little escapades to Reim to confront Sinbad and her. Then they blamed Judal, because they couldn't see my face."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He had blinked. He motioned to his swords. Then a smile that didn't reach his eyes greeted her.

"Well, obviously because you're gonna die. Might as well tell ya a little about the 'great and mighty assassin, Shade', right?"

* * *

Eren was more than pissed.

He felt like his insides were bathing in the eternal flames of hell, his mind a mixture of flowing lava and melting rock. He was furious in a way that he never had been before, and it was because that _asshole _decided to lay his dirty little hands on _his Catrina._

Catrina, the little girl with red hair that clung to him when they were in crowded places. Catrina, the tiny angel that played tag with Bad and never got caught. Catrina, the kid sister he read bedtime stories to when it was late and she still wasn't tired. She'll always be small and sweet in his eyes, even though she's fifteen and is too old to be babied.

Still, she's still too young and precious for this pedophile.

So he shoots forward on the hermes wings that sprout out the back of his shoes and aims for his fist to hit the soft flesh of Hitomi's stomach.

His hand is caught.

Hitomi's sneer is pointed directly at him.

"A knight in shining armor? How noble." And then he's thrown backwards. Of course he stops himself from spinning around, but once he does Hitomi's no longer standing in his previous position, causing Eren to curse jointedly.

A large pressure on his back and Eren's hurled toward the ground. He holds out his hand like one would to break their fall, and shouts,

"**Stop!"** The air stills around him with this new force of gravity, and he spins himself around, summoning his bow and pointing an arrow straight at the confused Hitomi's face. "**Balance the scales, Myeshia!"**

An onslaught of white arrows broke out from the single that he shoots, dividing amongst itself until they littered the air and were heading straight for Hitomi. The man merely spreads his scaly arms and juts out his palms. From his lips words leave, but over the sound of the first of the Mountain's arrows exploding it was impossible to hear.

Until all the arrows were deflected, and purple ribbon-like whips were curled around each of Hitomi's arms. In other words, their enemy used strength magic.

And Eren was still pissed.

* * *

"How befitting," At Asad's purr, Centola steadies her gaze on him and tries not to pant so visibly. She follows the direction he's looking in and her eyes widen. Hitomi fighting Eren, a match up she thought would instantly come out with Eren on top. Apparently the fight is going for longer than either of them planned, and the two men their lips turned downward in silent fury.

"How so?"

"Well, for a man like Eren to fight a man like Hitomi, of course." She doesn't ask for elaboration, silently thankful for the small break in their own fight, but Asad doesn't wait for her to question him. "One who values family and one who ruined his own."

"You make it seems so black and white," Ah, her voice is too breathy. At least sweat can be found making its way down the Shadow's long neck as well.

"I could say the same to you,"

"At least I don't ignore it," Centola argues. "I try to make it better. I've been trying to make Bad better for a while!"

"You shouldn't change Bad, Centola," How ominous. "You can make her say sweet things and be more open, but you can't convince her to be against her goals. You have to let it go. The day she has to turn on the ones she loves will just be harder if she is different than she is now."

"But _why_?" She hates that she sounds so whiny, so desperate. "Why can't we just stay with the people we care about? Why can't we make Bad happy?"

"Some people aren't meant to be happy," He responds, holding up his katana. "Some people aren't born to be free."

"...All men are born equal." His eyes cut sharply to her. And under the blackness of his eyes and the stillness of his face an equally as handsome boy lay in her lap, blood pooling around him. But it's not her, it's a plain faced girl, holding onto him because he doesn't matter, not to everyone, and he deserves to die thinking that something about him made him special to her. But Jane had watched many people die.

And even though it's so, so cruel, John Steiner was just another person that she saw the life leave. Another person whose mother sobbed so destructively, like she was going to explode and take the city with her, and whispered prayers in a broken spanish to the mother of her God. Another person whose white trash father stood chillingly still, holding stiffly onto his mexican wife and staring with a pale, pale face at the empty body that was his olive skinned and dark haired son with melted brown eyes and a smirk that made girls swoon.

She wished she had said something to them. But Jane just gave her statement to the police, and listened to the spanish drifting through the air just loud enough for her to hear, like a spell she now knows are realer than she ever imagined.

"_**Dios te salve, María, llena eres gracia,**_

_**el Señor es contigo. **_

_**Bendita tú eres entre todas las mujeres…"**_

Then she left, still covered in blood.

Asad tilts his head.

"That's a strange thing to say, nowadays." Is his only response. Then he raises his sword again, and she lets loose tendrils of temptation magic, and once again they fight. Asad hacks at her mist as it snakes toward him, and she avoids his sharp blades while standing at a distance. At one point he covers himself with light and turns invisible, but she unleashes a hefty amount of Temptation magic at once and the resulting mushroom cloud was sliced open by the target, signalling his position.

And thus they danced the dance of death, eyes locking and not letting go.

* * *

Raiden was undoubtedly a beautiful staff. It was golden and in the shape of a trident, with a blade arcing out to the side like a reaper's would. It had a detailed and intricate style, and a bright green orb spilled light over it's handle, much like Sheba did.

It used to be Ithnan's.

Now it was Bad's.

"I can't believe you have that," Ithnan's voice was hoarse. There were craters surrounding them, and Bad's feet hurt badly. "I can't believe it."

Dunya screeches and Isaac hacks away at his opponent. Opponents. Hakuryuu had some how and for some reason returned, because why not, right? Wrong. Bad was not in the best mood that he had came running back, polearm in hand.

"Believe it," She drawled, feeling somehow like she stole that line from someone.* "You continue to bore me."

"You're stronger than before!"

"I get stronger every time I lose," Ithnan glares. She sighs. "I'm borrowing magoi from Raiden, obviously."

"...What?" Oh great, another weakling to enlighten.

"Are you aware of why Myeshia confiscated your staves?" Ithnan frowns at the name 'Myeshia'.

"Well, in her words, 'to reduce the overwhelming power of the chieftains, who hold the metal vessels created by Ugo. We shall keep these holy relics safe until the need arises, with the exceptions of the Magis and our Great King Solomon.' It was bull."

"Hm. You memorized it…Oh wait, I forgot you're a bitter old man. My apologies."

"_Explain_." That commanding tone is familiar to her, very familiar.

"Well, you're not wrong. It was bull. She just didn't want you, Wahid and Falan to have your staves anymore...She would've taken away Arba's too, but considering she wanted Ugo and Sheba to keep theirs there wasn't any other way, really," Bad shrugs, inwardly wincing at her battered back. "But she did things to the staves as well...She and Ugo. They...Changed them."

"...I don't understand."

"I won't explain it, then. But you should know that I have the ability to seal these Staves into my body. They're not just sitting there, hun. They're cultivating magoi."

"You mean...They're gathering magoi that you can call forth when you run out?"

She smirks.

"Clever. _Clever_...Scarily clever, actually. No wonder Gyokuen is so damn fixated on you. A person with your power...You could summon all of the Staves at once and-"

"-Shorten my lifespan by half? Disable my ability to have children? Yeah," Been there, done that, "Not gonna happen."

"_Aladdin...I'm sorry, I-I had no other choice, I just didn-"_

"_I know, it's okay, its-" A choke. "It's o…It's…"_

"_I needed to…I had to…" All the children she'd never have, not even when this all ends. All the years she's dooming Aladdin to live alone with her memory._

"_...It'll be fine, it'll be fine…" _

The memory hurts her eyelids.

Dunya screams once more in anger, and flies up into the air, higher than anyone could reach. Bad uses the distraction to rejoin her group, and Ithnan does the same, though the way his head tilts makes her think he's still looking at Raiden.

_Attached idiot._

"What's ringlets doing?" She asks casually, and the three boys practically all whirl on her at once.

"I-I think she's gonna use-"

"_Extreme Magic: Infinite Dance of Swords!"_

"...Oh." Bad smartly comments. "That's not good. That's not good at all."

Ithnan retreats faster until he comes upon Dunya, and then they both sit in the sky as the Rukh swarm around them. In a copy of Solomon's eight pointed star, white lines appear and the image flickers into existence.

"Ooooh so not good," Bad repeats, cringing. "Bad, so, so, bad."

"What the heck is extreme magic?!" Alibaba shouts, and Aladdin begins to tell him about the magnification of magic that only a Metal Vessel user can achieve, of how it's the ultimate attack that no defense can counter. Alibaba's face drains of its red splotches.

"So not good," He agrees weakly. "Not good at all."

* * *

Strength magic.

It was annoying because of it's properties and it's abilities, which include, and you guessed it, gravity magic.

_Sweet Solomon on a checkerboard._

But it wasn't gravity magic. If it was, Eren would be able to feel its effects since Myeshia is a gravity wielding Metal Vessel. No. Unfortunately, this is an entirely different form of 'screwed' for him.

It was a sort of magnetism. Repulsion, to be exact.

And that was, sadly, a chink in Eren's armor.

_Dang it._

However it seems Eren's own gravity magic was counteracting the power Hitomi's possessed, and the blonde was growing more and more annoyed as their match went on.

"Stop doing that," He howls when Eren once again bats away an onslaught of rocks hurled at him. In return Eren gives him an incredulous look.

"No way, I'm fairly certain I hate you."

"Please, stop acting like a _hero_," The word is spit in a terrible way, as if heroes weren't really heroes at all. "Acting like you're a winner just because of the side you chose. _I _chose my side because I _needed _to chose my side. What, because I joked about that Fanalis brat you're in the right? Think twice."

"She's better than you are," Eren growls. He doesn't really know what to say in response, but his words just make Hitomi grin. "She's ten times better than you are."

"Heroes always think they're better," A bitter, bitter chuckle. "They think they're better, and then they get with your wife."

"Huh?" That seemed like a complete 180, in Eren's opinion. "Listen, I don't care about what you think about me, but...But…" He had something, it's just hard to say what he wants to. It's always harder to say what he wants to, when Bad's not around. She'd understand his feelings, she always has. "But I won't let ya hurt Catrina. Hero or not, I don't care...I just can't let Al Thamen win."

The whips around Hitomi's wrists crackle and whine.

"Saints and sinners," Hitomi sighs, his feet touching the ground. "What an awful day I've had. Too many memories." Then an odd gaze flickers across his face. "You know, you're a good hero. But not a real one. Maybe if you'd dump the thing that dims your light, you'd be a good archenemy."

Eren just frowns and sets himself into a better fighting position. Boredly Hitomi tches.

"I won't win this match, but neither will you. Let's call it a day,"

"...Wha?" Is this a trick?

"Let's call it a friggin' day. I'm bored. And hungry. And this Djinn seems like an asshole."

"Well, ya got that right," Eren mutters, relaxing only slightly. "But I don't believe ya."

"You shouldn't. Too good to be true," Hitomi smirks. "At least, that's what the ladies tell me!" And then he cackles, throwing his head back so far the entire column of his neck is exposed to the world.

Catrina materializes by his side.

"Is he...Is he actually giving up? Just like that?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong," Hitomi waves his hand in the air as if to ward off his previous words. "I'll fight you again. Just in the future, and when I have a different Djinn than this one. Seems weak, anyway."

"...Fine. I accept your challenge," Eren narrows his eyes. "And just so ya know, I know I hate ya."

"Right back at ya, bumpkin." The blonde turns toward his partner. "Yo, Shade! We're done here!"

_...Shade?_

_But that looks like-_

_Wait._

_Wait._

_Wait oh my God are you joking right now._

"Asad?!"

"Hey, Eren." The bored drawl of the twenty year old calls back. "What the hell do you mean by, 'we're done'?"

"I mean we're done. Not getting the Djinn. Finished."

"...Why?"

"Because I said so," Hitomi replies hotly, but Asad doesn't really change his facial expression.

"Our superiors won't be happy," Asad slowly replies, then his eyes narrow. "In fact, _I'm _your superior."

"Then care to do me a solid and not tell Ithnan? Oh, wait no, let's _blame _it on Ithnan!"

"..." Asad sheathes his swords. "I'll think about it. But if I get in trouble, you're the one who's gonna die." Hitomi laughs, but the seriousness of Asad's words makes Eren think he wasn't joking.

Centola heaves in breathes, and Eren goes to her, Catrina taking long strides that matches his.

"It's...Over?" She furrows her eyebrows. "So quickly? This isn't…"

"Too easy…" Catrina shakes her head. "But…"

"You can think it's a trap," Hitomi interrupts them, standing beside Asad. "But it ain't. I'm not gonna kill you three...But I will come back. And when I come back, I can't say the same thing as now. No..._I won't say it_."

Then the world jerks, and the floor gives out beneath them.

* * *

"Steam?" Aladdin grants Bad a sideways look, the corners of his serious mouth shifting just a bit upwards.

"Steam."

Her hands slide down the metal of Raiden's staff, lifting the Stave into the air.

"Water magic. I can do that."

_And Dunya won't know what's gonna hit her._

* * *

It isn't fair.

_Life's not fair._

Dunya grits her teeth. She stumbles forward, toward the wreckage of black swords shoved deep into the ground, toward the place where her opponents had somehow tricked her with a mirage. She should've hit them. She should've been able to win- she's been training her entire life to _win._

Ever since she was a young girl behind Ithnan's robes, watching the Priest Judal and Holy Keeper train, ever since she finally got recognized enough to hold her very own dark Metal Vessel, she has worked so, so hard. She got Isaac back. She was going to get Musta'sim back- after watching magicians overrun it and lay their filthy hands over the land.

She's not wrong. She can't be wrong, because she's been hurt so badly. She's been trampled and stained and filled with hatred, she's been pushed to the brink and over the edge toward despair.

So how come-

It's hard to breathe. It's hard to even imagine loosing.

So how come they-

The girl stares up at her, made of silk and porcelain and all the things Dunya once was made of, too.

_Why can't I just once be right?_

_Why can't I just once not be the bad one? How come no one else sees things the same way I do?_

Isaac holds his sword up beside her, and Ithnan seethes at her failure.

_Why am I alone?_

She has Isaac but he's- No. No, she can't say what he is. He's always been by her side, and he _always _will be.

Nothing will take him away.

* * *

"So...How's this gonna work?" Eren asks, scratching the back of his head and trying to ignore Asad and Hitomi leaning against the back wall. Pseudo stares at them hard, his knuckles fisting white. Seere lifts his chin high, studying the three in front of him.

"Because Hitomi and Shade didn't complete the final stage, they are disqualified from the games. That leaves you three to pick from." Seere gathers himself up, exuding a type of magnificence in the way he spreads his hands. "Now, finally, where is the one who would be King?"

The three candidates stare up at the Djinn, nervousness fluttering in their chests. As if by magic, confidence builds inside all of them, making their eyes shine brighter, their stances more grounded.

Ah, who to pick?

The now determined genius?

The suddenly healed warrior?

The decidedly strong hunter?

All three are good, though two are specialized magicians. Well, despite that, it doesn't matter. They use life magic, just like him.

In the end…

The Rukh flutter in shades of green.

"I choose you, Eren Chandlen!"

* * *

"Where is the one who would be King?"

Bad could say a lot of things based on what she saw at the end of the battle. She could say that she felt sorry for Dunya, who saw her oldest friend, and probably only friend, die in front of her. She could say that the way the girl's face had melted into calmness after Isaac's spirit had embraced her was soothing. She could even say that she was happy for the Princess who had only suffered hardship gain some much needed peace.

But Bad will only say that she's really sick of this Dungeon.

Zagan stares down at them, no longer a mask-faced weirdo, and focuses on Aladdin.

"Magi, I apologize for my discourtesy. I will free the villagers immediately. You see, my Dungeon creatures went out of my control, but I couldn't leave this room to stop them. Please forgive me." If it wasn't for his complete seriousness, Bad would've thought he was joking.

Bad sighs, hating how dizzy she feels, and sets down Raiden and Sheba on the ground. Her head is spinning and the world was fuzzy around the edges.

"Eep!" She squeals, vines crawling around her. "What the-"

"No need to swear, you foul-mouthed brat," Zagan growls. "In apology, I'll heal you and that girl over there."

Bad blinks, and then almost moans at how good it feels to have the intense pain on her back melt away. A leaf touches her cheek and a scratch closes itself up.

"I thought you weren't gonna." Bad manages, sagging in relief. The Djinn rolls his eyes.

"I told the fake-Djinn that so he'd tell you the directions here. To be honest," The Djinn turns his face away. "I liked how you stood up to Ithnan. This is my thanks for smacking that imbecile around."

"You are welcome," Nirvana couldn't feel better than this…

"Thanks Zagan!" Alibaba smiles, delighted at the Djinn's kindness. He gets no response. "Um...Zagan?"

Bad watches as Zagan spits on the blonde. She giggles a little, in too good of a mood to mock Alibaba, and leans back a little as the healing magic flows into her body and fixes her injuries. Morgiana's face clears of the veins that signaled her magoi loss, her breathing becoming less and less harsh.

And Bad even smiles when Hakuryuu gains his Djinn.

_Well, mission accomplished._

* * *

"...Huh?" Seere rolls his eyes. Eren and the Djinn sit on a magic circle, facing one another. "So...I'm confused."

"Well," Seere starts again, fiddling with a lock of his hair. "I chose you because your magoi is incredibly unique."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I've been watching you and your friends ever since you came into the Dungeon, and I must say...There is something strange with, well, all of you."

"Like...With our bodies?"

"Not...Well, yes and no. That Fanalis girl for example? She's not even a full Fanalis and yet her strength is superb. That's not natural, if you haven't noticed. And the Temptress, well, someone unlocked a whole lot of magoi in that girl a long time ago," Seere whistles, shaking his head. "And Shade- or Asad, I guess- I never saw someone with his sort of magic before, he can bend shadow at his _will_...He can make it a physical presence made of _matter_. And you…"

"And me?"

"Your magoi...Is unlike any person's I've ever seen." Oh God, why does he say that so ominously.

"Unlike any person's in a good way or…?" Seere chuckles.

"In a good way. If you were a magician they wouldn't be able to classify what type you were."

"Why not?"

"Because your magoi doesn't have a fixed nature, Eren." The Djinn studies him, but it's almost as if he's not watching him at all. "Your magoi is capable of changing its specialization. And before you ask, specialization is when a person's Rukh takes a certain nature, like water or fire. Normally only magicians have this power, and even then they can use multiple magic, just weaker than the one they specialize in. Other magicians are born with only _one_ certain magic nature. Catrina, for example, is a _specialized_ magician because her Rukh control one and only one type of magic. Specialized magicians control one magic, but it's impossible for normal magicians to use that magic themselves. I suppose that's why you have to be born with the magic. I don't know about that very well, Myeshia explained it to me a long time ago.

But your's, for some reason, never specialized. Because of this you can use my magic to the fullest extent, while also using Myeshia's to the fullest extent. You have the power to use any kind of magic. If you were born a magician you'd be the most powerful, able to master thousands of spells within any category...You'd surpass that of a Magi completely."

"...Now I wish I was a magician."

"To tell the truth, I was going to pick Centola instead, her magic and mine are almost the same. She did well in her test, and the path and goal she's taking is something that I agree with. But...You're special, Eren. And to think that if you'd never had met that girl, Bad, you wouldn't have known it is…" The revelation that Seere was going to pick Centola actually hurts Eren a little. And then having someone throw it in his face that he would've been nothing without Bad hurts too. "...Disappointing. That's why I want to help you."

"Help me what?" Seere smiles slightly.

"Help you achieve your goal...Your goal of protecting what matters to you. From now on, you and I are one in body and soul!"

Eren takes a sharp breath as Seere becomes pure light and slams into the new gold cuff on his right wrist. A feeling like becoming taller and stronger overwhelms him, like he could touch the stars and drag the moon across the sky by himself.

The blue world that he lives in draws closer, and Eren feels himself grinning so hard that it hurts.

_Wait for me to come, Bad!_

* * *

"Hey...Hakuryuu, are you okay?" The fourth Prince blinks. Before him, Kouhime holds her hands behind her back, a concerned look in her eyes. "It's not like I care or anything, but you look like a _snake bit you or something_."

He raises an eyebrow at the way she says the last words.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," He looks at the blade of his polearm. "It's just...I don't think I should've captured the Dungeon."

"Oh come on," Kouhime groans, the bangles on her wrists jangling as she spreads her hands. "Please tell me you're not gonna whine about _that_."

"Excuse me-?"

"All this time you've been talking about wanting the Dungeon, and now that you've got it, you're gonna say you don't _deserve_ it, of all things," Well, when she puts it that way it just makes Hakuryuu feel guilty. "Really, stop acting like a spoiled child. You worked hard for this, okay? I'll admit that. But Alibaba doesn't need a second Djinn, Morgiana is a household member now or something, and Aladdin's a magi. You're the only option, so you get the goshdarn Djinn, and you're gonna _use it_. Understand me rich boy? Don't you _dare _waste this power on something stupid."

"But-"

"But nothing. If you think others will say you don't deserve this power," She pauses, sighing. Then her voice comes out softly. "Then you're wrong. Stop worrying about what others think. The only thing that matters is what you think."

"...Thanks, Kou-"

"_Bad_,"

"Oh, yeah, thanks Bad-hime."

"-Hime? Really? You add a -hime? Ugh, fine. At least it's not -dono. I'd feel like a man or something."

"If you used your real name would people call you Hime-hime?"

"Oh my God."

"It's a legitimate question!" Having enough, Kouhime walks away, leaving Hakuryuu grinning. Then he reaches over and grabs the gauze, wrapping it around his hand.

He pauses.

_Oh...I forgot to tell her I did get bit by snake. She must've been joking about it earlier._

He smiles.

_She's such a brat._

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Eren is named after Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan. I mean...I'm not like a die-hard AoT fan, but I literally could not decide on a name and since I was watching that at the time I was like, "might as well".

**Fun Fact #2: **When asked what they liked to do in their free time, Catrina said she liked to go shopping, Eren said he likes to make arrows, and Centola said it was between reading and hanging out with Alibaba.

**Fun Fact #3: **Zagan and Seere were surprisingly close siblings, and the reason they both became members of Solomon's household was because Solomon described them as, "Fire and ice, the grounded one [Zagan] concerned with only his tribe and the carefree one [Seere] that wished to join hands with all sorts of people."

* * *

Hey gals and guys (ladies first)! How's life? I apologize again for being late, but hey, I'm probably gonna be one schedule after this, so that's good!

**Bad's Staves:** In case anyone thinks this is Mary-Sue-ish, I shall explain. Bad's staves don't necessarily have their own opinions or thoughts like her, but rather react according to her emotions, while also embodying emotions that she herself unconsciously thinks they would have based on their appearances and the magic they use. For instance, the reason Raiden comes across as prideful and resistant against Bad is because she _thinks _that that's what it would act like, and thus it does. Kinda trippy, I know. Bad can pull out her staves when she runs out of magoi herself. But, in case I haven't mentioned this before, Bad can't actually _use _the majority of her magoi. Her magoi is being 'cultivated' or, more appropriately, 'absorbed' by the seventy-two staves sealed inside her. Because of this, when she pulls out staves she gets stronger, but when they're all sealed away she's weaker. Go figure. DBZ logic right there.

**Ithnan's Feelings for Bad's Mother:** "Love" is a strong word for what he felt exactly. It's more like he had a crush on her, but it wasn't like a school-boy kind of crush. It was an attraction, really, and also pity for her. As said, he tried to reason with Gyokuen who wanted Bad's mother to have children, but it didn't work, and he felt so guilty that he freed her from her prison. Btw, more about Bad's mom is coming to light! What shall happen next?

**Asad and Shade:** Shade. Shadow. Asad. That's my mind logic pretty much. There is a lot of clear foreshadowing in there, so you might wanna look for mentions of 'Shade' throughout the next few chapters...It might just be important.

**Seere:** Sometimes, if something just doesn't work, ya gotta make it. I don't give up until my logic is in tip-top shape and preferably bulletproof. But for those who will probably be meanies about magicians being able to be Dungeon Capturers, here is your explanation: in my opinion, magicians can't have Djinns because they can use multiple types of magic and the Djinn only uses one, messing up the line of formulas. However, if someone used the exact same magic that a Djinn does, then wouldn't it only make sense if they could mesh their magic together? Or, if a Djinn's power can amplify their users pre-existing abilities? Of course it doesn't really matter because Eren captured it. Yay Eren!

**Sharrar Asfal Baraq:** This phrase is a corruption of other spells from the manga that I used, it means something like 'water wind dragon'. This spell is also the one Yamu gave her a few chapters ago.

***Believe it:** ...Naruto fans, anyone?

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	28. Chapter 27: Chaos & Other Simple Things

So this arc has gone on longer than I wanted, but that's my own fault for A. not making time to write and B. being super effing slow when I did write. P.S. I'm trying to cut down on my swearing...With a little success. Oh, and things get super real this chapter, so…

**Graphic violence, blood and a surprisingly little amount of language considering who I am. YOU ARE WARNED~~~!**

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**SEVENTH ARC: **Dungeon Blues

CHAPTER 27: Chaos and Other Simple Things

* * *

The stars shone like a lover's eyes, all caught up in candle light and the glistening of water. As if taken from the depths of the seas, the black blanket of a sky clings to the lights all around it. The moon, spherical and gray, sits with eerie quiet above the earth, that shines a bright, bright blue, sheltered with clouds and splattered with land.

A lone figure watches it as they descend down into the blue orb of a planet, sitting with their knees tucked against their chest. The person, a girl, watches with vague interest as she's lowered down, a pile of treasure behind her.

"Stick me with clean up duty, hm?" Her words aren't coated with anger or annoyance, sounding rather empty instead. She falls back, her long hair spilling around her like ink. "Left me with a huge back of treasure to lug back? I'm just a young girl…"

Quiet reigns then, a silence one can only liken to the sounds of dreams, where you remember nothing. Beside the girl, two gleaming staffs made of gold and jems glow as if to call to her, beckon her to wield them like a mighty sorceror would.

"So you're really dead, Ithnan?" These words aren't like the last, filled with the echo of emotions long forgotten. The child lays the back of her hand on her forehead. "I'm...Disappointed in you. To think you were once the magnificent Badroulbadour's idol. How pitiful."

More silence, but the girl hears a response in the deep vastness of the universe she looks upon.

"Yes, you're right," She agrees, her voice soft and melancholy. "You were never Badroulbadour's idol. You belonged to Kouhime. And you came the closest to being loved by her, even though she didn't know how to love until years after you died. Ithnan, you should've waited until she could've loved you. Then she and you could've been friends. And Aladdin wouldn't have killed you."

For some reason, she hears the sounds of waves upon a shore. It looks almost like a star is winking at her.

"Perhaps that's a regret you never knew about...And maybe that's a regret Kouhime didn't remember until…"

The Earth moves slowly, so slowly she wishes she could reach out and turn it by herself, just to skip through the days of angst she knows are coming.

_"Don't you get that in the end sometimes you have to think about yourself? Do you ever do that, Bad?"_

"...No." She finally answers the question, sighing. "I don't. But you know, Aladdin, I've been thinking..."

Bad opens her eyes, and smiles a little.

"If it's okay, maybe I will think about myself for a little while...But I can't promise I won't break your heart when it's over."

* * *

Muu Alexius had never been of the cocky sort. He had always been proud, yes, but never cocky. It just wasn't in his nature to pretend that he was better than another person because he was a patrician that held more power than a plebeian.

After all, he was a Fanalis.

_The_ number one most sought after slave in the entire world. _The _most rare slave in the entire world.

It wasn't as if there weren't Fanalis, oh no, it was that they'd all left the culture of humans behind, abandoning their skin until they were made of fur and claws and lived in a place made of light and peace.

He saw it himself.

But that's not what he's meaning to discuss, though it would always be on his mind that he didn't quite fit in here, in the world of talon-less hands and flat faces. What he is trying to say is that he isn't cocky.

But there _are_ exceptions.

"_Magnostadt_," The very name on his lips was sour as a lemon. He wished nothing more than to take it, squeeze it so hard it bursts, and then drink the liquid produced. "_They've_ been causing the problems?"

"They have," Scherezade sits with her hands in her lap, eyes closed. "And the Chancellor has been spreading magic items across Akitia borders to increase political tension between the upper and lower class. The southwest coast has a large working class population, after all. Pirates are frequent in the waters...Bandits travel along the trade routes and apprehend wealthy travelers. Merchants, lesser nobles...Even magicians traveling to Magnostadt itself."

"...Do they plan to take over Akitia?"

"That seems to be the plan, considering Akitia's military presence along the border."

Muu frowns deeply.

"We cannot allow that," He solemnly informs her. "Akitia may be a part of the Seven Seas Alliance, but any more power Magnostadt gains will do nothing but jeopardize Reim's standing. Not to mention the consequences that Magnostadt will bring about by invading Akitia. The High King will take any chance to gobble up Magnostadt's power into his own."

He can feel the blazing of his feral side come to life, like it finally got the first drop of water in years.

"Lady Scherezade, please let me lead the troops on an assault on Magnostadt. It's the only option to pressure Magnostadt into becoming a province of Reim."

"You're right," Scherezade pauses. "Though it is too soon for action yet. I will take measures but...Let's wait a while and see how the conditions are before making our move."

The wild side is thrilled by her choice of words, of the soon to come action that will free the beast. But the rational side, the Alexius blood, keeps him calm.

_This is your war, but not your fight._

* * *

"Sir Lo'lo!" Turning, the Fanalis's sharp eyes catch hold of the entrance of the messenger. "A letter has come for you!"

"Huh? Someone had the balls to write to me?" The messenger freezes upon his words and the full force of the man's attention. It was no question as to why. Lo'lo was tall, had the width of a bear, and had no use for armor considering his already inhuman physique. It was funny how the messenger had yet to piss himself.

"U-uh yes, yessir," The page squeals, shakily approaching. "Here you are."

Lo'lo keeps his eyes on the man, even when he extends one giant arm out to pick the crisp white letter from his hands. A sharp smell enters his nose, and Lo'lo cracks a wide grin suiting only to the devil.

_I was only kidding about him pissing himself. _

The messenger turns crimson and scuttles like a bug out of the training area. Chuckling to himself, the Fanalis slips a finger under the lip of the seal and rips it open without any second thoughts.

Then he picks out the letter, eyes lazily drifting over the contents before his entire body stills. Blinking, Lo'lo stares down at the name of the person who sent it.

"Huh...You finally wrote."

* * *

_I hope this letter has gotten to you quickly._

_Sincerely, _

_Catrina_

* * *

Chaos is a funny thing. It can be quiet, subtle. Inside of a backpack papers are strewn messily around, placed in the wrong binders and essays that are due shoved to the very bottom. but the person who carries it looks neat. You would never know about the disorder.

Or it can be unspoken, a silent war between foes. Never directly talked about, but filled with word-jabs and backhanded compliments. Sides that are drawn but never mentioned, people who pledge their allegiance to who they think will be the winner.

It's a funny, funny thing. It's a wonderfully funny thing.

And it's a disgustingly funny thing, sometimes.

Catrina stood in front of the hole in which she appeared from, staring at the scene in front of her.

Torran people screaming and scattering like ants, children trying to struggle against the tornado that whips wind across her face like a slap. People being sucked up into the air, trees being uprooted.

Catrina stands in front of this chaos, not yet involved.

What's she thinking of? It feels like she's occupied with something else. That her body is so transfixed by something that she can't even move. Where was her confidence from when she first started this fiasco?

_Locked away with Tendaji and Mama._

Why is she thinking of them now of all times? She takes a step forward, a struggle that makes her shoulders drop low with defeat.

_What's the point?_

_The point of continuing on when this is all I'm going to do? Fight...Fight...Fight…_

Then her chest starts to heave a little faster.

_Fight...Fight, fight, fight._

Something like excitement builds in her.

_Why?_

Because she's a Fanalis.

And she's _built_ for chaos.

_Fight, fight, fight!_

A fire is rekindled.

Just in time for Morgiana to come crashing to the ground at her feet.

* * *

_Him._

There are three of them.

Five if you count Hitomi and Asad, but they lazily lounge on the tree line behind the three rampaging men, watching with disinterest.

Asad's eye catches hers.

She tries to communicate the full entirety of what she's going to do to his companions. He nods, motioning for her to go ahead. She flashes her teeth in what was suppose to be a smile, but feels more like a wolf trying to control it's hunger. She picks up Morgiana, surprised the girl is so light, and carries her to a safe zone, laying her down on the ground.

"W-wait, I can still-" Morgiana coughs, blood trickling down her forehead. It makes Catrina's heart seize.

"Mor," She says softly, laying her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Leave everything to me now, okay?"

"But I-I'm strong…" Morgiana says it almost brokenly, her teeth grating. She huffs, trying to push herself up. Aladdin shoots by them, caught in a burst of wind, but Catrina doesn't move to grab him.

That's biased, but she doesn't really care that much.

(The darker part of her mind whispers that anyone that takes Bad from her doesn't deserve her help.)

But it makes Morgiana tremble, so she lays the girl back down and smiles as reassuringly as she can. Hakuryuu is sprawled a little ways away, his polearm still grasped in his hand. Alibaba is right beside him, a splash of golden hair on the muddy ground. She wonders how she didn't notice them before.

"Mor, trust me. I'm stronger than you think…"

She trails off, but her words hang like a spider dangling from it's thread.

"_I'm strong."_

Morgiana lays back, almost defeated, and closes her eyes. Catrina stands, turns, and glares holes into a man's chest.

_Him_.

There are three of them.

One is tall, muscular and wrapped in a black Djinn Equip. Another looks like a musketeer, with a stupid feathery hat and fencing-style sword. The last is an old man with a disgusting sneer.

But she doesn't focus too much on them.

She's decided who to kill already.

_Him._

They drop to the ground in front of her, smiling like, and she almost laughs, _pedophiles_.

"Hey you," She calls, pointing to the one in the middle. "You're first."

Zurmudd stares at her, his fat lips shaped into a pout.

"Hm~~~? Me?"

"Yeah, I decided." He kind of smirks, making a baby face at her.

"Oh, and what do I get, little girl?"

"Death," Is her simple reply before she shoves her fist into the ground and a sharp bone rams itself inside of the man's shoulder.

* * *

"Hm."

"Princess?"

"Oh? No, it's nothing Seishun. I'm just thinking to myself."

"About what, if I can ask?"

"...Old friends."

* * *

Catrina has a secret.

She doesn't think of it often, because if she does all she remembers is something carnal within her that she doesn't believes exists in others.

But sometimes, when she gets very, very angry, something else takes over. Something dark and creepy, something that rings with fury and force. And, terrifyingly, something that screams for more.

All that she really remembers clearly is Morgiana at her feet. And then the anger took over. Afterwards, she remembers things, but differently. So much differently. It's not something she can describe. It's like, the sun is shining in your eyes, and then it's not. Then you're in the shade, but you don't remember _how_ you got into the shade.

She guesses why that's why she didn't hesitate to impale Zurmudd's shoulder. She should've possibly felt guilt, but she couldn't stop thinking about the smudge of dirt on Morgiana's cheek. It was so obscure.

Zurmudd let out a bellow of anger. It sounded like a bear, she notices. Before he has a chance to do anything more, she twists her fist more into the dirt and two more bone-spears makes holes in both his thighs. One of his partners makes a move, but her eyes catch his and he stops. As if he sees something in her that she doesn't.

His face twists.

But not as badly as Zurmudd's, who gets over his shock and spits at her.

"You weak bitch!" He screams. "Can't even get close!"

Her lips hurt.

It's then she realizes she's been smiling the whole time.

_More._

She hates not to oblige. But before she has time to do anything, Zurmudd uses the hands that sprout out of his back to break the bones in half, freeing himself from her grip. He rips the bones out of his skin, hissing loudly.

"_I. Don't. Discriminate._" His eye twitches. She notices it. It's hard not to when you have a Fanalis' eyes, everything detailed so perfectly that she can even tell that right next to his nose he has an old pimple scar.

The black hands sprout outwards, large and thick like a fat spider's.

Those hands reach out toward her, but it's too late for him, because she already feels a hand grabbing her fist stuck in the ground. She lifts, and a whole mass of skeletons come clawing from the dirt, their eyes glowing orange. Just like hers.

"The hell?" She hears the musketeer mutter. She's still smiling, she realizes.

More and more skeletons come crawling out, some using her legs to pull themselves out, but that's fine. She doesn't really feel it. The skeletons mush together, bending and shifting so they form a humanoid much taller than Eren and more brawny than him too.

Catrina feels something tighten inside of her, but she ignores it and flexes her left hand, coated with an orange glow. Skin starts to form on the creature, dark flesh that forms muscles and tendons.

The fists come crashing down, but she flexes her arm again and the creature grabs one fist, pulling it toward him and twisting. Zurmudd howls, another arm aiming for the skeletal-monster, but Catrina catches it and the monster grabs that one too. The strain becomes a pinching along her stomach, but she ignores it. Then, she shoots forward and kicks the first arm, feeling the elbow severe from the forearm. She does the same to the other arm, which comes off easy.

The pinching becomes a cramping that hurts badly.

She stares at her arm, which feels strangely numb.

_Too much._

_You're using too much Amala magic. These spells aren't supposed to be used by someone who's barely been trained like you. _

Summoning skeletons isn't quite easy a skill as it seems. As a ten year old Catrina had only just grasped the concept. The other things she's been doing...The formations of new creatures, bone spears...They're out of her league.

She feels like she's going to throw up.

_More. _

Zurmudd seems to compose himself. It reminds her of how Hitomi had done the same thing inside of Seere's Dungeon.

"Why are you so mad?" He asks, one hand grasping at the hole in his thigh. "I can't figure it out." Then maybe he realizes it. "Oh! That girl! You have similar features. You must be sisters, right?"

"Yes." Catrina says. She's not smiling anymore. The fury raises up again, the shade gets darker. "She's my sister."

"You're so much stronger than that girl. You must've been your parents' favorite." The fury makes her bones shake. The cramping becomes a pinching, and then a dull strain.

"She's my sister…" Anger, anger, anger, just like the night she killed Faraji and Dalila and Jabari. _Anger_. "...And you _hurt _her. _You_."

Anger like when she killed Jabari.

"_Special Skill: Necromancy:"_

Like that night, when she had said words she never thought she'd say again.

"What's that, little girl? Ready to see the power of a dark King?"

"_Persephone's Wrath."_

And then, just like first time she casted the spell, several bones come shooting out of the ground from all directions and impale Zurmudd's arms and legs. Then, with a slice of her arm, Zurmudd's leg separates from his body.

Another slice of her arm.

The strain becomes a pinch.

Another slice of her arm.

The pinch becomes a cramp.

Another slice of her arm.

The cramp becomes a cutting.

A final slice of her arm.

And then there is silence. Pure, pure silence.

And the sun is once again shining in her eyes.

* * *

There was a flash of bright light, and he opens his eyes to find himself lying in a giant hole. The surroundings were quiet, and he smiles a little as he climbs up the vines creeping into the hole.

When he comes up, he freezes.

It was not the people lying unconscious that froze him. It was not the defeated bodies of Morgiana, Hakuryuu or Aladdin. But rather, it was the blood.

Eren closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and then sighs.

"Catrina, it's alright."

"...It's not."

"Come here." She does, her limbs shaky. Her clothes stained red. Her eyes empty. He opens his arms, and she falls into them.

"I did it again. I'm a monster."

"We're all monsters, Cat. We're all the same." Eren looks beyond her, at the body ripped to shreds, at the shell-shocked Al Thamen goons staring at what was their comrade, at Asad and Hitomi watching with disgusted interest.

Then he looks down at Catrina, holding onto him and whispering something.

"...Sorry…" She mutters. She doesn't look very sorry, but that's because she's not herself when she gets angry. When she gets angry, she doesn't care who she destroys in the process. "...I really am…"

"Cat. He didn't deserve to live anyway."

"...If I tell myself that, then I'll keep telling myself that until the day someone kills me because I don't deserve to live."

"Alright then. _He got what was coming to him_. It would've happened one way or another. At least you did it for…"

"Morgiana." Catrina whispers, and the name makes something glow under her skin, the beginning of her piecing back together what had fallen apart in what she calls 'fury'.

"_Morgiana_." He repeats, then lets her go. "I'll take care of the rest. For you and for Morgiana."

* * *

Asad stares at the mess of blood.

_She's not neat._

It's not like Asad is unfamiliar with the scene of a dead man being sliced up, in fact he has witnessed it far too many times to count, but the fact that _Catrina _did it...Was unnerving. She wasn't the kind of person to get that animalistic, to get so angry she'd literally rip someone to shreds. It just wasn't in her nature.

Or so he thought.

Staring at the remains of what was Zurmudd, the sexist bulk of an ex-Partivian soldier, Asad can't help but wonder if Catrina had did it before. She didn't flinch. Not when she was forcing his body apart, not when he was screeching like a dying rabbit, not when the blood splattered over her nice dress. She didn't even blink.

Asad wonders if he too looks that bored when he kills. But then something came over her face. It was like seeing a key fit into a lock, and suddenly her eyes widened. She had the strangest epiphany, of suddenly knowing exactly what she had done, exactly how she had done it, and exactly how little she had cared. Asad had had that epiphany before. Back when he just started his lone assassin days.

He was such a little kid. It was before he met Kaidu- he remembers because as much as the elderly Xia annoyed him, it was his guidance that saved Asad from himself- and he'd go out, slice a throat, and sob and sob until he didn't know when he had started or where he was. Then, once he _met _Kaidu, and got Hachi and Hikaru, it was so much easier. Everything was _so, so _much easier. If it seems as though he's lying, he's not. It's never easy to kill another human being, but he learned to accept that if he was going to do it over and over again until the day Al Thamen runs out of uses for him, then he might as well live the way he wants to in between those bloody nights.

Teasing Kougyoku, joking with Judal, training with Kaidu, fighting with Daoqing...And now, taking Momoka shopping in the market and trying to escape Ting Mei's punishments. Wonderful things that distract him from the fact that he's a soldier in a war he never wanted to fight.

_Poor Catrina._

Yes, poor, poor Catrina.

Not used to death, and yet, just like him, fighting in a war centuries old. He wonders, however, if she knows it.

And, more importantly, if she _chose _it.

* * *

"Holy crap," Hitomi can't help but comment. If he had known that the Fanalis chick could do something like that in the Dungeon, he would've given up sooner. The girl ripped Zurmudd up like paper! Then, all of a sudden, he starts laughing. "Holy crap! Ol' Zur got the boot! Ithnan'll piss himself!"

"_Hitomi_." Shade says by his side, onyx eyes burrowing into him like knives. The kid can have a damn sharp gaze sometimes, like a knife. Hitomi ignores him. He wonders if that's a smart idea, but unfortunately, does not care.

"Look at her! A fifteen year old against the old-ass 'Partevian soldier'," He makes air quotes on 'Partevian soldier', rolling his eyes. "And she wins. Zurmudd was nothing! Holy crap!"

"Hitomi!" It's the old guy who says it this time, Apollonius or whatever. "You may be new, but that talk is unacceptable!"

His voice is a shrill. Hitomi almost winces at the crackly sound. Then, an idea pops into his head and he grins internally.

"Damn, but whoever kills her will get Ithnan's attention for sure," Hitomi rubs his chin in thought. "Not to mention it'll be easy to kill the magi-brat and his King if she's gone. Easy pickings."

Apollonius and the Byoln, the guy wearing the fancy cape, both freeze at once.

"True…" Byoln states, discretely sliding his hand toward his sword.

_Idiots._

"Idiots," Asad mumbles, not trying to hide the glare he aims at the two others in their group. Then, sighing, the younger man stands up and declares, "We'll be leaving once Ithnan and Dunya arrive."

"What? We can't let the Magi and his King live-" Apollonius starts again in that old, wheezy voice, but Asad stops him instantly.

"I don't _care_, Apolloshins. We'll handle them later. I sure as hell don't wanna get torn up." The Fanalis chick, Catrina or something, is still staring at Zurmudd. What's left, anyway. Apollonius bristles at Asad's mispronunciation.

"We should wait for _Ithnan_."

"We are. Then we're leaving." Asad's eyes turn harder than thought possible, blacker than his kimono. "Or do you forget that I'm your superior? And that I do, no matter who's jurisdiction I'm place in, hold the same position as Ithnan? _I _do all the paperwork you fuckers can't do yourself. _I_ work closely with Lady Gyokuen. _Mind your place_."

Apollonius's jaw drops. Byoln looks vaguely impressed. Hitomi is sorta upset that a runt younger than him has a higher position.

_Oh well._

And then, in the midst of things, a green haired man appears.

_Eren, right?_

* * *

Eren tries not to look at the body.

(At the blood and the bones and the ripped flesh.)

He doesn't want to. The one who did this isn't Catrina. His Catrina, he means.

(She's not just the one who caused the blood and bones and ripped flesh. She's _Catrina_.)

But he does.

He looks. He looks just so he can feed his morbid curiosity, he looks just so he can satisfy the part of him that wants to know the full extent of what she did. He doesn't really know why. Sometimes people just don't know why.

(But sometimes they do. Sometimes they know that if you can see everything for yourself, then no matter what anyone else says you'll know the truth.)

(You can see how badly she ripped a man apart, and then choose for yourself if she enjoyed it or not.)

He doesn't know why. But once he's satisfied, the very moment his brain really processes it, he looks away and then up at the four men watching him wearily. Then he studies them, at the sword held in one's hand and at the other sitting in a wheelchair.

Hitomi and Asad step back, as if excusing themselves, and slide into the shade in the cover of a large tree.

A little pool of red is trickling toward him.

(Did she enjoy it?)

He tries to figure out which one will attack first.

(...Will she do it again?)

* * *

Late.

Yamu could tell they were late, and the knowledge thudded against her chest harshly. She's not sure how she knew, just that she remembers the exact way the sun had shone of the giant mirror she had created the first time. She remembered it, and the fact that the direction of the sunlight was already in position scared her.

Late.

Yes, they were late.

"Hey, calm down. I'm sure everything's fine." She blinks. Sharrkan stands right beside her, his green eyes sparkling as he watches her nervously twiddle her thumbs. "We'll be there soon. If anything has happened, we'll be able to stop it."

She tries to calm down. He's right. The first time they arrived in time to save their students and Hakuryuu, no problem. But something still twitches in the bottom of her stomach.

"It doesn't feel right," She blurts. Sharrkan stares. Heat creeps up her neck. "I mean, I have a _feeling_, Sharr. Something's gone wrong. I just don't know what."  
He keeps staring. And then, slowly, a smile creeps up his face.

"You called me Sharr."

…

_Oh my God I did._

She hadn't called him 'Sharr' since- since the Other. Since the Other when they broke up. Her heart pounds and aches at the same time. She doesn't like thinking about the Other. She doesn't like thinking about how she died. Or how he died, though Bad thankfully never told her what had happened to Sindria after her barrier disappeared.

(Although, in the same way that Yamu know knew something was wrong, she had a feeling that when she died it was the start of a ticking time bomb on how long Sindria had left.)

She scowls to hide her embarrassment.

"Really, I'm talking about our disciples' lives and _that's_ what you focus on? They could be in danger!" His smile disappears in an instant, turning serious.

"Everything will be fine. I have a feeling as well."

_Well, are you reliving your life? No. I know what'll happen._

She turns to the island coming closer and closer.

_I know what happened. And if something bad really does happen now that changes things…_

She sighs, gripping her staff.

_Just be safe...Everyone._

* * *

Djinn Equipping is like running the mile. That's what they don't say. It's like running the mile, because one is working to coat their body in magoi and grant themselves abilities, much like how runners need to keep up their paces and control their breathing.

Once one masters this, it's actually quite simple to peel on and off.

It's just, you know, hard sometimes to do that when a crazy old man is trying to impale him with _light _and a fencer is trying to poke holes in him with his stupid needle-like sword.

"Hold still!" The old man yells. Eren responds,

"Give me a minute to Djinn Equip!" And then in unison by his two attackers,

"NO!"

Eren found it unfair. They obviously didn't double team Catrina, or else she wouldn't have had the time to cast the spell that slayed their comrade. Then the Chandlen winces. Bad choice of words. Speaking of the Fanalis, she had retreated to their fallen comrades, dragging the boys toward a safer pace before delicately picking up Morgiana and taking her there too. It was quite obvious whom she favored.

She turns then, to watch, her orange eyes wide and worried.

Ah, distracted.

The swordsman jabs Eren's side, blood spraying out from the cut. The Chandlen hisses and stumbles back, holding the wound.

"_Eren!"_

For a second, Eren thinks it was Catrina who made that cry.

But it wasn't Catrina.

It was Bad.

...Ah, distracted.

* * *

She bites her lip.

"Hey...Come on, we're almost there." Sharrkan's voice cuts into her thoughts, gentle and worried. "You look sick."

"I'm just-" Yamu takes in a large breath. "I have a '_bad'_ feeling."

* * *

On one hand, Eren was happy to see her.

Considering that Seere's Dungeon was where Al Thamen chose to attack, it was no surprise that she had to trudge through the forest on the way here. He had planned- and hoped- that he'd come out first, make the trip up there, and then carry her through the tangled web of forest. She'd probably would've looked very entitled as he did it.

Still, even with a little sweat on her neck, she looked very pretty. He's not sure why he chose that to focus on.

Her hair had a loose leaf in it, but she looked pretty. Standing there with wide eyes and a scared face. Really, she's a cute kid, his little sister. He never saw her looked scared. But she did look at way. Afraid.

_Of what?_

He doesn't really know.

(People don't always know, remember?)

But maybe it was the sword lashing out toward him, inching closer and closer. Maybe it was the way he felt so calm. Maybe it was because of the gash in his side.

He does have something he wants to say.

_Hey Bad, will you-?_

But the sword comes quickly, and all there is is a spray of blood before he falls to the ground, darkness consuming his vision.

* * *

"_I have a bad feeling."_

* * *

Kouhime saw many comrades fall.

There was Seishuu Ri, Kouen's snake-headed subordinate. She saw him get tackled to the ground by a dark Djinn and not get back up. There was Mira Dianus Artemina, the blonde Queen of Artemyra and wielder of a Djinn, who fought bravely until an unfortunate slice of a blade hit it's mark and she slapped against the ground.

(When she died, her household members were left powerless in the middle of the battlefield.

They were slaughtered.)

She saw many more as well, people whom had families and names and goals, some who bravely volunteered for the war effort and others who were drafted by their countries in hopes of somehow overpowering Al Thamen. Some whom were just foot soldiers, others who were vassals of Kings.

But not Eren.

Eren wouldn't die that way. She was sure he wouldn't.

That's why she felt so much _shock _when the sword ripped across his chest, a deep slice that made his green eyes widen. That's why she felt so _confused _when he hit the ground. Because- because the people who matter, the ones you _love_, they don't die that way. They _don't_.

They especially don't if they're good, if they're kind and gentle and hold you when you have a nightmare. They just don't if they're important and special and _mean_ something. They don't if their arms hold you up, if they smell like pine, if they've known you since you were six years old and _raised _you.

(Kouen died though, Bad. Koumei and Kouha and everyone else died.)

But they didn't die like _this_.

He's laying there now. Laying there in silence, his left cheek to the ground. His hair falling into his eyes. He hates it when it does that, that's why he always trims it neatly. Blood spurts against his cheeks from two wounds, making it slick and red.

Bad walks forward, watching him.

"E-Eren…?" She asks it so softly. When she had gotten out of Zagan, she had thought that the battle would be waiting for her. But it wasn't. It was here, near Seere, where the Torran villagers had promised to converged to prepare for their departure. "Hey...Eren?"

Sheba feels heavy in her palm, and Raiden flickers with energy.

Bad drops to her knees in front of the green haired man, both Divine Staves falling out of her grasp.

"Eri...Hey? You're stronger than this. Why...Aren't you saying anything?"

His eyes were firmly closed, his lips parted.

"Eren?" She keeps saying his name, and she's not sure why it's not having an effect. She touches his shoulder, noting that it's still warm, and tries again. "Brother? You promised we'd- we'd do things together. You said you wouldn't leave me."

Her eyes sting. They sting very, very badly.

She takes his hand. It's so large that her hand disappears in his palm.

"You _promised_, Eren." Is that her voice? So high and trembling? "You _promised_."

Her fingers twitch.

_Wait...No they didn't. _

She looks down, at her hand in Eren's, at his fingers moving to clasp down on hers. At his eyes slowly opening. Their gazes lock.

"We...Don't break our promises…"

The relief comes down on her like the force of a car, igniting every cell in her body with energy. She takes a giant breath, gasping, and clutches his hand harder. Her lips for a smile, and she laughs nervously.

"Thank God," She whispers, holding his hand to her chest. "_Thank God."_

"Hey, brat, are you done yet?" She pauses, looking behind her. A man stands with his sword still out, still red with Eren's blood. She stares at it.

Catrina comes out of nowhere, her red hair swishing with the force of her speed.

"Catrina, take Eren."

"I want to help," Catrina argues, but Bad's eyes stray to the deep wounds on her brother's chest.

"You need to stop his bleeding. I'll handle them."

Then her smile turns bitter and harsh.

"_I'll take care of them."_

* * *

The moment Yamuraiha's feet touched the ground, she was off. She was off like a gunshot, not even waiting for Masrur and Sharrkan to follow. She jumped up on her staff and zoomed overhead toward Zagan. In a blur of red below her, she realized Masrur had caught up. Sharrkan lagged behind, but in the one moment she let herself check on him she could see he was pushing himself to run as fast as them as well.

Masrur pulled ahead, and then made a sharp turn. That threw her for a loop, but she followed, knowing that his Fanalis nose would show the right way. He went farther and farther ahead, faster than what she had expected from him.

Then they arrived in front of a giant hole. They arrived in an area where people were passed out in the open, with a few conscious men pulling them back into an area crowded with shivering survivors.

They arrived in front of a mutilated body.

They arrived in front of Catrina trying to stop the blood flowing from Eren.

They arrived in front of Badroulbadour fighting two fully Djinn Equipped men on her own.

* * *

Masrur should've focused on the kid first. He should've.

She _was_ fighting two dark Djinn users at once, but really, he was more concerned on the fact that one of his disciples was passed out and the other was hyperventilating over a body. And thus, on natural instinct, he chose Morgiana and Catrina. He felt bad, of course he did, but Yamu was already by the girl's side and Sharrkan was deflecting the blows of the swordsmen fighting her.

"Catrina," She looks up at him, the whites of her eyes bright red. She was holding down on one wound, but there was another that was bleeding just as profusely. She coughs, and a little blood trickles down her chin.

"He's alive, Masrur," She sounds like she's lying. He could hear every syllable of the words, each tone of her voice crackling with fear. "He's alive, I can feel his heart."

Masrur is beside her in an instant, noting that there is blood on her dress that doesn't smell like hers or Eren's, and then covers the other gash with his hands. Catrina hiccups, more tears slipping down her cheeks thickly.

"He can't die, Masrur. He _can't_." There is such heartbreak in her voice that for a moment he completely understands. For a while Masrur had suspected that Eren and Catrina were romantically involved, but now he realizes that he was so stupid to think that. "He's- he's always been there for us a-and Bad'll _kill_ herself if he dies."

Family.

They were family.

"He'll be fine," Masrur promises, and for just a second, he can see that Catrina desperately believes him with her whole heart. For that desperation, and for Catrina, he presses harder on the wound and glares at Eren.

_Don't make her cry. _

Eren groans as if he heard loud and clear.

* * *

Snapping is surprisingly easy, if the conditions are right.

And for Bad, they were exceedingly perfect.

Eren was fatally injured, Catrina was exhausted and crying, Aladdin and Alibaba laid unconscious with Hakuryuu and Morgiana, injuries covering their bodies.

The conditions were met completely.

And unfortunately for Byoln and Apollonius, they were going to be the objects of her immense anger. Her anger, which grew more and more until it exceeded the boundaries that she thought she had set for herself.

The first thing she did was grab Raiden off the ground. The second, she aimed at the two Al Thamen agents. The third, she said a sarcastic prayer for their souls in her head and the fourth, she blasted off a lightning spell.

"_Ramz!"_

Like a whip, Raiden sent the lightning snap at the two men, cutting through the air. Byoln jumped back and Apollonius rose into the air, just barely dodging her attack. Deciding that waiting for them to retaliate would be stupid, she throws several more lightning spells at them, electricity creating tension in the air.

"You _bastards_," She hits them with a water spell, anger fueling adrenaline. "You bastards hurt Eren, and you hurt Catrina," Byoln is hit, and goes skidding off to the side. "And you hurt my _friends_!"

Letting out a roar of frustration, she sends out another water spell, the spray spilling all over her opponents.

"You brat," Apollonius growls, but Bad growls as well, yelling once more,

"_Ramz!"_

The lightning crackles in the air, using the water as a transport to get to it's mark faster. Byoln hisses, trying to dodge. Apollonius realizes her plan and launches to the side, howling as the air shocks him.

She missed, but at least they know that if they careless she _will_ make them into light bulbs.

A little winded, she prepares to fire once more.

Then they both decide to dark Djinn Equip.

_Dammit. _

Now she's the one launching out of the way, dodging fast as shadowy swordsmen and light rays aim for her neck. A swordsmen tries to cut her but misses. She tries to step away but his other arm lashes out and slams her to the ground.

"Bad!"

_Huh?_

A flash of white and brown and the swordman choking her was cut up into ribbons. Blinking, Bad sits up.

"Mama? Sharrkan?" Yamuraiha smiles at her, picking her up.

"You did good, Bad. But you should rest now." Bad's eyes do feel heavy. And, looking down, she had sustained more injuries than she thought. None were as bad as Eren's, but they were still pretty bad. She wonders how she didn't notice, but a part of her doesn't care.

"Mama...Is it okay if I leave it to you now?" Yamu nods.

"Yes. Don't worry Bad. Everything will be fine." Bad nods, her head falling against Yamu's shoulder, and then falls unconscious.

* * *

Well, Asad thinks, it could've been worse.

He's actually quite surprised Eren was injured so badly, he _is_ a Dungeon Capturer. But considering Masrur and Catrina are caring for him, Asad guesses he'll be fine. And for Bad to hold her own for a while against two opponents in Djinn Equip, well, it was quite impressive to the Shadow.

Speaking of the Princess, Bad lays right beside Aladdin, curled up. He slips into his invisible form, glad that Hitomi is super enraptured with the battle, and makes his way over to her. He watches the two Fanalis wearily, but they're preoccupied with Eren and don't notice him. Slipping his hands under Bad's neck and knees, he wraps the light around her until she's invisible too and then slides into the forest unnoticed, her two Divine Staves resting on her chest.

* * *

To say Centola was unprepared for what she saw coming out of Seere was an understatement.

She was thrown for a pretty big loop.

Mainly because A. _Zurmudd most definitely wasn't suppose to be ripped up that way _and B. _Eren wasn't supposed to get hurt_.

Instead of bothering with Yamu and Sharrkan's fights, she rushes over to the wounded Chandlen and surveys the damage, falling to her knees beside Catrina.

"T-the bleeding's stopped," Catrina says, wiping her eyes. "B-but we can't clean the wound."

"Yes we can," Centola's eyes catch Eren's necklace.

"Huh?" She reaches for the pouch, pulling it off the string looped around Eren's neck. She opens it up and thrusts her hand inside, rummaging through coins. Her hand dives deeper, going up to her elbow.

_How does Eren work this thing?!_

Then it comes to her.

_Zeina's medicine._

And her fingers touch something cool. She pulls out the vial, summoning clean rags as she works. Her thumb pops open the cork of the half-full elixir.

She applies the bluish-green liquid to the rag and then presses it to the wound. Eren groans, a rumbling sound shaking his chest. She goes down from the top left to the bottom right, hoping it won't scar, and applies more elixir to the rag as she works. Eventually she goes to the next wound, a stab mark on his lower right abdomen, and applies the potion.

"Wh-what's that?" Centola asks.

"It's a medicine my Aunt made. I gave it to Aladdin when he passed out in Balbadd, remember? It helps the immune system and strengthens the body. But, when applied to physical wounds, it helps close them at a faster rate and disinfect them."

"Seriously?" Catrina's eyes are wide. "I didn't know…" Centola rubs her back.

"I have bandages, let's wrap his wounds."

* * *

When Bad woke up, she woke up in Asad's arms.

"H-huh?"

"Oh? You're finally awake, sleeping beauty?" The pinkette shoots away, staring at him. He chuckles.

They were sitting in the shade of a large tree, and above them a nest hung filled with baby birds. It was quiet, which meant they were away from the battle, and the breeze smelled fresh and warm.

"...Why did you bring me here?"

"Hm?"

"Well, I'm assuming you took me while everyone else was distracted, right? Why?" Asad smirks.

"Well, I'd like to chat. And give you a chance to get rid of that beautiful staff before Sharrkan or Masrur sees it." Protectively Bad grasps for Raiden, which was in between Asad and her. As she awoken more, she realized Asad must've been holding her while she slept, waiting peacefully under the tree.

It was unnerving.

Eyeing Asad, Bad lets out a breath and holds Raiden toward her.

"_Return, Angel and Devil,_

_We are one,_

_Now come to me."_

The star tattoo on her chest gleams, and Raiden turns into light, slipping into it. As the glow fade, Asad watches intently.

"That's amazing," He comments. "I can see why Gyokuen loves you so much. You're the summary of all her accomplishments."

"What do you mean?" Her groggy mind doesn't understand.

"All the others were failures, Bad. You were the first to survive." Bad blinks, and then laughs hollowly.

"Oh. That. Yes, well, that's true. She couldn't find the right 'ingredients' when she tried to make a person like me before so…"

Asad shakes his head.

"Sorry I brought this up. That's not what I want to talk about."

"What _do _you want to talk about?"

"...Judal."

_Of course._

"I see. He's fine, Asad. He really is."

"How do you know?" His glare is harsh.

"Because he's with _Yunan_, Asad. Yunan the 'Wandering Magi'. There is literally no one else in this world whom Judal would be safer with, except maybe Sinbad." Asad is silent. "...But you're not worried about his health."

Asad says nothing, then,

"I want to see him." Bad stares.

"You will," She promises cryptically. "But don't make any mistakes, Asad. I might not be able to save you otherwise."

Scaring him is unnecessary, but fear is the best motivator and how else can she control him? Looking into Asad's eyes, she wonders if he's realized yet that he's not free yet.

_Poor, poor Shadow. From being chained by Al Thamen to being chained by me._

Although...

_I'm sorry. I'm really sorry I can't let you be free like I let Catrina, Centola and Eren be. _

She almost says it out loud.

But she doesn't. Instead she says,

"Get out of here. And don't let Sharrkan or Masrur see your face. They won't keep it a secret like my group will about you being here. I can't have my favorite assassin being kicked out of Sindria so soon, can I~?"

* * *

It was over sooner than she expected. Yamu knew it would be, but maybe that was arrogant. Instead of letting Apollonius break her precious magoi storage items, she quickly destroyed the wheels of his wheelchair with water balls- which made him lose balance- and then placed a well-timed kick to his head, which sent him flying to the ground. When he got back up, she hit him with a tidal wave which sent him flying off the side of a cliff.

It was quite fulfilling, actually. He kept leering at her.

Sharrkan had whistled when he was done with Byoln, calling her a badass. She flipped her hair.

"I _did _train under a magi, you know."

"Okay now you're just being conceited."

"Oh shut up."

Then she turned her attention to Eren, and was thankful to see that he was bandaged up.

"Cent?" The Temptress glanced at her.

"Ah, Yamu! I came in the middle of your fight."

"Oh, I see. Is Eren…?"

"He'll be fine," Centola frowns. "It'll scar, unfortunately, but he'll probably think it's manly or something."

Yamu laughs. A rustling catches her attention, where Bad comes out of the bushes.

"Where were you?" She asks, now realizing the girl had been gone. The Princess shrugs.

"I had to pee."

"Oh God," Sharrkan cringes, going over to Alibaba. Bad, the brat, smirks and yells after him,

"_It's nature!" _Then, she spots Eren and instantly goes to him. Catrina laid his head on her lap, and Bad flops on the ground beside him and curls into his side.

"He's okay?" She asks, the worry in her voice making her sound young. Catrina nods, looking tired and happy.

"He'll be fine."

"Thank God," Bad mutters, holding onto the Chandlen's sash. "I was..." Then she shakes her head profusely and refuses to finish her statement.

Yamu thinks that the sight is absolutely precious before turning to Aladdin and gathering her young disciple in her arms to bandage _his _wounds. Masrur cradles Morgiana gently, looking down at her with heavy eyes.

"Well," Catrina sighs, patting Eren's head. "At least it's over...Right?"

Those around her nod, looking at the damage they created on the battlefield. The Fanalis-Amala closes her eyes.

"Good."

* * *

Eren woke up to Catrina's face and Bad's warmth by his side. He blinks a little, tries to move and then regrets everything.

"Oh sweet God," He moans, the pain soaring across his chest. He doesn't even know _where _it hurt. He just knows that it _does_. "Oh sweet _**Jesus**_. The hell happened?"

"You were an idiot," Bad growls, but her hands are what help him sit up slightly. "Don't move."

"Byoln landed a lucky strike or two," Catrina mends Bad's statement. "Remember?" He does remember, but it's kinda hazy. Like how you don't really remember what you thought about before going to sleep.

"Yeah, I guess. Dang, this _hurts_."

"Don't whine," Bad grumbles, fiddling with the bandages. "And don't move! You'll reopen the wounds!"

"I'll tend to you in a moment, Eren," Yamu smiles. Eren blinks. When'd she get here? "I just need to finish with Aladdin." Said boy sits up groggily, his eyes blinking slowly and sleepily, as if he had taken a nap.

"So...I take it Sharrkan 'n Yamu came and kicked ass?" Eren scratches his head, wincing at the movement.

"Don't. Move." Bad glares at him harshly. He's used to her glares, and usually they slip off him like water, but she seems genuinely pissed off this time. It makes him obey without delay.

"No moving. Got it this time." Catrina giggles.

"I'm happy you're okay, Eri," She tells him, laying her head on his shoulder. "We were really worried."

"Catrina was. I knew you weren't such a weakling." Bad huffs, looking away. Eren tilts his head.

_Why's she so mad?_

He reaches over and plops his hand on her head. She glares some more, but doesn't shake him off, and gradually he's able to pull her into a side-hug.

"Don't be bratty," He tells her, grinning at her incoherent mumbling.

"I'm not a brat," Eren rolls his eyes at her whining, and Catrina giggles some more.

None of them notice Yamu smiling softly by Aladdin's side.

* * *

"King Sinbad!" It's Ja'far's call, and Sinbad turns toward his advisor with a smile. "I just heard from Yamuraiha. Al Thamen _did _attack outside of the Dungeons, but they were able to defeat them. Everyone is fine."

"Thank God," Zeina comments at a nearby desk, filling out papers. "I would've strangled Sinbad if Centola got hurt."

"And _I _would've beat up Ja'far." Khadeja agrees by her side, standing upright. Her face goes stiff. "Especially since you idiots didn't tell us you were sending out a party to investigate."

"You would've went on a rampage if you knew there was a chance Centola could've gotten hurt," Ja'far deadpans. The self-proclaimed servant glares.

"And," Sinbad decides to add, pointing at Zeina, "You kept saying you were too busy with whatever it is you're doing."

"Working," Both women respond at once, mysteriously.

"That's not an ans- you know what? Never mind." Sinbad turns back to Ja'far. "Still, the long-distance clairvoyance item Yamuraiha produced is quite helpful. Did she really create it herself?"

"She says she did. Yamuraiha is a very resourceful magician."

"She's been teaching your magicians a thing or two," Khadeja calls, snickering. Zeina smiles fondly.

"She's a nice person. I enjoy her company."

"She's connected to Yunan," Sinbad points out, frowning. "How'd she even get into my country…?"

"Your 'security checks' are quite easy to bypass," Zeina informs them. When the two stare at her with increasing suspicion, she throws her hands up. "...Or so I've heard. Besides, isn't it good to have her here? She has astounding knowledge and has been helping out with the learning facilities. Not to mention she seems to want to go where Bad goes."

"And Bad is my ward," Sinbad rubs his chin in thought. Zeina throws a quill at him, which he dodges easily.

"Stop scheming. You're super unattractive when you do it."

"I'm always attractive."

"And apparently you're modest, too-"

"_My King!" _ Startled, Sinbad turns to the voice. A servant comes rushing foward, his hands on his knees. "There's an intruder in the courtyard!"

"What?!"

Instantly the four adults are up and running, following the servants rushing ahead to show the way.

"See? _See? _This is why you need better security!" Zeina pokes Sinbad with her elbow. The Sindrian King shoots her a look.

"Really? _Now?"_

"Yes, now! You're too lax!"

"I swear to God," Ja'far rubs his temple, teeth clenched. "You two are _children_."

When they arrive in the courtyard, all four freeze in shock.

"Wait, is that-" Khadeja starts, just as Sinbad growls,

"_Judal."_

* * *

"Hey Sinbad!"

To say the relationship Sinbad had with Judal was a good one would be a complete lie. In fact, saying that it was cold, frigid and ego-bruising was a whole lot more accurate. Partly because Judal used any excuse to get on Sinbad's bad side.

Mainly because Sinbad's still sure that it was Judal who killed his friends in Partevia that day.

So when Judal lands in Sinbad's backyard? The King is less than pleased.

"Huh? Why're you all so threatening?" He's smirking, obviously because he knows why. Before Sinbad can stop him Ja'far launches forward and uses his household vessel on the magi. It hits Judal's borg, but the teen merely lifts up his wand and deflects it. Khadeja grabs Ja'far's wrist before the advisor can make another move.

The white haired man moves to shrug her off, but Sinbad finally intervenes.

"Ja'far, stop. What do you want, Judal?" The magi waves, giving a smile that he seems to struggle with.

"Well, I could've said it sooner if you kept your damn dog on his leash." Ja'far hisses. "Sorry, snake. I forgot."

_"Judal."_

"Ugh, fine. Hey Sinbad...Do you know that guy? Isn't he weird?" Sinbad makes no move to answer. "Oh come on. _Aladdin. _The frickin' _fourth_ magi? Can you even believe that! There's only three of us at one time. There's me, that old witch in Reim, Yunan...And now suddenly this guy. If one of us dies, another is born. But I haven't heard anything like that. So...Who _is_ he?"

Sinbad stays quiet.

"I'm not sure myself." He chooses to say. Judal smirks a little.

"He has this freaky power too! When he used it on me..." His expression changes, looking lost. "I saw things. It was terrible." Then he shakes it off. "So what the hell do _you _want with him?"

"...Come again?"

"You heard me. What do you want with the brat? Don't be coy." Sinbad's expression turns to thunder.

"That's none of your business."

"Damn, you're cold. And here I was going to offer to join you."

"You belong to the Organization. Have you forgotten what you did in Partevia?!" Judal just stares at him.

"Sinbad...What're you talking about?" There is a rustle in the crowd. "Don't you know?"

It's a hook, but curiosity has always been Sinbad's weak point.

"Know what?" Judal cracks a half-smile.

"I quit." The revelation makes Zeina beside him stiffen.

"What...?" She whispers, shocked. Sinbad clenches his jaw, studying the teenager in front of him. He seems like he's being sincere, but with a guy like Judal, who can really know?

"I don't believe you." Judal's face falls.

"Why the hell would I lie? Why...You know Sinbad..." His hair falls in his face. "I'm a victim of Al Thamen!"

_What?!_

"That kid...He showed me my past. I was born in an eastern village. I had a _family_," His hands are fisted. "...But the Organization killed my parents. They kidnapped me when I was a baby and _used_ me. Are you saying that's my fault, Sinbad?! That I _chose _to be kidnapped and raised as a pawn? That's not fair!"

Guilt crashes through Sinbad's chest unwarranted. He tries to contain it, but there is tears in Judal's eyes. He's still standing there, glaring at him, with his teeth grating together.

"I never even knew it..." Judal says finally, his eyes hitting the ground. "You know how much that _sucks_? So I _quit_. I..." Then, suddenly, his hands relax and his face turns blank. "...I came here to talk to my brother about leaving Al Thamen for good. But I guess I'll just leave. Sorry for the intrusion, you heartless bastard."

Sinbad's heart clenches. Maybe he really shouldn't have always been so cold to Judal...Especially without knowing the circumstances. He just always assumed Judal chose to be a part of Al Thamen. Actually, now that he thinks about it, Sinbad never even gave a thought about how Judal was only a child when they first met. Ja'far was, too, but...

"Judal-" He starts, but then-

"Wow Judar, that's so cold~!"

Then Sinbad's nightmare comes full circle, and another magi he has terrible relations with comes flying in.

"...Yunan?"

"Hm? Oh hello, Sinbad!"

* * *

"...Yunan."

"Hm? Oh hello, Sinbad!" Judal was humiliated. He's not sure why he decided to have a freak out and spill his guts to _Sinbad_ of all people, but he did. He did and now all he wants to do is _leave _before he starts crying, for godsakes. But then, deciding now was a good time, Yunan comes flying in like everything's all fine and dandy.

_Dammit._

Judal wishes they never came here in the first place. But...

_Asad. _

Judal wasn't lying. He did come here to talk to his brother...Especially now that Judal's gotten his head straight. Things have been harsh between them for a long while, and he can't leave things as they are. They haven't talked about him being an...Assassin, nor about what happened in Balbadd...Not to mention the fact that Judal left Asad all alone in Kou with those evil old geezers.

And Bad too. Judal wants to talk with her too...To thank her, actually. Which is hard to believe coming from him, but being with Yunan this past year has changed a lot of things about him. It's opened his eyes a lot, as well. There was a lot of things he didn't realize. And according to his mentor, the first step to acting on these things is to talk more with the people who've cared for him, which in this case is Asad and Bad. Apparently he also had to-

"Judal wanted to come here to apologize to you for always being such a brat!"

Not humiliated.

Judal isn't humiliated.

Now he's just mortified.

"Yunan!" He yells, but the older magi just chuckles and lands beside him, grasping his shoulder.

"Hi Sinbad! It's been a while. Please forgive Judal's outburst, he can be so moody. Teenagers! I rue the day my daughter becomes one." At least Sinbad's face is priceless.

"You two...Are friends?"

"I'm Judal's teacher!" Yunan proudly boasts. "After Balbadd I was entrusted with Judal and have been teaching him ever since! He's no longer a part of that nasty Organization. So, he decided he wanted to come to Sindria to apologize for all the things he did while with them. It's part of his 'redemption'."

_Oh my God. _

Mortified doesn't even _cut _it anymore.

"Shut up, Yunan!"

"Now, now, Judar-"

"Judal,"

"-Just because you got upset and things didn't go the way you wanted them to doesn't mean you can just leave and forget about it. Now, as we practiced." His face is burning. He tries not to look at Ja'far or Sinbad or the hott blonde (Zeina...Right?) or the scary black haired woman glaring at him. He takes a deep breath and mumbles it.

"Say it louder."

Judal growls.

"Fine! I'm sorry I've been so rude to you all these years and that wefoughtalotandthatIwasaclass-Adouche,okay?!" Yunan gives one of those frail smiles he's so damn good at giving.

"You butchered it, but good job!"

_This is not worth the praise. _

Buuuut Sinbad does look like he got hit by a tsunami, which is a little fulfilling.

"Did...Did you just actually apologize?"

Judal looks away.

"Yeah! Now, accept it!"

Sinbad just looks at him.

"You did a lot more than just be rude, Judal." He knows that. Of course he does. But his face still sours.

"Yeah, I know that. I didn't care before but..." He sighs. Why the hell does he have to act mature? "...But I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for showing up here and insulting you again. Yunan says it's a coping mechanism or something stupid like that."

There is a brief silence. Sinbad raises his hand.

"Everyone, there is no threat here. I'll be talking to Yunan and Judal alone."

His eyes flicker to the King's, which are steady on him.

He hasn't forgiven him but...

_It's a start. _

* * *

**Fun Fact #1:** Alexio is usually forgotten by Sparrow-Chan, but he is still here! He's currently taking lessons from Sharrkan on swordsmanship in order to protect and repay Zeina. His crush on Bad is still unrequited, but he has yet to give up! And his friendship with Aladdin is improving...? We're rooting for you, little dove!

**Fun Fact #2: **Kassim was able to break his smoking habit after leaving Balbadd and meeting up with Yunan and Judal. He still sometimes lights one every now and then to blow smoke in Judal's face. He finds it _h__il-arious_.

**Fun Fact #3: **Whenever Sharrkan hits on Yamuraiha, Yunan sneezes and then darkly considers breaking someone's nose.

* * *

So, this chappie is a week late. I mean, I usually am late, but sadly I don't think that this trend will lessen. Why? Quite simple: I got to an academically challenging school. My workload is very heavy and combined with sports and extracurricular activities I don't actually have a lot of free time anymore, especially since I'm now a sophomore. I can't afford to slip behind in any of my classes. Thus, I am apologizing in advance for being late or off my game.

**Muu and Lo'lo:** They make an appearance! Scherezade and Muu are had a convo about Magnostadt, and Lo'lo gets a letter from Catrina…?

**Catrina's 'Fury':** I affectionately refer to it as 'Black Catrina'. Catrina, despite her happy attitude, has a sad amount of problems. For one thing, she was born with the regrets of Alice on her shoulders, and then was forced to live in a place where the people outright rejected her. Black Catrina has surfaced before- like when she beat up some bullies back in chapter 5 and when she killed Jabari- but this is the first time I've really had her address it. And no, this will not be the last time she'll snap…*WINK*.

**Masrur's Misinterpretation:** I probably should have written some more on this, but Masrur did think that Eren and Catrina were a thing. If you look back I did drop some hints, but nothing big. He doesn't think that anymore, of course.

**JUDALLLLLLLLL IS BAAACCCKKKK (With Yunan and Kassim!): **And our absentee trio is back! What adventures did they have? What bonds were formed? Is Judal less annoying than he always is and is Kassim still awesome? ANSWERS SHALL BE GIVEN...In the next chapter! Teehee!

**Judal's Apology: **As stated in the chapter, Judal is sorry what he's done. And that's super OOC, but he has been with Yunan for a year and since he was raised with Asad his personality is changed too. Remember when he apologized to Bad? He is different, like how Hakuryuu is different. Next chapter Judal and Sinbad will have a heart to heart (or as much as they can) and more shall be revealed on Yunan's/Judal's/Kassim's journey together. I'm so happy they're back!

**Chapter 282:** Okay, way to eff up my storyline Ohtaka. You just haaaad to make Arbakuei a thing, right? Well eff you. Eff you so friggin' hard. Now I'm gonna have to tweak Hakuei's storyline. Thanks, canon.

AND THE ZAGAN ARC IS FINISHED! WHOOP! On to the eighth arc! Don't leave me now!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	29. Chapter 28: People Like Us

Hiiii guys I'm back! And with a new chapter! It's raining cats and dogs outside my house right now. IT'S SUPER AWESOME. Well now, onto the chapter: let us rejoice in reading!

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**EIGHTH ARC: **The Path Ahead

CHAPTER 28: People Like Us

* * *

"...Huh?" The Torran chief stares at her, his legs crossed.

"_**Thank you for capturing the Dungeons, we've been worried for a long time that you wouldn't come out. You've been gone for two weeks." **_The Chief repeats. She blinks, nods, and translates for her companions. They all look surprised as well, but also relieved.

"Well, at least it wasn't two months," Alibaba laughs.

"Or two years," Hakuryuu corrects, smiling a little. The boys laugh, and Bad has to hide her own grin.

"_**It was our pleasure to help you out, Chief. Besides, it wouldn't do for King Sinbad's ward to be killed in an unsavory place like a Dungeon." **_

"_**That is true, King Sinbad would be saddened." **_The Chief beams. "_**And thank you for saving my granddaughter and her parents. It has brought my family joy to see them alive and well."**_

Tenderly, Bad smiles.

"_**I'm glad they are safe now as well. We shall depart tomorrow to return to Sindria."**_

"_**You won't stay longer to heal?" **_Bad motions to Hakuryuu and Alibaba, who now are engaging in an arm wrestling match.

"_**I think we're fine," **_She jokes, making the Chief laugh. "_**Thank you for letting us stay here tonight, ah, Chief…"**_

"_**Chief Frank." **_Bad blinks, staring. Then she giggles.

"_**Frank*. We'll be sure to visit again some day."**_

"_**Good. You're our heroes. We'll always welcome you." **_The words make something in Bad glow, and she bows in respect to the elderly man before leaving the tent with her friends. The sun on the horizon is setting, and the time they have left is coming to a close. Breathing in deeply and hearing the sounds of celebration around camp, Bad relishes the peace she's finally feeling.

No more insane Dungeon Creatures or idiotic Djinn.

No more battles where her loved ones almost die.

Just the calm sound of the nearby beach and the scents of the Torran people's food.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Centola asks, appearing by her side. Bad nods.

"It's very nice," The silence lapses easily between them.

"...You seem different."

"What do you mean?" Centola shrugs.

"From when I first met you, I suppose," The strawberry blond begins to walk forward. Bad joins her, following her as they head towards the beach. When they get there, the pure white sand looks like a deep yellow because of the sun's fiery orange coloring. "I guess you just have...Grown."

"Oh really? How so?" Bad doesn't say this suspiciously, but rather curiously. She does want to know, after all.

"I'm not sure...You know, when I met you, I thought you were just a sweet girl. Then I grew to know you and...I realized I was wrong. You _knew_ things. You were _different_ from other people."

Centola pauses, like she thinks Bad is going to interrupt, but the not-quite magician stays silent.

"You're not like other people because you aren't afraid to speak your mind. You know what you want and you're ready to get it. I admire that." Centola stops walking, kicking off her shoes. Bad watches, and then does the same, liking the cool sand squish between her toes. "I really do. It's so amazing to watch you work...To see you achieve what you set out to do. You threaten and blackmail and cheat, but you also give and promise and smile. It's...Very captivating."

"...I hear a 'but' coming, right?" Her words are soft so that Centola can hear them, but not blunt so that she loses the misty look in her eyes.

"I was like you, once," Centola says, not answering the question. "My name then was _**Jane**_. I was cold and calculating and I got what I wanted through my own hard work. I didn't..._Feel_ like I do now. I had some friends...Sort of. I had Catrina, back when she was _**Alice**_, and I liked her. I visited her grave many times after she died. But- but Bad,"

Centola turns to her then, her eyes no longer misty. They're strong and worried and desperate for her to hear.

"Bad, I regret everything _**Jane **_did. She should've lived her life so much differently. She could've been fulfilled. I-I don't want you to be like her, Bad. I can't let you do it. And that's why I don't get along with you. That's why I disagree with you. Not because you're wrong...But because I've already failed. I can't let you fail, Bad."

"I won't," Bad promises.

"I know you won't," Centola shakes her head. "I've only just realized this but you're so much like _**Jane**_. If you lose, then it's game over. I'd just prefer you lose with a different outlook on life. I've been trying to change you, and that's wrong. I know that now. Trying to change another person isn't what friends do to one another. So I'm going to come out and say it."

The silence lapses again. It's tense and filled with the words she's going to say. Bad finds herself wrapped up in Centola, in her eyes, in her hope. She can't even look away toward the sun kissing the sea, at the mayhem of colors being splashed across the world.

"Bad, you deserve to be happy for everything you've done. So..." Those green eyes glow so brightly. "_Move forward."_

* * *

"So…" Yunan starts, smiling at the Sindrian King and the De Coverna. "How are you two?"

"Fine." Is Sinbad's only response, but Zeina nods solemnly.

"I'm fine, thank you." He studies her for a moment. "How're you?"

_She hasn't changed since then._

He had known Zeina De Coverna ever since she joined Sinbad's rag tag merchant group. But they became unfortunately more than acquainted a few years back...But now is not the time to be thinking about that.

"I'm fine!" He boisterously informs her, patting Judal's back. "And my disciple is A-okay as well."

"Shut up, old man."

"Aw, you think of me as a father?"

"How the hell did you connect those dots?!"

"Well, rebellious children call their fathers 'old man', so you must-"

"G-gah, forget I said anything!" He chuckles. It had been fun to tease the younger magi during their time together, Judal was surprisingly easy to annoy this time around. And what was better was that the consequences of the Other (him getting pissed and blowing something up) didn't happen anymore. Instead the teen got all huffy and pouty like a little kid.

Yunan mentally tells himself to thank this 'Asad' for raising Judal right. It never seemed fair to Yunan that Judal never got to have a good childhood.

"So, Sinbad, what shall we talk about?" The King's face turns serious.

"I'd like to hear Judal's side of the story." Judal blinks.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your side. Why you were with Al Thamen all these years. From there we'll discuss whether or not you can stay in Sindria and for how long." Judal purses his lips and narrows his eyes slightly.

"Fine. That brat, Aladdin, used his freaky spell on me. It made me see that...That when I was born, Al Thamen came to my village and massacred everyone there. They took me into their folds. My brother, Asad...His village was the same. They killed his parents like they did mine. We were placed together for better 'learning' purposes and so that Asad could act as a babysitter. But instead Asad made me his little brother," Judal's eyes lit up.

Yunan reminds himself once again to tell Asad a thank you.

"I really loved him growing up. Even when things got hard, Asad was there to help me. We went to Partevia for a while as kids to get some jackass a Dungeon," Sinbad's gaze hardens. Zeina remains cool. "But that's all. I know you think I was the one to kill all those people back then, but I _didn't_."

A beat.

"I don't know who did."

Yunan tries to hide it, but he's surprised. He looks at Judal's face, and he realizes his disciple is lying.

_He _does _know. He just isn't going to tell._

"It was probably someone from the Organization, though."

"We couldn't see them," Sinbad interjects, suddenly. Judal's eyebrows raise. "Whoever did it. We couldn't _see_ them."

Even more knowledge crosses the younger magi's face, but he keeps himself looking thoughtful. He's a good liar, Yunan realizes. And, once again, he wonders why Judal isn't saying anything.

"There is some people who can control water magic," The younger supplies. "They can distort the light in the water to camouflage. You'd be able to dispel it, though."

"Wouldn't it only work in the sun?"

"I don't exactly stalk them," His voice is annoyed, which makes Sinbad drop the subject.

"Fine." The King instantly moves on to the next topic. "I want to know more about Al Thamen's plans. And how you got with Yunan."

"Why the hell do you think I know anything about Al Thamen? The only thing they used me for was summoning Dungeons and acting as some friggin' figurehead. The only thing I know is that they're in love with their 'God'."

"Their 'God'?"

"Yeah. This guy named 'Ill Illah'. They worship they guy, saying that they're doing his bidding." Judal tilts his head. "I guess that is important though, huh?"

"What exactly is 'Ill Illah' want them to do?" Judal pauses, and a deeply thoughtful expression crossing his face. He looks troubled.

"'Ill Illah'...Wants them to destroy the world." Both the King and Temptress's eyes widen. They stare at Judal, as if waiting for the kid to tell them the real motive, but the teen offers no alternative. "To destroy the world in more than one way. To tear apart countries with war, to strike grief and hatred into people with bloodshed, to dye this world's Rukh pure black. And, finally, to destroy the planet until no life is left."

Sinbad's mouth is parted, and Zeina looks increasingly worried.

"Are you serious?" She asks. "Why?"

Judal shrugs.

"I never bothered to ask. I didn't buy into their bullshit. My brother always went to those meetings in my place. He doesn't agree with them either. He still says 'Ill Illah' instead of 'God' though. It's kinda funny."

"Is that what you want to know, Sinbad?" Yunan asks, patting Judal's back once again. It was a habit now. He has grown fond of the boy.

"...Yes. Thank you, Judal."

"So...Can I stay?"

"You want to?"

"Just until I can convince my brother to leave with me. Then, I guess...We'll crash at Yunan's place."

"You want to?! Yay! The more the merrier!"

"How did you two meet, anyhow?" Zeina asks, amused.

"Well," Yunan quickly answers before Judal can open his big fat mouth. "I found this little one on the outskirts of Balbadd and took him under my wing! I also have another pal around, too."

"You do?"

"Oh yes, you know him, Sinbad. His name's Kassim!"

"...Huh?"

* * *

Catrina sat on the beach. Morgiana was recovering nicely from her wounds, she knew because she had come from the girl's bedside. Bad was off doing something or other, probably fussing over Eren like a frustrated chick, and Aladdin and Alibaba were talking with the Torran people. Hakuryuu was having his arm checked for some reason, and Yamu and Sharrkan were fighting.

That left her right there, staring out to sea.

_Hi, Jabari, Faraji, Dalila. It's been a while._

It had been. She thought of them whenever she looked to her arm, but she rarely talked to them. She knew they probably didn't want to talk to her.

_I did it again, Jabari. I used that spell. _

A pause, where she draws a blank. Her eyes flutter closed as the images flash across the sky above her like a movie.

_I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just...I got so _mad_. I get mad sometimes. Whenever I think of __**Alice**__, whenever my friends are hurt...It's so frustrating to know that I can't control myself when I'm angry. I want to. I've _tried _to, but what good is trying if you don't succeed? _

She sighs, laying her forehead on her knees.

_You don't wanna hear me whine. Sorry. I just...Wish things were a little different. I wish you and your wife weren't dead so that Tendaji could have you both. I wish Faraji was still alive...Mama used to talk about him a lot. You guys were really close, right Faraji? _

She wishes she could hear a response, but nothing floats to her on the wind.

"Ah, I'm so stupid," She ends up muttering. "It's a good thing no one notices."

"I don't think you're stupid," Jolting upwards, Catrina looks to her right, blushing in embarrassment.

"M-Masrur! Shouldn't you be with the others?"

"I came to find you." He responds, plopping on the sand beside her. "So, why're you stupid?" Catrina fiddles with her dress.

"No, it's just...I was just thinking of something silly." He raises an eyebrow, a question. She doesn't want to reply, but takes a deep breath and forces herself to. "I was thinking...If things were different, I'd be too."

The waves soothingly tumble along the shore, making a nice lullaby. Masrur stops looking at her and directs his attention to the dark sea, illuminated by the moon and stars.

"Hm...Different. Yeah, that's true." She smiles a little, wondering why it tastes bitter. "...But I like the you now."

She looks to him in surprise. He looks so calm and cool, unburdened. He doesn't return her gaze, though he must feel it.

"I like you now. If you were different, then how I view you would be different, and I don't want that." Her cheeks turn red for a different reason now. "And the way you'd view _me _would be different, and it would drive me crazy to think about what you thought of me."

"H-huh? But you don't know what I think of you now." She challenges, her voice slightly nervous. He does turn to her then, the side of his face illuminated by the moon. It's dark, but with Fanalis eyes she's sure she can see him smiling.

"I know."

"Oh really?"

"Yup. You think I'm awesome." Then, not expecting that, she erupts into laughter. After a moment and it doesn't die down, he frowns. "...And now I think I'm wrong. Ouch."

She wipes a tear from her eye, and beams at Masrur.

"Thank you, Masrur. I'm glad you came to talk me. It's been rough." His frown doesn't disappear.

"You can always talk to me." She nods. Catrina considers getting up to return to the village, but Masrur looks very comfortable, and so she stays. It's peaceful, and though Masrur doesn't say another word to her, she feels as though they've talked for a very long time. She lets her eyes close.

* * *

Bad lays awake. It's getting late, and Eren is snoring beside her, but she can't sleep. The others had lulled themselves into a dream world, but she was waiting. For what, she's not sure.

_"Move forward._"

Bad is not the kind of person to take insults to heart. She does not let people brush her ego that easily, she does not become scarred by the opinions of her peers.

But for a moment, she hates Centola for saying such a cruel thing to her.

_"Move forward."_

And how would that happen? How is she supposed to do that, Centola? In what world is a girl like her, who's spend years dreaming of revenge and war, be able to move past from those things? It's happened before, oh yes, but it left Hakuryuu in a state of perpetual solemness. It left Judal contemplative and distant at times.

Bad doesn't want that.

She wants to do things her way, end up how ever she damn well pleases.

_But you can't. _

Bad jolts.

She can't. That's- why would she think that?

_Because it's true. Because I know it's true._

She squeezes her eyes shut, sighing painfully into the darkness of the tent.

Maybe that's right. Maybe, sometimes, no matter how you plot or scheme...Things don't end up how you want.

_"Move forward."_

What do those cruel, cruel words even mean? What purpose do they truly serve her?

Not to make her change. But to make her realize...

Realize that nothing's perfect, and that if she wants to win, she has to keep walking- no matter where the path might lead.

* * *

Soon Catrina wakes up to the sounds of Masrur standing. He helps her up. On the way back to the village, he steadies her when she wobbles.

"It's been rough?"

"Mhm...But it's okay, I'm used to things like that. Hey...Masrur…" She's so tired that the fires illuminating the road back are all blurry. "Masrur...Do you really like me the way I am now?" There is a moment of silence. His hand wraps around her shoulder, holding her up.

"I do."

"You don't even know me," She softly tells him. When did the moon get so high into the sky? She can hear the sounds of people sleeping through the cloth of the tents. It's rhythmic and hypnotising. "I don't think you like me."

"Well, you wouldn't know, would you?"

"I guess not." She says something in Torran which he doesn't understand, obviously. After she says it she doesn't remember what it was. Maybe it was '_**you're so silly' **_or '_**I'm so tired'**_. Or neither. She thinks it might've been, '_**but I don't like me'**_. She continues. "Even if I did something bad, would you still like me?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"...I'm a murderer." He halts and looks down at her. Her eyes are so blurry, but she's starting to think it's not because she's tired. Something is trickling down her face. She swipes at it and tries to see if it was a bug, but there is nothing on her hand. Suddenly something is pressing down on the top of her head firmly. At first she thinks it was his hand, but one is at his side and the other at her shoulder.

_Did he-_

"Me too." They start walking again. "I was a gladiator in Reim...I used to be placed into fights where the people all pointed their thumbs downward just to see the strength of a Fanalis's sword. Do you dislike me, now?"

That's right. Masrur was a gladiator. He killed people too.

_But he didn't do it willingly._

"No," She answers, using one hand to hold onto the back of his tunic. "I don't."

* * *

"'We're gonna go on ahead'," A man walks along the streets of Sindria, a long cloak waving in the wind behind him. His voice is sarcastic and low. "'Don't worry, you'll be able to catch up~!' Yeah, well fuck you too."

His head is covered in a scarf, courtesy of his exploits in the desert, but the rest of his clothes are a white tunic and desert pants. He looks like a simple traveler, but in truth, he's more than that.

He's a _pissed off_ traveler, with two companions who continuously annoy him to no end whatsoever.

His boat had arrived early that morning, and he had proceeded up the path to the Palace alone, grudgingly carrying not only his packs, but that of his companions as well. Each step made him wobble a little, not yet used to his land legs yet, but he stuck to his path.

_When I get there, I'm going to kick their asses._

* * *

Bad really, really hates ships.

"Why is it always a ship?" She asks Aladdin, toying with Sheba. "Always. I hate them."

"Why?"

"They're so boring! It's stuffy and the only thing to do is _socialize_."

"...I like socializing."

"Yeah, well, I like to _choose _when to do it." The boy laughs, swinging his feet back and forth. They're sitting on some barrels, watching sailors and Torran men account for all the cargo of gold and treasure they're taking back to Sindria with the 'heroic' Dungeon Capturers. "At least it's only for a few hours. We should be back soon."

"Yeah, then we can tell Miss Yamu about what happened!" Aladdin exclaims excitedly. His smile dampens. "Hey, Bad, can I talk to you about something?"

"Hm? Sure, what is it?"

"...How...How were you able to get Ithnan's staff?" She freezes. Of course. She _had _messed up a lot during that Dungeon trip. It's no wonder he was asking now. She guesses she should tell him a form of the truth, but isn't sure.

"I'm...Not like a lot of people, Aladdin." He stares at her. "I'm not like the majority of people, actually. This staff...And the other staffs…" She drops pretenses. "The 'Divine Staves', were entrusted to me."

His eyes widen to the size of teacups.

"You...Know?" She hesitates.

"Somewhat," She changes her answer. "Enough."

"But...How?"

"I'll tell you, someday," She promises. "But first I need to…"

Need to what?

_Save the world. _

…

"_Move forward."_

"Hey Aladdin?" Curiously, he tilts his head.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like me?" He registers her question and his face turns red.

"Um, I-I guess so." Her own cheeks feel hot. "I-I mean we're friends!" She smiles a little, shyly turning her face away.

"Good. I thought that would be a bad thing but…"

_But I'm not afraid anymore. Why was I, in the first place?_

(Because he'd get distracted and the world would burn.)

_Yes, well...Maybe I was wrong._

"...Aladdin?"

"Yes?"

"I'll tell you the secret now if you agree to do something." He pauses, his face still a light reddish color. He nods.

"Okay."

"...You promise?"

"I promise."

"No matter what it is?"

"Yes."

"Okay then," She giggles a little. "When we're older, you have to marry me." His shock is palpable.

"E-eh?!" She giggles more, placing her hands over her face. A little giddiness raises up inside of her, of girlish embarrassment. "I-I…"

"You promised~!"

"W-well…" He turns away a little. "Well, I guess...That's fine…" Then he whips back to her. "But now you have to tell me the secret!"

Bad plays with the end of her dress, still smiling.

"Okay. I was given my Staves by Myeshia."

"Myeshia? Eren's Djinn?"

"Yup. You should know the rest." He tilts his head.

"Huh?"

"Can't you use Solomon's wisdom to see the past?" He slowly blinks his eyes.

"You mean...I can find out if I use it?" She figured he already would've known, but doesn't think it's too much of a problem if he finds out this way.

"Yessir."

"...I'll do it now!"

"What?! No, idiot!" She whacks his head. "Think it through. You can't do it now, people would notice. Plus if you didn't see it the first time, then you won't be able to the second, either."

Aladdin takes this in, and pouts.

"But I wanna know…" She laughs.

"You're such a kid."

* * *

"Oh, there you are!" The traveler had been walking, finally reaching the steps leading toward his final destination. Then, overhead, a person dressed in green and white lands in front of them. "I came to meet you."

The traveler smiles, and tries to punch his friend. The man dodges, laughing.

"Sorry, sorry! Hey, no need to be mad."

"Of course I'm mad, Yunan!"

"Come now, Kassim, aren't you happy?" Kassim pauses, and Yunan points up toward the Palace. "You get to see Alibaba and Centola again, right?"

Kassim stays silent, but finally smirks.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

* * *

"...So that's what happened in Seere." Alibaba and her sat across from one another, discussing the events that transpired within the Dungeons. "Man, Zagan didn't even compare…"

"...Yes."

"...So, he really made you…?" _Made you kill Khadeja?_

"Yes." Centola closes her eyes. "It was to make me learn something, but…" _But I don't think I should've had to have done that._

"I'm sorry, Cent." Alibaba's hand reaches out and grasps hers. She looks up at him, at his golden eyes so serious. "I wish I could've been there with you."

Slowly, a blush finds it way to her face. Her heart does something it hasn't done in a long time, and she has to force herself not to press her hand against her chest to feel.

"Th-thank you, Alibaba. I wish you were there, too." Technically he was, but that was an illusion. One that she didn't want to recount. She also didn't say anything about Sinbad's eyes or Ja'far's wails. She pretends that those parts never happened. "...But I think we should be more worried about Catrina, she was very shaken up-"

"-I'm gonna worry about you." She pauses. He's still looking at her with those serious eyes. It's so amazing to her that he can change his attitude so quickly, maturely. "Catrina has people worrying about her. But no one worries about you. So I will."

"Ali…"

"I don't know why but…" His frown scars his face. "I feel like you never let yourself relax, Cent. You never let out those emotions you keep locked up. I know that's not healthy, and that someday you'll snap and it'll all come pouring out. So I'll worry about you. I'll worry _for _you."

The blush deepens.

"_Don't_." He doesn't stop staring. Not even for a second. "Please _don't_, Ali. Some people are built to keep things locked up."

"No." His hand is so warm. Like it soaked up the sun and expels it through his pores. "Not you, Centola. You weren't built like that. Don't try to be anyone else."

_**He's tell you to stop being like me, you know.**_

_...But we're the same person._

_**Stupid girl. You don't know what makes a person, do you?**_

_Ah...Why is my heart beating so fast, __**Jane**__?_

_**You know why, Centola.**_

Alibaba just looks so different when he's not smiling, but she likes when he's serious the same amount as she likes it when he's carefree. And she does feel better that he's going to worry about her. She shouldn't, but she does.

_You're right. I do._

* * *

When the boat docks in Sindria, the citizens are buzzing like flies in the hot sun.

"The heroes are back!" Zeina's heart leaps, and she eagerly watches for Centola.

"You really love her, don't you?" Sinbad asks, slightly amused, and Zeina nods.

"My family is always important to me," She can feel her eyes practically melt. "And she's just like my sister. It's melancholy."

"You must've loved your sister."

"More than you know." Then, quickly changing the topic, she asks, "Are you really fine with Judal and Yunan staying at the Palace?"

"No." He deadpans instantly. She smiles at his annoyance. "It's not what I want at all. But having three of four magis staying in Sindria can have its perks...And if Judal really is leaving Al Thamen…"

She studies his expression, lost in thought. Then, hard, she punches his arm. He stumbles a little, staring at her with shock.

"Hey, Sinbad, if you think you can manipulate them into staying, then you're an idiot." The shock registers, and fades.

"I'm doing it for Sind-"

"I've always hated that excuse." She turns back toward the ship, at the treasures it's unloading. "It's so fake it hurts. If you want more power to get revenge, say it. If you want more power to get countries to join the SSA, say it. But don't tarnish Sindria by saying you want to protect it through these means. Don't _do_ that, Sinbad."

He's quiet for several seconds.

"You're right...I've changed since the last time I saw you, Zein." He's referring to his past self, the one whom was her closest friend. The one she used to scold just like this when he was too arrogant or willing to use dirty, fucked up methods to win.

"Well, I have too, you know."

"Please, you act the same." She doesn't respond, pretending to watch for Centola. Although it's nice to hear that she seems like herself, she knows that's not true. When she left Sindria, it was for something that tore her straight in two. It was for-

Centola appears at the top of the plank, walking with the grace of a Queen.

"Aw, look at her Sin! She's so cute!" Sinbad rolls his eyes, nodding.

"Do you even remember what we were talking about?" She raises an eyebrow at him.

"We were talking?"

* * *

"Be careful!" Bad tries to come across strict, but her voice is too whiny. Eren chuckles, holding her hand as they walk down the plank toward the mass of cheering citizens.

"Yamu healed me right up. I'm fine, brat."

"S-shut up, I wasn't worried about you!" She turns away, but his fingers pinch her cheeks and force her to look back at him.

"You were," He teases. "You were a little mother hen."

"S-stop!"

Eren laughs, and then winces at the pain across his chest. He wishes he had defeated Byoln and Apollonius himself. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he was humiliated, losing so quickly. He has a Djinn- _two _Djinn, now- and yet he still lost to Al Thamen. It pisses him off so badly he wants to pull his own hair out. He's _supposed_ to be strong- strong enough to protect Bad and Catrina and everyone else.

He can't believe his own ineptitude.

"Eri?" He looks down, where Bad is staring up at him. Understand fills her gaze. "Eren, I'm proud of you. You got another Djinn. That's something to celebrate."

His jaw clenches, but he nods. She's right. He shouldn't be beating himself up for losing.

"You're cute when you look worried," He tells her, and Bad's face goes red.

"F-forget I said anything!"

"Hey, Eren, Bad!" Eren turns, where Sinbad comes striding upwards, a giant smile stretching across his face.

"Sinbad! Long time no see!" Sinbad nods, signalling to two women. They come up and place leis over their heads, just like when they first arrived in the country.

"I'm impressed, both Dungeons were conquered! Good job."

"Yeah! I got Seere!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yup!" Eren presents his right hand, where a gold cuff shines with a six-pointed star. "I got pretty beat up, but I guess that comes with the job, huh?"

"This makes you the third person in the world to conquer more than one Dungeon, you know."

"Huh? Wow, I didn't think about that at all." Bad beams, squeezing his hand. Her pride in him practically radiates through her smile, warming him. "That's awesome!"

"And Hakuryuu captured Zagan, too!" Bad says, watching Sinbad's expression. He looks a little startled, but nods and fakes a smile.

Hakuryuu comes toward them, hand over a wound.

"Thanks to you, I finally have a Djinn."

Sinbad nods.

"Indeed." He goes back to Eren and Bad, now joined by the rest of the group. "We were worried about all of you, but now that you're back…"

He motions to his citizens, who gather around.

"Prepare a feast for the heroes!"

* * *

When Bad came back the the Palace, she was not expecting to find her father sitting casually beside Judal.

He was there, though.

"P-Papa!" Bad squeals, rushing toward him. He stands and opens his arms in preparation, happily embracing her tightly.

"Ah, I've missed you, Princess," He affectionately pats her cheek. "Have you been good?"

"As good as I can be," She jokes, giggling when he starts prodding her sides. "Stop! Y-you know I'm ticklish!"

"Lookie who it is." Judal appears beside Yunan, and Bad grins devilishly.

"Judar!"

"It's Judal."

"Whatever." The magi leans down and gives her hair a giant ruffle.

"Shortie, where the hell have ya been?"

"I went Dungeon diving!"

"E-eh?"

"Without me?" Yunan pouts, crestfallen.

"Sorry! Uncle Sinbad sent us on the mission. It was super fun!"

"Hmm, how was it?" Bad giggles, taking his hand as they start walking through the hallway. Yunan leads them as she recounts the tale, from Sinbad's meeting with them to the declaration of the feast.

"So you got really beat up?" Bad glares at Judal.

"Nuh-uh!" They arrive in an open space.

Bad balks and then stares blankly at Yunan.

"...You have a death wish." Yunan chuckles.

"Yeah, I know."

Why?

Well, Yunan's house _is_ standing neatly in the courtyard, awaiting use.

"Sinbad's gonna destroy it."

"I'll just erect a barrier."

"...Can I sleep in my room tonight?"

"Aw, of course, Princess!"

* * *

When Sinbad arrived in his pretty courtyard, he found that it was being ruined.

By Yunan.

And his stupid two story house.

"Sinbad! Hello!"

"...What the hell?"

"I decided to get comfortable. We _are_ staying here for a while!" Then Zeina arrives, and starts laughing.

"Nice house, Yunan! How many rooms does it have?"

"Five bedrooms. It used to be three, but I have my disciples hanging around, so it went up in number."

"...Yunan, get rid of that stupid house before I wreck it."

"No."

Sinbad takes a deep breath and holds up his bracelet.

"Falcor-"

**Thap.**

"_Zeina!_ stop _hitting_ me!"

Yunan rocks back and forth in his rocking chair.

"Oh, that reminds me, Zeina. Would you like to come in for tea? Bad went to go fetch the others, so it would just be us."

"Hm? Sure!"

"_Like Hell!"_

* * *

"Go away." Hitomi just smirks, watching Shade slide through the water on his small boat. He himself is just floating in the air with his Djinn Equip on, following the silver-haired man. "I'm serious, go the hell away."

"Why?"

"I'm going to Sindria. You're not allowed there, not to mention our uppers will be pissed if I'm caught and executed because of your carelessness."

"_Ouch_, Shade. Aren't we buddies?"

"No." His balant displeasure is quite amusing.

"So, what're ya gonna do in Sindria? Pick up chicks? Oooh, are they hot there?"

"I don't plan on doing any of that. I'm a guest, so I'll be looking after Prince Hakuryuu and Princess Kougyoku."

"Princess Kougyoku~? Is _she_ hot?" Shade levels him with a stone-cold glare. He grips the paddle tighter.

"I hope you go to hell."

"So temperamental~! But you know," His superior looks ready to growl, and he grins wildly. "It was fun today. Let's do it again sometime, hey?"

* * *

"_Like Hell!"_

"Aw, Sin, don't look so upset," She shouldn't antagonize him, but he's such an easy target when he's pissed. "But you know, it kinda makes you look cute."

He doesn't bat an eyelash.

"You're not going in there," He states. Zeina's smile never wavers, but she doesn't exactly think Yunan's a big threat like Sinbad states he is. There was a time where Zeina disliked the magi, but now things were...Different. "You know what he's like."

"I know," Zeina agrees quietly, not that Yunan can't hear. But the blond politely ignores their conversation and rocks more. "But it'll be alright, Sin."

He doesn't look convinced in the slightest. She lays a hand on his arm, meeting his unwavering gaze with her own. She wonders if she's the only one who could match his gaze completely.

"_Sin. _Come on, I'm not trustworthy, but you know I'm not stupid." His breath goes out, but it makes no sound. "If you really don't want me to go in," She visibly struggles with herself, and then grits out, "Then I won't."

Surprise replaces the steel of his expression, not expecting her words at all.

"I thought the great and powerful Temptress didn't listen to anyone?" He raises an eyebrow. He tries to hide it, and he does it magnificently well, but he's happy with her words. She pouts, but it's more refined to make up for her earlier action.

"Well, luckily for you, I'm making an exception," She pauses a bit, looking over his shoulder. "Because you're my friend."

Even more surprise crosses his face. he opens his mouth, whether to tell her 'no' or to comment on her words she's not entirely sure. But she beats him to it.

"And I trust you," Her eyes cut sharply to his, freezing his lips. "And I want you to trust me. Do you, Sinbad?"

He pauses, studying her.

She hates that about them. They always need to study one another, because she's not truthful in the slightest and he learned his art of lying from her. So they need to be completely sure they're right about the other before continuing.

"I trust that you're sorry about what you did nine years ago," That hits her in the gut, but it wasn't unexpected, so she doesn't show anything. "And...I suppose I trust you with this. But...I don't trust you not to leave again."

"...I never make the same mistake twice," She whispers back. And for a moment she considers letting him know how wounded his words just made her felt, but she's an actress and the world's a stage.

She lets go of him and walks toward Yunan. She doesn't look back even when she enters the house.

* * *

He's stupid.

Of course he knows he's stupid.

He should've stopped with, 'I suppose I trust you with this', but he didn't. He couldn't, because Sinbad _doesn't_ really trust Zeina anymore.

He did.

At one time, oh God, he did. He would've left his life in her hands because she was one of, if not _the_, closest ally he had. And she had proven before that if he left her with a task, she'd pull through. She'd go the extra mile.

She was trustworthy.

As an ally, irreplaceable.

As a friend, wonderful.

As a person, captivating.

And really, Sinbad can't help but think that if she hadn't left, things would've been entirely different from the way they are now. A part of him thinks they would've been _better_, but that's the part that will never stop trusting Zeina, who still admires her and cherishes her. The part that broke when she disappeared seemingly forever tells him that she's been doing nothing but playing with him, and that makes him so damn angry.

The one that's sad just begs him to make up with her already, to turn the truce back into a friendship because it can't bear another day of a broken normal. The part that's calm tells him there must've been a reason for her departure. The curious piece pokes him to find out what it was.

Conflicted.

That's the word for how he's feeling.

But Sinbad should've stopped before he said those final words. He doesn't want her to think that he _wants_ her to leave, because in truth he _doesn't_.

He just doesn't.

Yet he also doesn't want to trust her once again, because if she breaks that trust he's not actually sure how deep it'll cut him this time. And he's afraid it'll cut deeper than before.

Trust him, he was cut pretty damn deep.

* * *

Yunan's house, in Zeina's opinion, was rather homey. It was draped in light blues and grays, with brown books and scrolls neatly stacked on tables and in bookshelves. His living room, where he presented her with her tea, was also quaint, despite the enmornity of the house.

"Well, large family, large lodgings, right?" He had chuckled, pouring her tea. "You don't mind rose oolong, right? I got it from Kou awhile back. It's very delicate."

"Not at all," She smiles, taking a small sip. The tea really is delicate, a light pink color. "Say, Yunan, is there something specific you wished to talk about?"

Yunan smiles a little, but it's sad.

"I wanted to ask you about your sister. Is she alright?" Zeina pauses as she brings the cup back to her lips. She slowly places it back in it's saucer.

"...She is doing well, I believe. Although she has taken to not speaking to me."

"Not even letters?"

"Not unless she wants something. It's not as bad as it seems but...She blames me for..._That incident_." He knows what she's talking about.

"Zeina...I'm sorry I became entangled in that situation. I truly am. I realize it was a family matter-"

"I'm glad."

"...What?"

"That you found out. I'm glad. If you hadn't...I would never have had left Sindria. I would have never gone back to my sister. _I would have never have found out what happened nine years ago._"

* * *

Asad slips into the palace, sliding by unsuspecting maids and guards alike. He comes to his rooms and listens at the door, hearing no sounds. Then he drops the light around him and enters silently, sighing.

"Where have you been?" His eyes dart up. Ting Mei sits perfectly sit in a chair facing the door, her eyes trained on his. She stands without making a single sound. She was so quiet it was like watching a ghost move.

His eyes narrow.

Like watching himself move.

"No where of your concern," He coolly replies.

"You went to the Dungeons, didn't you?" He doesn't respond, leaning back on his heels. "Don't lie. I heard the Dungeons were cleared, so I've been waiting in here. How odd that you came back here the same day those kids did."

"Odd indeed."

"You did it." Her eyes are so sharp, so gray. It's almost like they're darkening with each word. "Against Kou's orders. You _did _go in there. And you tried to kill them, right?"

In that moment, Asad's anger flares.

"So what if I did?" He challenges, his fingers tracing the Hachi's handle. "What'll you do, Ting Mei? Tell Koumei like a good little pet? You said Gyokuen assigned you to me, but it was him, right?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because he already knows I'm apart of Al Thamen. Because I know where Judal is. Because I'm a dangerous, dangerous person."

"You don't scare me." She says it so straightforwardly he almost loses focus. "You don't, Asad. No matter how many times you threaten me, I won't be afraid."

"Of course you won't. You're too smart to feel fear for a snake." He slides just a bit closer, somewhat amused at her steadfast reaction to his words. "But the thing about geniuses, Mei? The _thing _about geniuses like you and Koumei? You're too smart. You're too smart that you know you're not supposed to be afraid. And that's why…"

He's right in front of her, his eyes blacker than the darkest night one can imagine.

"_That's why you don't know it when you _should _be."_

Then he disappears. The light snaps around him all at once, and he flickers out of sight. He boredly watches Ting Mei jolt back and lose her balance, just barely catching herself. She scans the room, watching for sign that he's there, but all he does is walk by her to the open window, and jump out.

* * *

"Sinbad, what are you doing?" The King looks to the voice, finding Bad raising an eyebrow at him. He shakes his hand to dismiss her question.

"Your father won't let me into his house."

"Oh, sorry about that. He's very selective, sometimes."

"Comes with bein' a magi!" Eren jokes, laughing. "Dang, I didn't know he'd come ta Sindria, though. Pretty fun, huh?"

"Mm." Catrina agrees, with Yamu bouncing from foot to foot beside her.

"Let's go!" She impatiently prods, pushing the trio forward.

"He's talking to Zeina right now."

"Oh, really? They know each other?" Bad asks, curious.

"They met when Zeina was traveling around with me and my Generals."

"Ahhh, that's right. Well, I feel bad about intruding but...Oh well. He's _my_ dad." They go galloping forward.

* * *

"Yo, 'Gyoku." Letting out a small shriek, Kougyoku falls out of the vanity chair she had been perched on, her robes splaying out around her.

"A-Asad! Wh-where-" Behind him, the window curtains blow airily. "Oh. You scared me!"

He chuckles, and offers her a hand to get up.

"Gone for a while and all I get is that for a thank you? How rude."

"A 'while'? You were gone for two weeks, Asad! Where did you go?" He smirks, but it doesn't touch his eyes.

"Out." He simply responds, practically collapsing onto her bed. He groans in what seems like relief. "You're bed is like a friggin' cloud, 'Gyoku…"

"Seriously, where did you go?" She sits beside him, watching him make himself comfortable.

"Did you know Ting Mei is haunting my room? I nearly crapped myself."

"Where?"

"Why do you care?" She almost says 'where' again before halting instantly at his answer. He rolls onto his stomach, his cheek against the bedding. He's looking past her, at the wall, very tiredly. "You never cared before when I went somewhere. You never asked."

Kougyoku wants to convey that the _reason _why she never asked was because she had the most peculiar feeling that she didn't want to know.

"Because you'd look changed."

He still doesn't turn his gaze to her. But she looks at him.

"Because you'd go off somewhere, and come back, and it's like something _changed_ you. I couldn't tell what it was, because you'd always act the same, but something was different and I could _feel _it. And I was afraid that if I asked, you'd become someone different. I didn't want that. I want you to be you...Not the person who disappears. The person who I don't know. I...I didn't want to meet that person."

"And now you do?"

"...No. I'm scared of that person. Because that person, the one who lives," She rests her hand over his heart, feeling it through his back. He's so warm, she notices. "Who lives somewhere in here, he changes you. And I l-"

She stops herself suddenly. Mainly because she's certain she was about to say something she couldn't take back.

"-And I only know you. The you who picked me out of that hole when I was just the bastard Princess. _That's _the Asad I know."

He's quiet.

"Kougyoku?" She waits for more, leaning in. He rolls suddenly, and grabs her arm, pulling her down onto the bed next to him.

"A-Asad!" He says nothing, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Thank you, Kougyoku."

* * *

"Papa! We're back!" Bad announces, bursting through the door. Zeina takes a sip of tea, smiling at the girl as the rest of the gang piles in.

"Hey, ya renovated, huh Yunan?"

"Eren!"

"Uncle! It's so good to see you again!"

"Catrina!"

"Um, Hi."

"_Yamu!" _Yunan jumps up and nearly tackles the blue haired magician in a hug, crushing her with his frail-looking arms. "It's been forever, huh? How are you? What're you been doing?"

"Uh, um, I'm fine. I'm teaching Aladdin about magic."

"Oh? How fun!"

Bad pouts as Yunan ignores them in favor for Yamu, Eren and Catrina awkwardly smiling and rubbing the backs of their heads.

"Well, they have a lot of catching up to do, after all…" Catrina laughs a bit nervously. "I guess he'll come around to greeting us soon…"

* * *

In two separate parts of the palace, two things happen simultaneously.

Two deep breaths.

Two raised fists.

And two knocks on wooden doors.

(1)

He waits nervously, anxiously. He hears someone scuttling around inside, tripping over themselves as they go to get the door. He scoffs.

_Clumsy bastard. _

The door opens, revealing golden eyes shining with an already prepared greeting.

"Hello-?" A pause. Their eyes are locked, their gazes steady. Then, the person grins and shouts, "_Kassim!" _

"Hey, Alibaba!" Alibaba throws his arms wide around Kassim, who returns the hug. "Long time no see, huh?"

In the doorway, a beauty materializes in a white Balbaddian dress.

"K-Kassim?" The dreadlocked man grins and nods.

"Hey, Cent." Her eyes water, and she goes forward, hugging him a lot more gently than Alibaba.

"Kassim...Dropping in so suddenly...You idiot." He chuckles, patting her head.

"Sorry sis! How about I apologize over drinks? I hear there's a festival for some idiots who went Dungeon Diving and _actually _survived."

They stare at him blankly.

"...What?"

(2)

The teen hops from foot to foot impatiently, glaring holes through the door. An annoyingly and intentionally loud sigh is heard, before loud footsteps near the door.

When it opens, the person stares at him with shock.

"Uh…Hey, bro. What's up?" The person's black eyes don't waver. From behind him, someone says,

"Asad? Is that who I think it is?" And that's enough. Asad lurches forward, grabbing the teen by his hair and yanking him into a bone-crushing hug.

"_The fuck, Judar?!"_

"I-It's J-Judal."

"_Whatever!"_ Asad's grip only loosens after a few seconds, but that's only to hold Judal at arms length and inspect him like a mother, a pissed off expression on his face. "Where the hell have you been?"

"The desert."

"With who?"

"Yunan and Kassim."

"_And Kass-!_ Nevermind. Do you have _any_ idea how worried I was, dumbass?! Gyokuen threw a hissyfit!" Kougyoku comes forward, trying to settle Asad down.

"Judal! I'm so happy you're back!" She chirps, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Asad's been so depressed since you left!"

"_I have not."_

"He has." Judal laughs, relieved.

"Well, most people _do _describe my presence as a breath of fresh air."

* * *

The festival spread through Sindria through wildfire. It was almost as if the moment the population heard about the feast they threw their worries and work away and decorated like madmen. There was streamers and banners, large arrays of food, people dancing to wonderful drums and even an impromptu play about the great heroes.

Of course, just because it was impromptu doesn't mean that she goes around speaking in rhymes and has the attitude of a happy-go-lucky four-year-old.

"Oh my God," Bad moans, and Alibaba burst into laughter. Across from him, Kassim chuckles in amusement. Centola takes small sips of her water next to Alibaba, making pleasent conversation with Kassim about his trip.

"Y-your actor just called me 'b-big brother'!"

"I'm going to kill myself."

"She's dancing now!" Aladdin giggles. Then his actor appears, with massive muscles that he displays immodestly. Bad falls to the ground laughing, curling into herself.

"W-why're you so ripped?! _Ahahaha!" _

"Hey, Aladdin, Bad!" Bad pushes herself up, finding Sinbad waving to them. Aladdin prances over, and Bad winks at Centola before she joins him.

"Yo, Sinbad, what's up?"

"I'm just coming to check up on you two. Are you having fun?" Aladdin nods, grabbing Bad's arm to pull her forward.

"Yeah! Sindria has a lot of parties!"

"Yes, the people love festivals." Sinbad starts walking forward, and the two children follow. "I passed Morgiana and Catrina having an arm wrestling contest. I believe they're having fun."

"Yeah!" Bad cheers. "Mama and Papa are catching up over by the dancers, if you want to go talk to them."

"Huh? Your dad is here?" Aladdin asks curiously, and Bad blinks.

"Oh, that's right. You've never met him."

"Actually...That's what I want to talk to you two about."

"Huh?"

"I want to talk to you about the three magi other than you, Aladdin." Aladdin's eyes widen.

"The three other magi…" He repeats. Sinbad nods, leading them to a secluded table. They sit together, Aladdin and Bad on one side and Sinbad on the other.

"Do you know them?"

"Yeah," Aladdin tells him, kicking his feet as he thinks. "I know there are three but not what they're like. Have you met them, Uncle?"

"Yes, I have. I've met all three." He raises three fingers to count down. "The first is obviously Judal from...Well, I don't understand him very well, but he's actually..._Here_, at the moment."

"Here?!" Aladdin stands, but Bad pulls him back down.

"Here." She confirms. "He made a the trip to Sindria with my father and Kassim."

"Oh...So that's why Kassim is here."

"Hm."

"And...The second magi is Yunan."

"...Yunan?" Aladdin blinks. "You mean…"

"...My dad, Yunan." Bad giggles at his expression, clapping her hands together. "You should see your face!"

"S-so your adoptive dad is a magi, Bad?!"

"Yes. He's a very nice person, you should meet him. He is...Well, here as well, so…"

Aladdin's jaw drops.

"Whoa." He weakly comments. "Is the third magi here too?"

"No, the third is the most mysterious." Sinbad answers. "She's Scherezade, the Magi of the Reim Empire. She's said to be the magi who has supported the Reim Empire for the past 200 years."

"200?!" Bad 'ooh's.

"I've never met Scherezade...Is she a nice person?"

"I only caught a glimpse of her when I young," Sinbad half apologizes. "There isn't actual evidence that she's a magi, but she's supported many generals and Emperors and produced Dungeon Capturers. That's a magi's doing, in our eyes."

"Scherezade, huh?" Aladdin mumbles. "They all sound amazing, Uncle."

"Yes. That's why I have a favor to ask, Aladdin."

"Yes?"

"Will you go to Reim as the magi of Sindria?" Bad and Aladdin stare at Sinbad, whose gaze is locked to the blue haired boy's.

"Sinbad...I'm not the magi of this country yet." Aladdin smiles, almost apologetically.

"Hahaha! Of course you're right!" Sinbad stands, waving to the kids. "Well, consider what I told you, Aladdin. Think about it after the festival...You can meet with Judal and Yunan tomorrow!"

"..." Aladdin leans back in his chair, staring after the King's retreating back. "Sinbad is a strange guy, Bad."

"How do you suppose?" She asks, only slightly sarcastic. He doesn't pick up on it.

"He's very cheerful, and strong, and reliable...But I feel so funny around him. Like even though I don't want to be, we're different." Slowly, Bad nods.

"No, I understand. You two _are_ different. I mean, everyone is different. That's why we're able to form new ideas and be unique; because we're _different. _But the difference between you and Sinbad is that you're going one way, and he's dedicated to another. Does that make sense?"

"...Yes, but it's kinda like I'll end up following him if I stare at his Rukh long enough. They're so blinding." He pauses, and smiles at her. "Like yours, Bad."

Her heart nearly skips a beat.

"W-what? N-no way, stop it."

"Eh? But I'm serious! I know I don't have to worry about following you, because we're getting married!"

Bad hops off of her seat and stammers.

"I-I'm going- somewhere- bye!"

"Huh? Wait up, Bad!"

* * *

"...Then what?" Asad asks, almost tiredly. Judal grins so wide his lips nearly touch his ears.

"Then we blew it up!" Groaning, the older brother's head hits the table just as Kougyoku erupts into giggles.

"Sounds like quite the adventure! I'm jealous." Judal smirks, his ego stroked.

"Well, it was pretty fun. Even though Yunan treated me like a four year old and Kassim kept yelling all the friggin' time." Asad lifts his head.

"I still don't believe he agreed to come with you two. You tried to kill him."

"That was a bad night. Besides, we moved past it." Judal scratches his chin. "Maybe I should summon him a Dungeon...Nah, he needs to get down on his knees and beg me for it if he wants one! _Ahahaha!" _

Kougyoku's smile wanes.

"But Judar-"

"Judal."

"Oh, yes, yes, Asad does that a lot so it's a habit. Judal, won't...Won't Koumei-nii-sama and Kouen-nii-sama be angry if you let a strange boy capture a Dungeon?" Judal's own smile fades, as a realization dawns upon him.

"Oh...That's right. Kougyoku, Asad, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"...I'm not going back to Kou." Asad's hands slip on the wine goblet he was holding, sending wine all over the table. He quickly picks it back up, and apologizes. It's not as though Asad didn't _know _that Judal wasn't coming back to Kou...It's just that he never thought about it. He never knew that his little brother would ever say the words.

"What do you mean?" Kougyoku asks, her eyes wide. "I mean, you're our _magi_, Judal. We need you."

Asad watches Judal's face sour and then shift to uncomfortable, not sure how to explain.

"Kougyoku…" Judal takes a deep breath. "'Gyoku, I never chose to be a part of Kou. And now...Now I know what it's like to be free, to roam the world without having to answer to anyone. I'm not giving that up."

The Shadow runs a hand over his face, pulling down his cheeks, and then nods.

"Okay." The magi's eyes fill with surprise.

"...Really?"

"I understand, Judal." He does. John had wished to be free all his life, just as Asad does now. For his brother to get that…

_Ah man. I'm jealous, aren't I?_

_**But you're also happy.**_

"Follow your damn dreams, lil' bro." Judal's nose crinkles but he cracks a grin.

"That's corny as hell, bro!" And as they laugh, Kougyoku abruptly stands, sending Asad's goblet to the table once more. The Shadow quickly scoops it up, cursing, as he watches Kougyoku start striding away.

"Oi, Kougyoku!" Judal calls, standing.

"No, Judal, I'll handle it." Asad stops him. "We'll be back in soon."

Following the Princess was easy. She was easy to spot because of her Kou clothes, she chose less and less crowded pathways, and Ka Koubun and her guards were already scared away by him so he knew she wasn't being followed. Except for by him, of course.

He finds her sitting by a water fountain, her eyes glassy.

"Hey 'Gyoku. You feel alright?"

"Not really." She doesn't look at him as he sits beside her. He chuckles a bit breathily, nodding.

"As to be expected. You're jealous, right?" Kougyoku whips to face him.

"_No_. Of course not. Why would you say that?"

"Well, you are, aren't you?" Her lips move, but she eventually deflates.

"...Yeah. I don't know why."

"You know why. You're jealous because he's no longer a caged bird." Asad looks to the night sky. "Because it used to be you, me and him, all locked in our golden cage together, and now he's gone. And we don't want to admit it, but someday I'll be gone too, once you're married. Once you're married I'm gonna be put into my own cage so that I won't be viewed as a threat to your husband. Then we'll live the rest of our lives in those little cages until we die, all the while watching Judal circle above us like a goddamn eagle."

When he looks to his side, he realizes Kougyoku is crying. She doesn't shake or make a sound, but she is, the tears streaming freely down her face.

"You're right," She breathes. "You're _right_, Asad. I'm a bird. I've always been a bird in a pretty little cage, and I'll always be a bird in a pretty little cage. What the hell am I doing? I knew that. I _knew_ that, Asad, so why-"

Her voice crackles, and she claps a hand across her mouth as the sob passes.

"Why- why am I so jealous of Judal? I should be happy b-because he's not me! I should stay away from you because you're also not like me! Because the _more_ I'm around you, I start thinking that _I'm_ more, that I'm not a bird, that I'm an- a- a dragon!" She sucks in a loud breath to continue her rant. "But I'm _not_ a dragon! No one treats me like a dragon! The only people who do are you and Judal! And someday- someday you'll leave-"

"Kougyoku-"

"And on that day I'll realize that I was a fool for ever believing that I was _more_-"

"_Kougyoku-"_

"And for ever thinking to myself that someone like me, who's a _bird_, could ever love you, who's actually a _dragon_."

Silence.

Still and utter, thorough and full.

He stares at her for a while, he doesn't know how long. Possibly an eternity, because that's what it felt like in the few seconds in which he processed what she said. What she said in the heat of the moment.

Then _she _realized what she said, and her eyes turned to his. As if looking for safety, like she only thought those words and she didn't actually say them. So slowly and too quickly, time resumes, and the fountain makes a pitter-patter as water splashes into the pool.

"...You love me?" Kougyoku doesn't say anything, but she becomes very pale all of a sudden.

"O-oh, what's that?" Her sleeves reach up between them, covering her face. "I-I don't know how that slipped into my head! S-silly me…"

"You love me." Like that, it clicks fully in Asad's head. She loves him. Just like-

"I-I meant as a f-friend-"

"You _love _me." He then smiles at her, wider than any other smile before. It catches her off guard, and her hand fall to her chest. "Oh Illah. You do, don't you?"

"I-I...I might," She meekly replies, red rushing into her cheeks. "I might."

Because it's true and he can, Asad grabs her by the sleeves and kisses her.

Soft. Her lips were so soft, but still too as if unsure how to mold to his. He knows that his lips are so much different, rougher and demanding despite his attempts to be gentle with his Princess.

God, he's wanted to do this since _Balbadd_.

The kiss was everything he'd hoped it be; his Princess suddenly breaking out of her daze and grabbing his robes, freeing his hands cup her face and kiss her more deeply than before. And even though she is clumsy with inexperience and he is trying too hard to be delicate, his insides are scrambled and his heart beats out of his chest with utter and complete joy.

He doesn't want to part from her, lost in the eternity of this moment, even as his lungs scream in protest. When he does pull away, he breathes hard and flickers his eyes open to stare once more into the face of the woman he that he loves, too.

At her dazed expression, at the wet marks on her cheeks.

"Asad…" She mumbles, and lost in the insanity of what he just did, he mumbles back,

"Hi."

* * *

"Hey, Eren!" The Dungeon conqueror twists in his seat, finding Sinbad striding toward him.

"Yo! How's it goin'?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Eren nods, and then adopts a serious face.

"You're here to talk to me about Yunan, right?" Sinbad's eyes widen in surprise, and then he nods seriously as well.

"I am."

"I see. Well, I'm sorry, but he told me he's not gonna move his house. I tried but he doesn't feel like it." There's a pause, and Sinbad bursts out laughing.

"I-I'm sorry," The King chuckles, slapping a hand on his knee as he sits beside the Chandlen. "I thought we were talking about something else. Y-you looked so serious it's-"

"Ohhhh, nah, I get it. I used to do that to Bad all the time and she'd have that reaction, so don't feel bad."

"But I do want to talk to you about Yunan." The dancers in front of them make nice twirls across the square.

"Sure. Whaddaya want to know?"

"...Why is he here?"

"Huh?"

"Yunan would never step a single foot into Sindria without reason, and now he's here with his two disciples, his three adopted children, and his- I'm sorry, is Yamuraiha married to Yunan or…?"

"Uhh...No. I dunno whats goin' on there."

"Well, the point is that he's here and he's brought his whole family. Why is that?"

Eren keeps his eyes trained on the dancers. He now knows why Sinbad came to talk to him; because he's the weak link when it comes to information. He knows that. He's known it for a long time.

Bad is the queen of getting out of sticky situations with just her words. Centola is smart enough to not get into those situations at all. Yunan is too mysterious to be caught in them, Yamu is amazingly good at switching topics, and Catrina, if she needs to, can come up with a dang good diversion.

But Eren isn't like that. He's not all that good with words. And even if he knew what to say, he's not sure he's that convincing. It's sad, actually, that he thinks that he's only all brawn and no brain. He's smart, he sure, but it's a different kind of smart, just the same way that Centola is a different kind of strong and Catrina is a different kind of beautiful.

"Didn't Judal say that he wanted to apologize?" Eren asks, staring down at the King. Their gazes lock, it's unnerving how Sinbad is smiling but his eyes aren't. The Mountain finds it admirable, but he doesn't lose in matches of will. Sinbad is the first to resign.

"I suppose so. Yunan truly is a mysterious man." The fire lights their faces and shade them in as the dancers run round and round, leaping and twirling.

"Meh. He can be ambig-uous as hell, but he's ain't that hard to figure out, if ya talk to him. I like 'im."

"...I see. Eren, I have to ask you something."

The dancers strike their final pose, one standing in front of the talking pair. The girl blocks the light from hitting them, casting dark lines onto Sinbad's face.

"Yes?"

"Will you dedicate your power to Sindria?"

"..." Eren takes this in. Sindria is a wonderful place, really. It's full of color and life, and it still has it's nice nooks of quiet and calmness. The people are of mixed race, origin and background, but they all talk to one another freely. There are no pesky nobles there like in other countries, no upper class looking down at the lower with sneers and disparaging words.

It's a wonderful place, with wonderful people and a wonderful culture.

But Eren doesn't belong here.

"I appre-ciate that ya think I'm strong enough to consider an ally. But...I belong with Bad. Wherever she goes, I go. If she choses Sindria, then I will too." Eren flashes one of his good-natured smiles, slapping Sinbad on the back. "But even if she doesn't, I'll consider you a pal, 'kay? And you can consider me one, too!"

It takes a moment, but Sinbad chuckles and nods.

"Alright then. Really, twice in one night...I'm getting rejected all over the place…"

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing."

* * *

"You are a bad man, Sin."

"Not tonight, I'm not."

The King and his Advisor, striding across the empty paths of their city.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean I've lost my touch. No one seems to want to join me."

"...How much power do you intend to gather?"

"As much as I can. Aladdin the magi...Prince Alibaba...Morgiana the Fanalis. They're strong assets I can use." Ja'far's smile is so small it's hard to see in the night.

"Like those other recruits?" Sinbad understands who the pale man is referring to.

"Those 'other recruits', huh? They brought in an even greater wealth of power. Eren, Catrina, Centola...They all came because Bad came here. I understand now why I was so weary of her. She's quite...Peculiar."

"Because of her coming here, Centola came, and Zeina followed."

"...That's right. If Bad hadn't had come, Zeina wouldn't have returned. If you think of it that way…" Sinbad shakes his head. "That girl. That girl is stranger than I first thought."

"A Princess of Kou."

"And a Ward of Sindria." Silence, for a moment. "Ja'far...Have I become sly? I look at Alibaba and I see the naive youth I was. Then I look at Bad and I see you from when you just joined me. Catrina and Morgiana are Masrur...Centola is Zeina…"

"That leaves Eren as Hinahoho and Hakuryuu as Drakon, yes?"

"Aladdin as Yunan and Asad as Judal." Ja'far smiles at the comparison, but it drift away.

"Yes. You are sly, Sinbad."

"What?"

"You've gained too much and become what you never wanted to be. But this is the path _you _chose. You can't back down now, Sinbad. Change is inevitable, we must keep moving forward."

"...You're right. I'll go draw the next card."

"And I'll follow you."

* * *

Alibaba saw it.

When Kassim called Centola 'sis', she cringed. It was slightly shocking, because Centola never cringes. At least, she hadn't since they were children in the slums sharing mud pies. But it was a cringe, and Alibaba caught it.

And he realized that Centola, although it might just be a small part, still loved Kassim.

"Chug, chug, chug!" Kassim chants, eyes glued to Alibaba's goblet. The wine was sour and tasted like sunshine and a punch to the gut, but he gulps it down quickly. "Whoo! You've grown, Alibaba!"

He coughs when he puts the cup down, pounding the table. Centola rubs his back in worry, sighing.

"I said no alcohol but you boys ignored me."

"Cent, we are _men_. We can handle a little liquor, right Ali?"

"*Cough, cough* Yeah, we can handle a little liquor, Ali."

"You just said your own name." Centola pats his back.

"Semantics,"* He burps, and Kassim snorts.

"If only you two weren't such happy drunks," The Temptress sighs once more. "Then I could live my life in relative peace."

"You're a happy drunk too, you just don't drink."

"Oh look, Morgiana's actor is trying to do martial arts."

"Don't shift the attention!" Kassim looks into the wine bottle, and stands. "I'm getting some more. Be right back, pals."

There was still a large amount of people in the audience, watching the show. It was funny to him because he knew what really happened, but they were enrapted, their faces glowing with each adventure written. He wonders if they'd be as enraptured with Centola's story of conquering Seere. None of those who went into the Dungeon talked about it, though, and after a while those who asked reluctantly stopped with their questioning. Alibaba knew why. Centola told him.

"Hey Cent?"

"Yes?"

"You cringed." She taps against a glass of water.

"Oh, then...Yes, I did, didn't I? How pathetic."

"It's not pathetic. It's sad, but not pathetic."

"I think it is. I really...Shouldn't be so hung up about him. People get rejected all the time."

"But not everyone is forgotten." The clicking of her nails against the glass ceases. "He forgot you. I wanna punch 'im 'cause of it, but it's not his fault. It's nobody's fault."

"If Nobody was a person, they'd be blamed for many things."

"Ha."

"...I think I'm over him, Alibaba." He lays his head on his arms, looking up at her. She's staring off into space with those mirror-like eyes. "I really think I am. It's helped, being in Sindria. Being with you and the others. I've realized...That while Kassim and I were a good fit, a nice, well balanced fit, he only loved me because of the seal I told you about. He didn't love me for me."

The mirrors look so foggy.

"Then he's a fool, for not loving you before hand."

Then they reflect the stars above.

"Thank you, Ali."

* * *

"Ne, Bad, what do you want to do in the future?"

"The future?"

"Yeah." It was a normal question. It merited a normal answer. Bad, however, is not a normal person.

"I want to fulfill my duties."

"...I don't get you sometimes." Aladdin half-laughs, half-sighs. "I'm not gonna stop trying. I just don't get you right now."

"And yet I bet I understand you the best." This time Aladdin really laughs.

"Oh, hey, it's you guys." Stopping their conversation, the two look up to see a boy and a girl.

"Alexio, right?" The brown haired boy blushes and nods at Bad's remembrance of his name. "And...Have we met?"

It was a short girl, shorter than Bad, who sported orangish-pink hair and matching eyes. Her dress was clearly eastern and indicated wealth, but the way she carried herself showed that she was of a lower status than it appeared.  
"I'm Momoka, desu. I'm looking for my Master, desu." Momoka introduces herself, giving a little bow.

"Oh, I see. I like your hairstyle," Bad compliments the girl, who touches her buns and smiles a little.

"Thank you, desu. My Master tied it like this when he brought me into the Palace, desu." Bad's ears perk.

"The Palace, you say? You don't mean the Kou Empire, do you?"

"I do, desu." Aladdin watches on, and then engages into a conversation with Alexio. "What's your name, desu?"

"I'm Bad. Badroulbadour, but it's too long to say so I shortened it."

"Oh. I like it, desu. Hey, Bad, will you help me find Master?"

"I was helping her before. I was hoping you'd know where to find him." Alexio chimes in. "His name is Asad."

Bad blinks.

And burst out laughing.

"Ah, yes, I know Asad very, very well. Haha!"

* * *

"Rayide?"

"Yes, that's the city you were for a while, right Cent?"

"Yes. You went there first?"

"Yeah, with Yunan and Judal. Then we toured some other desert cities, headed toward this obscure Kingdom next to this place called Magnostadt, and went around the countryside there for a while. Oh, and Yunan taught me how to read and write!"

"Really? Good for you, bud!" Alibaba smacks Kassim's back. "I knew I had it in you."

"I'm not ten," He grumbles.

"And?"

"And? Well, Judal was an ass, but he learned a lot from Yunan. His muscles are so fake it's not even funny. One day into training and he was whining like a little bitch."

"Language."

"I'm not ten!"

"While this happened you…?"

"I trained my swordsmanship. I'm not using an official style like you, Ali, but in the Slums I picked up a few things. I was pretty good with my Fog Sword, you know."

"Wow, lets spar!"

"No fighting!"

"_We're not ten!"_

* * *

"Hakuryuu!"

"Lord Sinbad!"

Sinbad leads Hakuryuu away from the festival, his smile small.

"How was the Dungeon?"

"Just as you said. I learned a lot from Alibaba-dono and the others. I have been immature, so I have to thank you."

"I see. I'm happy to hear it."

"...However," Hakuryuu presents his bow to the King. "I still wish to follow my plan. Al Thamen must be stopped. My feelings have changed in their depth, but not in their intention."

"I'm sorry, but Sindria has no wishes to fight against Kou in the near future."

"Y-you don't have to commit now! I just wish...That in the time that comes, you'll be the guide I need to destroy that awful organization." Hakuryuu bows lower. "I don't mind if I get hurt but...My sister, she's all I have. If you won't help me, just promise that if worst comes to worst you'll protect her."

"...I understand. I'll think about it, Hakuryuu."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Personally, I like you." Sinbad takes Hakuryuu's hand in a shake. "From now on, we're in the same boat. You have to help me in times of need as well_._"

"Of course!" Hakuryuu bows once more, his smile large.

Ja'far closes his eyes, almost as if blocking away the sight.

(Fools can be too pitiful.)

* * *

"Hey, you're finally back!" Judal stands, motioning to his brother and friend. Kougyoku's eyes are trained on the floor, a blush seemingly permanently stained to her cheeks. Asad is smiling slightly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, sorry for the wait." Asad chuckles, helping Kougyoku sit. She blushes deeper, if possible. Judal studies them with scrutiny.

"...What did I miss?"

"N-nothing!" Kougyoku answers defensively. "You missed nothing."

"I don't know, I think he missed _something_."

"I-Idiot Keeper..."

Judal stares at them for a little longer before sitting as well, giving up.

"Fine. 'Gyoku, you're not upset, right?"

"...Huh?"

"I mean...About me leaving and all. It's not like we're not friends anymore or whatever..."

"Of course I'm not upset," Kougyoku replies, a gentle look gracing her features. "I'm sorry I stormed away, it was just a little much. But I'm happy for you, Judal. I really am."

Judal grins.

"Thanks, 'Gyoku."

"...Hey, Judar, where's Hakuryuu?"

"Hakuryu-"

_"AAAHHHHH!" _

* * *

_My arm-_

His arm- it fell off.

It's right in front of him.

_It's off, it's off, I can't feel it, why not?_

One minute, he's using it to hold his pole arm. The next it's laying on the floor, cleanly _disconnected from_ _him_.

_It's off, it's off, it'soffit'soffit'soff._

_"AAAHHHHH!" _

Sinbad rushes toward him, but all he can focus on is the fact that for some reason, he no longer has a left hand.

The blood-

No...No there's no blood. There's only black birds spilling like water from the inside of his flesh.

_What?!_

He clutches his arm, surprised to see that it's now a flat stump with veins crossing all over it. There is no pain but-

But he doesn't_ have his left hand anymore._

From the severed hand, several vines spurt up, interlocking and tearing at the skin. The birds spiral upwards around the vines, glowing darkly.

A man appears.

A naked man with blonde hair and purple eyes, made of the vines that sprouted from his now mangled left hand laying discarded and mutilated on the stone floor. He nearly vomits, stumbling back.

"Who are you?!" Alibaba shouts, pulling Amon out of it's sheath. He and the others had arrived after he screamed, and now witnessed the same sight as him.

"Don't you recognize me?" The man teasingly smiles, pointing to his face. He swipes his hand, and suddenly clothes materialize on him.

_The man from the Dungeon! Ithnan!_

* * *

"Ah, so you love Asad that much, huh?" Momoka nods seriously.

"Master is the kindest man I've ever met. I wish to remain by his side, desu." Aladdin smiles, though it's a bit uneasy.

"I see, that's nice..." Bad pulls on the end of his vest, and he looks up at her. She whispers in his ear,

"Asad is a lot different than the guy you met in Balbadd, you know."

He looks down.

"Yeah...You're right."

"So Bad, do you really know where Asad is?" Alexio buts in, giving a not-so-subtle death glare to Aladdin, who tilts his head in confusion at it.

"Yeah, he should be...By Hakuryuu's severed arm, apparently."

"Huh?"

The children look up, finally seeing the fight brewing. Hakuryuu stands with his stubby arm being cradled by his good hand, and Alibaba, Sinbad and his Generals are with several guards looking ready to fight.

"Ithnan." Bad growls, and sprints over to the commotion.

* * *

"What's going on?!" Yamu asks, running over to the sounds of yelling. Yunan, beside her, closes his eyes and reluctantly sighs.

"I believe it's called 'plot'."

* * *

"...Ah, everyone's arrived."

Everyone had.

Even Kassim had came to the scuffle, his hand straying to a dagger on his belt. Zeina and Khadeja appeared as well, standing beside Ja'far and Masrur who shielded their King.

"Good. Magi, King Alibaba, King Sinbad...I'm here to welcome you!" Ithnan looks around. Behind him, an adorable little family is shielded by two cards.

_How cute._

He blows them up.

Screams light the surroundings, and civilians begin to rush away from the fight. That swordsman of Sinbad's lifts his swords and cuts Ithnan right in half. Not that it hurts at all, it's more amusing than everything. He splits himself into three parts, and sees everything from three separate views.

_Showtime!  
_

He aims for his targets at the same time.

Sinbad, Alibaba, Aladdin.

_Easy pickings._

* * *

Bad's not a hero.

She could say that she was, in the Other. Once she joined the war on Kou's side. She had some victories that seemed to immortalize her in the eyes of the soldiers. It made her into a legend of sorts, a hero of justice and the people.

It put pressure on her, though. To walk into a base camp and then have men stare at her like a Queen, whispering amongst themselves that they were saved now that 'the Princess has arrived!'. Talk of the Kou Princess who could control many Divine Staves spread like wildfire, and after a while, people began to say that she was their last hope. The only one who could possibly protect them against Al Thamen.

It was terrifying.

It was mainly the reason why she pulled such a terrible stunt at one point, pulling out all of her Divine Staves at once and casting a spell that eventually labeled a battle entirely.

(The Battle of the Seventy-Two Moons)

Of course, the fact that she did that move motivated Aladdin to spend a greater amount of time by her side toward the end.

They were able to protect each other. They were able to outlast every one of their friends.

They ended up leading the final charge against Al Thamen. And they lost.

Bad's not a hero. Not anymore, and probably never again.

But because she's not stupid, and because Sinbad's stupid little curse has always annoyed her, she decides that just this once, she'll be a hero again. Besides. Who knows if that stupid half-fallen bullcrap is still on Sinbad's repertoire.

She's not gonna pick now to find out.

_Sigh. You owe me, Sinbad._

She steps in front of the approaching Ithnan, and boredly splits him right in two.

She doesn't even flinch when the blood lands on her.

Although, it does make an itchy burning sensation across her right cheek and neck, leading down to her arm.

_Ew. This is super gross._

"Bad!" Aladdin calls. The Ithnan attacking him makes a small ding when he connects with the magi's borg, and he grins back at the boy.

"You noticed, huh?" Then he straightens. "By our Father's will, I have placed a curse of death on King Alibaba and King Sin-"

Bad's gaze connects with the Al Thamen agent's.

Ithnan's jaw drops, and then clenches.

"You _brat_."

"I totally thought you were dead. God, Ithnan, you have more lives than a damn cat."

"Fucking _brat_." Ithnan sneers. "You really want to die that badly? You _are_ suicidal."

"On and off," Bad grins darkly. "But I've decided that when I die I'm gonna take someone with me. You know, so I'm not lonely."

"How dare you!" A soldier yells, and suddenly all the guards act, lurching toward Ithnan. "What did you do to Lady Bad?!"

"Lady Bad?" She mutters, confused. "Oh yeah. I'm Sinbad's ward. Huh."

"No, don't cut him!" Aladdin yells, stopping the soldiers.

"The magi is wise. The curse is an invitation." Ithnan looks right at Bad. "I was _planning_ on giving it to King Sinbad, but the brat decided to take his place. Well, no problem. You're just as good as a choice, Princess. This invitation is extended to King Alibaba, the vessel chosen by Solomon's pride and now Badroulbadour, the Queen of Queens chosen by Myeshia to host the power we at the organization covet so badly. Become dark vessels, and yield to our Father!"

"Yeah, yeah, let's cut to the chase," Bad interrupts, rolling her eyes. "You're 'curse' is just some fancy magic, right? Reverse it, now."

"...You're an impudent brat, aren't you? It's out of my hands. The black Rukh in my blood will turn your Rukh black and make you into dark vessels. Should you fight it, Solomon's white Rukh with fight with mine, and you'll die!"

"And to think I was almost sad when you died. Tut, tut. You really are so one dimensional."

"Enough. I'm leaving."

"Oh wait, Ithnan, one more thing." He glares at her, and she smirks. _"Catrina." _

A red flash zooms across the landscape, and Catrina's foot connects to Ithnan's face. The man goes flying, right at Eren, who points at the masked man. Myeshia's cuff glows.

**"Reverse." **Ithnan goes back at the same speed toward the Fanalis Amala, who kicks him this time straight up into the air. Eren wastes no time Djinn Equipping, following Ithnan's upward ascent. Bad giggles, and spins Sheba in her hand.

"Oh, how fun." She purrs, before following Eren into the sky. Catrina jumps onto a roof and grabs a hold of Eren's shoulder, resting her foot on his hip as they fly into the open air. Ithnan straightens himself, chuckling.

"Ah, what a dirty trick."

"Oh, don't be silly. A dirty trick would be this," Bad looks down and calls, _"Yamu!__"_

* * *

"That girl-!" Sinbad grabs his cuff, but a hand on his arm stops him.

"Stop." It's Yunan. "Bad knows what she's doing."

_"Yamu!"_

"And luckily for you," Yamu smiles, "So do we."

She takes off one of her seashells covering her ears and throws it into the air.

_"Himaya!"_

The shell breaks, crackling into a ball of bright light. Lines connect to the light, shooting off to the corners of the island.

"That's- what's going on?" Sinbad demands. Yamu winks at him.

"Just sit back and enjoy the show, my King."

The lights shoot upwards, making a large dome over the entire island.

"That's quite magnificent, Yamu." Yunan comments, impressed. "The lines are perfectly calibrated! You worked hard."

"Not really, it was easy," Yamu shrugs it off, but she's beaming with accomplishment. "I mean, the trajectory was hard to factor in since I had to remeasure the scope of the island, but since it's roughly in the shape of a circle all I had to do was reconfigure a way to make a greater shield for the entrance to the cove. No biggie."

"Wh-what's it doing?" A citizen asks, watching with fear at the glowing lights in the sky.

Yamu smiles.

"It's building something."

"What kind of something?" Sharrkan asks, and she pretends to be coy.

"Oh you know," The lights condense, and giant plates start to pour from the sides toward the top, stacking on top of one another like armor. "A-."

* * *

"What is this?!"

Bad gives Ithnan the sweetest look she can muster.

"A dirty trick, of course. Isn't that what I told you."

"Don't lie!" He roars. "This is- this is a-"

"A what?" Ithnan shakes with palpable rage.

_"A barrier." _

* * *

"You...Built a barrier for Sindria, Yamuraiha?" The magician meets Sinbad's gaze, and then looks back to the plates gleaming in the sky, her barrier resurrected.

"I did. It's beautiful, huh?"

"How?" Zeina asks for the King, and Yamu laughs.

"Well, I was here for six months. What did you think I was doing? Magic is in my blood. Gotta release it somehow. But this is the best, after I did the calculations I made sets of magic tools that hold magoi within them. Then I placed them on the mountains and encrypted them with a spell to react to the breaking of my seashell. Once the magoi within the shell was released, the barrier would spring up! Pretty cool, huh? And the in the cove I put a double shield over the entrance, for precautions. If you want it to keep running though, you need to replenish the magoi within my magic tools."

"To do all that for Sindria...That's a kind act, Yamuraiha."

Well, she wants to tell the truth. That she _owes _Sindria. Owes this beloved country for everything it's done for her, everything it's been to her. Owes it's people, owes Sinbad, owes the Generals. And, that in the end, this barrier is the parting gift she wants it to have. The parting gift that Yamu never got to give in the Other.

_I'll always love this place very, very much. _

"Well...I get bored, you know."

* * *

**GAME TIME~~~~~!**

Hey y'all! It's time for a new segment: Game Time!

Today's game is….

_Guess that Character!_

Below, there are several descriptions of early character designs that I made for each OC in Starry Skies. Try to link the correct character to the correct early design without the help of the hints! Then, after the fun facts, check your answers! Have fun~~~

**1)** This character was originally drafted as a pale, silver haired and black eyed girl. Her name was 'Almira' and she was a bright, happy girl with white Rukh. Her design was scrapped because she looked too much like a later version of Asad.

_Hint:_ She's a part of the main five~!

**2)** This character's original design was a girl with an intense, thoughtful and slightly stoic personality. She was supposed to be the daughter of an enslaved woman who was kept to entertain gladiators. I regret not keeping her original storyline, looking back it was pretty cool.

_Hint: _Her personality took a 180 to curious and friendly.

**3)** This man was supposed to be a Dungeon Capturer who joined the Kou Empire because of his relation to a certain person. He was dark haired and eyed, with a mysterious air around him.

_Hint:_ His relation was to an adoptive brother.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1:** People do not describe Judal's presence as a breath of fresh air.

**Fun Fact #2:** Technically Asad and Kougyoku's first kiss was back in chapter...7(? Too lazy to check sorry) when he kissed her to get her to stop talking as the guards passed by. Ah, memories.

**Fun Fact #3: **Idk if you guys notice this, but the reason Bad's called the 'Queen of Queens' is mainly because Ugo called Aladdin the 'King of Kings'. Ha. They're adorable.

* * *

**Answers:** 1\. Bad, 2. Catrina, 3. Asad

* * *

So guys, looking at the latest scans all I can say is, "remember when Sinbad was King of Sindria?" Also hey, Magi is NOW A SCI-FI MANGA WHAT UP!

***Semantics:** Alibaba's 'semantics!' line was taken from TFS Dragon Ball Abridged. I've said this already, but it's friggin' hilarious.

***Frank:** Is my Uncle's name. Plus I thought it would cool that, just like how the Torran people speak English, they have 'English' names.

***Himaya: **Arabic word for protection. I got it off of Google translate, so if it's wrong, please tell me.

**Judal:** Has become the new comic relief XD I kinda feel bad, he's been made fun of so much. It's just I've always felt that without his badass-ery he'd been the kind of guy who others would tease. Especially since there are no consequences to his anger anymore.

**Kassim:** IS BACK! I'm so happy. Writing him was always fun. Plus now I can expand more on Centola and his relationship, especially now that Kassim doesn't have any feelings for her anymore. WHOOP!

**Zeina and Yunan Know Each Other?:** Oh yes. They do indeed. What is this 'family situation' Yunan knows about? Well, it's connected to the event eight years ago that made Zeina leave Sindria. Oh, you'll see. You'll see, and then all the pieces of this large puzzle will fit together. _The secret lies with the De Covernas~_

**AsadXKougyoku:** *Crying tears of joy* I'm complete now. I'm super complete. My OTP. My beloved OCXCharacter. *Sigh*

**Bad, Aladdin, Alexio, Dream and Momoka!:** Bad haas finally been introduced to all the other children in the story! Hurray! Well, except for Chabi, but I don't think that there's a way for them to meet any time soon...Or ever. Expect for these five to become friends!

**Hakuryuu's Left Hand: **So I reread the chapter and it shows that Hakuryuu's hand wasn't completely turned into Ithnan, it actually was totally discarded on the ground (look it up, night 113) (also ewwwwww why Ohtaka why Haku-baby's handdddddd).

**Yamu's Got her Barrier up!: **Damn straight. I bullcrapped her explantation though, so don't be confused or whatever. In the words of Yamu, what did you think she was doing for six months? XD Nah but I feel this is important. General or not, Yamu needed closure with Sindria. And by resurrecting her barrier, she was able to ensure that her old home was protected from Al Thamen, while also leaving it with a 'parting gift' of sorts. And also, hey, it's not gonna kill her this time! Go Yamu!

Latest scans got me super pumped and confused at the same time XD

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	30. Chapter 29: Dirty Tricks & Sad Stories

In which short chappie is short and I feel very terrible about it :(

Alas, I hope you enjoy this, I put all my love and good intentions into it...Despite the large amount of bad intentions that the characters happen to feel...Well, I did say there wasn't a chance this would be _entirely_ a happy story, didn't I? Mwuhaha!

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**EIGHTH ARC: **The Path Ahead

CHAPTER 29: Dirty Tricks &amp; Sad Stories

* * *

The night was not still.

Above, white plates looking like magic circles stack on top of one another, starting to form a large barrier over the island country of Sindria. Below, Sindrian citizens buzzed with the attack they suffered from the hands of a mysterious man who poisoned the guest Prince Alibaba and their King's ward, Badroulbadour. Sitting in between, below the barrier but above the citizens, four hover in the sky.

(Bad, Catrina, Eren, _Ithnan._)

"...You must truly hate me." Bad says nothing to these words uttered by the man across from her. His gaze, steady on her, never wavers. "To go to such extremes just to destroy Al Thamen…I'm impressed. You've fought harder against us than most people in the past who've opposed us have. Tell me, what motivates you, a mere child?"

"..." She twirls Sheba in her hand, feeling the cool night air brush against her like the frozen hands of the dead. "I am motivated by the thought of losing to _her_. Losing everything to _Arba._"

Ithnan takes this in, nods, and shoots up into the sky.

Bad follows, and so does Eren, Catrina holding onto her brother's shoulder.

_He's trying to get out before the barrier closes!_

Bad smirks.

_Good_.

The barrier reaches higher and higher, the gap between being trapped and free growing smaller and smaller. Eren aims an arrow, which Ithnan is forced to stop and deflect. Catrina uses Eren as a springboard and shoots herself toward the escaping magician.

"Hold it!" She yells, and Bad marvels at her ferocity. She manages to punch Ithnan, but the man only is able to go faster because of it, shooting between the gap. Catrina hits the barrier, letting out a small yelp at impact, and starts to fall.

Eren is instantly there, snatching her out of free-fall.

"Damn," Catrina 'tch's. "We almost had him!"

"It's alright," Bad waves off the concern. "Let's return for now. We'll deal with Ithnan during part 2~"

* * *

The palace was in a solemn mood.

Sitting with fires burning as the only source of light, the courtyard was dark and shady, holding an atmosphere of seriousness that rarely graced the air. Even the cozy house that sat directly in the center didn't radiate any warmth, though it sat in contrast with the tall, well manicured buildings encaging it. A bustle of officials, guards and soldiers rushed about in this place, some looking for orders and others papers to file on this event. Ja'far gave instructions to attendants to make a statement to their nervous population, and Drakon and Hinahoho were making plans to reinforce the new barrier that was set up.

Masrur and Morgiana were staring at Catrina with intensity as she tried to reassure them that she was fine, that hitting the barrier didn't hurt at all. Aladdin was by Alibaba studying his wound, accompanied by several other generals, as Sinbad stood by with pursed lips. Centola held Alibaba's hand and gently touched the blotchy bruise forming. Eren was next to Yamuraiha who was inspecting Bad's own wound.

Bad herself sat plopped on Yunan's lap.

"Are you alright, Princess?" He asks softly, arms looped around the girl's waist. "Does it hurt?"

"No." She tries to smile reassuringly, but it did sting, and was becoming progressively more annoying.

"Don't lie."

"You should believe your daughter." She pouts at him, and he cracks a small smile. Yamu gives a frustrated grunt.

"This is annoying." She nearly hisses. "A magic is causing the corruption, and it can be dispelled, but I can't figure out the formula!" Then, quietly so only Yunan, Bad and Eren could possibly hear, "Even now, I haven't gotten to it…"

"Hey, it's not impossible," Yunan smiles. "I happen to know a good way of dispelling it!"

"You do?!" Alibaba stumbles to his feet. Aladdin's relief shows in the form of a smile.

"That's great!"

Bad jumps off her father's lap, grunting.

"Okay, ready!" She stretches her back, and whoops at the loud cracks she hears. "I'm off then, everyone!"

"H-huh? Off?!" Catrina hears this and uses a total of two steps to get to Bad's side.

"I'll go with you."

"Me too!" Eren chimes in, but Bad shakes her head.

"No. Watch over Ali-brat, okay? I'll be back in a little while."

"But what about your wounds…?" Alibaba asks with confusion. She pauses for a moment.

"No, I'll be fine." She waves him off. Confusion graces everyone's faces, but a few gain looks of dark understanding.

(Yunan, Yamu, Catrina, Eren, Centola. Those who _know._)

"But Bad-" Alibaba starts, though Centola interrupts.

"Alibaba, it's fine."

"Huh-?"

"_It's fine." _She repeats, firmer. "We'll be waiting for your return, Bad."

"Gotcha. Be back soon."

Yamu and Yunan follows Bad into another room, Sinbad tagging along.

"What was that?" He asks his ward.

"What was what?"

"How will you be fine?"

"I will be." Sinbad's eyebrows furrow. Yunan gives a smile-glare at the King.

"Leave her alone, Sinbad. It's not appropriate to interrogate children."

"Wh-"

"Yeah! I feel so insecure now!"

"You-"

"It's okay, Papa's here now!" Sinbad annoyedly waits for them to stop cuddling and making jokes at his expense, while Yamu tries to block it out entirely. When they enter a new room, Sinbad has to stop and stare at what he sees.

"What is this?" On the floor, a magic circle glows brightly. Yamuraiha smugly smiles and explains-

"It's a transfer magic circle!" Zeina says, by the floor. Her fingers are tracing over the lines and admiring the craftsmanship. "I thought they only had them in Reim. Yamu, you must be quite the magician."

Yamu blushes.

"Yes, it's supposed to-"

"-To transport anyone within a few miles of the barrier?"

"How'd you know?!"

"Lucky guess." Yunan smiles, and ushers Bad forward.

"Go on, dear. We'll be here waiting, do what you need to." Bad grins, and nods.

"Of course. Mama, if you would…?" Yamu smiles, and lifts her wand. A portal appears in the middle of the magic circle, and Bad skips over to it, Sheba swinging with her.

"See you in a few~~~!"

* * *

"Hiya, Ithnan!" Ithnan hated the brat by this point. In the Dungeon she had caused him to lose his cool and say things he truly shouldn't have said. She caused Dunya to be captured, three of his underlings to be killed, and him to think about terrible things that he really didn't want to remember.

And now there she was, Badroulbadour, waving to him casually from a glowing circle.

"Did you really think I'd let anyone from Al Thamen attack me and leave unscathed?" She giggles, and it's not like a normal child's giggle. It's a girl's high pitched laugh laced with madness and bloodlust. The air around him feels thick and heavy all of a sudden as Killing Intent pounds mercilessly down on him. "_You are a fool, Ithnan."_

* * *

There's something people don't know about madness.

Something that only a mad person knows.

It's that madness, though painful and humiliating, is _fun. _It's a light hearted feeling in your chest while you beat down others, it's the excitement in your throat when you gain complete control over a situation.

Madness is just another form of happiness, Bad thinks.

That's why, despite her aching wounds and the iciness of the night air, Bad couldn't wish to be anywhere but in front of Ithnan. At least here, alone, she can reveal the part of her she's been keeping under tight wrap. The part that comes out probably too often but very few times.

"You came _alone_?" He nearly spits at her. "Pride is a fatal flaw, dear _Kouhime_. No friends or barriers can protect you here!"

"Of course I know that," Bad smirks. "That's why I took you out here. I can't let anyone get in the way, can I?"

The wind whips around them, blowing her hair into a mess of pink strands. He sits on his wand, glaring like a snake. They lock onto the circle she emerged from and figure out how exactly she was able to get here.

"Another dirty trick, huh?"

A pang of pain hits her with the force of a truck, making her skin burn and her bones shake. It was like a strain, but also a cutting combined with the notion that acid was running through her veins.

"That curse makes you my _puppet!" _Ithnan screeches, thrusting his staff toward her. She grips the sides of her head. The pain made it hard to hear over the sound of her heart beating wildly. "The black Rukh serve me. Let's see how much you have!"

_Black Rukh._

**Ba-bump.**

_Black Rukh. _

**Ba-bump.**

"Oh, that's right…" Bad mutters, and then snickers a little as she lifts her head, hands falling to her sides. "Black Rukh...Huh?"

The snicker turns louder, thicker.

Ithnan pauses, staring at her with shock.

"Wh-what's that? A...Black rose…?"

_Black roses, black rukh._

**Ba-bump.**

The pain ceases, the rukh from the wound rushing above her. She doesn't turn around to see it, but she can tell it's there.

(A black rose.)

"Are you surprised?" She asks Ithnan, who stares behind her in shock. "Is that all your curse could do, oji-san~? A little pain~? Well, sorry, but I'm already cursed…" A small white Rukh dances before her eyes. She adds, "Mostly."

"I-Impossible-!" Ithnan chokes, pushing himself back. "A-are you...Already _Fallen?!"_

"I didn't feel like using this power...But you're useless to me now." Bad's hands touch the skin just below her collarbone, where a tattoo of an eight-pointed star is painted. "Ithnan, one last thing...How does it feel being killed by the one you set free all those years ago? Do you…"

"This is not supposed to happen!" Ithnan shrills.

"Do you...Feel _despair?" _

She doesn't wait for a response.

"_Come forth, Raiden!_

_To me, Sunna!_

* * *

_Soar, Junaid!_

_Shine, Nero!_

_Cry, Ismene!" _

Brightly glowing like the moon in the heavens, her Divine Staves thrust forth from their seal, positioning around her in a circle of golden light. They take form into truly holy relics, each with gems shining like stars.

Her lips form the most sarcastic smile.

"Bye, Ithnan. I'm glad, you know," She starts to tell him, but his eyes are fixed on the staves, not her. "That I'm the one to do this. Closure...Right~?"

She giggles, and points Sheba toward him.

Lines shoot from stave to stave, connecting and creating an eight-pointed star with her in the middle. She can practically see Ithnan's mouth dry up.

"That's...How…?"

"_Alqamar Shaeae."_

"Night-night, Ithnan."

* * *

A scream splits the air, and Yamu hurriedly applies more magoi to her spell.

"Mister Yunan!" Aladdin shouts, tugging on the older man's sleeve. "Alibaba is- he's-"

The situation was worse than Yunan had thought it would be. And, according to Yamu, it was worse than in the Other as well. The black Rukh was consuming Alibaba, leaving black flesh in it's wake as it crawls further and further throughout his body.

"Y-you have a way to heal him, right?" Aladdin asks nervously. Yunan stares at the young magi, astounded by how he didn't know him, and nods.

"Actually, Aladdin, you have a way to heal Alibaba."

"H-huh? Me?" Yunan nods, bringing the boy by the hand toward his friend laying in the center of a sealing circle. Yamu grits her teeth as she tries to ward off any more advancement of the black Rukh.

"Aladdin, I've heard that you possess a wonderful power." Aladdin looks away, but Yunan lays his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm not trying to make you use it, but that power of yours...It's spectacular, and if you use it on Alibaba, you can heal him."

"I can?" The blue haired magi asks, looking Yunan in the eye. "Solomon's Wisdom can help Alibaba?"

"Yes."

Aladdin grips his staff, and nods.

"I'll do it then."

* * *

The world inside of Alibaba was white.

He knew it would be, but still reveled in the whitewashed sky and glittering ground. She wasn't sure where to go, but a Rukh lands on his finger and whistles to him.

It pops, and a picture appears before him.

"_Don't you know who Budel is?!" _

Aladdin's lips form a smile.

Memories.

"_Balbadd will become a republic."_

More Rukh plop onto his finger and create colorful images of people and places, and he follows the path they take him on.

"_I'm glad that you came, Aladdin."_

* * *

Bad sighs at the small doll in front of her. She picks it up, running her thumb over the designs.

"Ne, Ithnan…I've never said this to anyone, at least to no one who actually exists anymore, but I really, really admired you…" She shouldn't be saying them _now._ Though, he's dead, so it doesn't truly matter. "You were a bad person. At one time I thought you were good, although…The man I admired doesn't exist. You aren't him. But thank you, anyway, for being a little bit of good for Kouhime. However, you're a part of Al Thamen. So…I had to kill you. Goodbye, oji-san."

* * *

_"Hey, Kouhime."_

_"Yes?"_

_Purple eyes look to the pale blue sky._

_"Do you like me without my mask on?" The girl looked at him without understanding, but she nods._

_"Yes. I can't recognize you as well with it on."_

_"That's the point."_

_"Why? I like know__ing who you are." Ithnan looks away, and Kouhime wonders what she said that caused him to look so sad._

_"Thank you, Kouhime."_

* * *

Her hands shiver against the cold, and she needs both to grasp the doll.

"You're welcome, Ithnan."

Her fingers constrict, and the doll shatters in her hands.

* * *

Sorrow, Aladdin knew, was seeing another person so in distress that you yourself cannot see the good side to things. At least, that's what he felt when he thought of sorrow.

Of course, he thinks, watching the fading image of Alibaba's sick mother disappear, maybe sorrow has a lot of different definitions. He touches another Rukh, seeing a small mound of dirt appearing before Alibaba. A little girl with strawberry blonde hair- Centola- comes up and takes his hand. The Rukh show him more images: Centola starting a career as a dancer to support her family, Kassim and Alibaba working as construction workers under a hot Balbaddian sun. Centola and Kassim huddled in a corner in a segregation camp…And Centola meeting a pink haired girl he recognizes as Bad…

His eyebrows furrow.

"Why…Are there so many memories of when Alibaba wasn't there…?"

"It's residue."

Aladdin turns.

A figure sits calmly before him, black coat wrapped around them like a dark blanket.

"Ithnan…"

"Residue." He repeats. "The Temptress left it here when she and King Alibaba were in the dark Djinn. Along with the memories, she also carelessly left some Dark Rukh in Alibaba's body."

"So they're Centola's? That makes more sense..."

"You should keep looking through them. You'll find something quite interesting." Ithnan smirks. "And after you may kill me. I'm nothing more than residue myself, the weakened core of the curse since my dear Lady Bad destroyed my body."

"I want to know first." Aladdin curls up his fists. "You…And your organization…And why do you want to destroy this world? Why are you so obsessed with Bad?!"

"Damn you...You're an agent of Solomon after all!"

"No I'm not. I'm asking myself, not for anyone else."

"Bad." Ithnan repeats, tasting the name. "I didn't know until I saw the Temptress's memories myself, but she's someone different from everyone else in this world for a multitude of reasons. If you want to keep that independence of yours, keep away from her."

"I won't."

"Why? No, I know. It's already happened, hasn't it? She has taken over your heart with her tragic life, and now you wish to save her from her tragic death. But it's too late. You can't save her anymore." Ithnan shakes his head. "Enough. I'm ready for death."

"Not until I understand you better! Al Thamen...Because of you, there is poverty and war and sadness...And I don't understand why. Why must you change 'Fate' this way?"

"That man...Solomon, he took things from us. Our brothers...Our children...Our friends. How are we supposed to live on and accept that from the person we all trusted the most? It's impossible. That's why we'll never see eye to eye." Aladdin shakes his head.

"You're misunderstanding everything, Ithnan!"

"Nonsense. I have nothing more to say, get rid of me!"

The boy raises his staff.

"_Solomon's Wisdom!"_

* * *

Inside of Ithnan's head, there was more than just black memories and sorrow. There was a twinkling light, a tiny memory of him and Setta holding hands as children.

Aladdin admires it, and moves on.

The next memories are familiar: King Solomon waving at adoring citizens, buildings crashing down, the sky turning black and the sun losing its warmth.

Then peculiar things.

A woman dressed in fine fabrics, her face covered from his view.

A room full of people standing in rings, praying with their hands crossed in a strange way over their staffs.

A woman in chains, with a small pregnancy belly.

He tilts his head at all the images at come by, and once they're done, Ithnan wobbles to a standing position.

"I won't accept it...How weird that I'd feel so peaceful when I thought I'd be too ashamed to return to his side…" He closes his eyes, sighing. He reaches up and takes off his mask. He drops it, and before it can clatter to the ground it dissolves into Rukh. "I remember now. What she calls the "Other". I remember. I wonder...Is she sad for me…?"

"The...Other?"

Ithnan chuckles.

"The end of all things, Aladdin. The key to defeating Al Thamen. Maybe you'll remember too, you _were_ there."

"What?" Ithnan laughs at him, his body disintegrating into white Rukh.

"Ask Kouhime, Aladdin. Ask Kouhime. It's the only way to know."

Suddenly, the same way that ash falls from the sky, Ithnan's body turns to birds that fly into the great expanse of white above them until he's no more.

_But...Ithnan…_

He still looks for those birds, even though they're mixed with thousands of others.

_Who is Kouhime?_

* * *

When Sinbad came into the room where Alibaba was being healed, he was not expecting a bright light to blind him. But it did, and curiously, he wondered exactly what kind of healing magic Yamu practiced.

Until he spotted a few key figures.

One, Yamu was watching on without doing anything.

Two, Yunan as well was watching on without doing anything.

And three, Aladdin's unconscious form was in the older magi's arms.

"What is going on?" He calls over a strange wind whipping around Alibaba.

"Healing stuff!" Yunan replies, smiling smugly.

His eye twitches in annoyance, but he forces himself to remain calm despite his own personal distaste.

"How is Alibaba's condition?" Yunan's smile dies down.

"He'll be fine. He got pretty bad at one point...But Aladdin is suppressing it now."

As if in confirmation, the black rukh bruising Alibaba's body dissipates from his skin. The boy visibly breathes easier, the pain fading away.

"But it's strange," The magi muses, "That it progressed so quickly. I wonder…"

* * *

"So, who are you, exactly?" The black figure does not move at the sound of Aladdin's voice, though the white Rukh flickering around it moves it's dark dreads in mock-wind. "I know you're not him, because he's alive. So who are you, exactly? Why did you help speed up the curse?"

The person moves finally, turning to face Aladdin.

He's all the same dark color, a not-quite black that does little to fully distinguish his features but not enough to hide his identity from Aladdin.

"Huh…? Who are you?"

"I'm Kassim." The shadow replies, grinning with mock-enthusiasm. "Don't you recognize me? I'm Kassim."

"You can't be. Kassim is alive."

"_A_ Kassim is alive. I'm his other half. The darkness of the black Djinn. The part that the girl I loved left behind."

"...Huh?"

"Centola, you dolt. Centola left me behind. I'm Kassim's memories, his darkness, his anger. She erased me from him, but unintentionally left me inside of an object. Alibaba was unfortunate enough to receive me the minute he pierced his ear with my earring. Then I was in him." There is a pause, and the dark Kassim looks to the white sky. "What an annoying place. But she likes it."

"She?"

"The Centola that _your_ Centola left behind. Her magic resonates through me, and also through Alibaba. I would've taken over Alibaba the second I had a chance if she didn't stop me." Aladdin tilts his head.

"Centola's magic...Bound you?"

"You don't truly understand what happened in the Djinn. A long time ago, I was inflicted with a spell with Centola's magic, though she wasn't aware of it. While in the Djinn, Centola realized it was that very spell that became the core of the curse. So Centola released it. But by doing that, she separated the Kassim who is alive and me, the Kassim who still remembers why he did everything he did."

"...Why are you still so angry?" There is quiet.

"You should be going. I'll release the last of the curse from Alibaba, so get going, kid."

"But..."

"I will only answer that question to Alibaba."

A hand touches Aladdin's shoulder, and he turns to look at a figure just like the dark Kassim, but dressed in white.

"...Thank you for stopping him." Aladdin says, and the figure nods, letting him go.

The light Centola and the dark Kassim disappear into the expanse of Alibaba's soul.

* * *

Centola's hands shake as she touches Alibaba's arm, clear from the dark bruises which affected him. Kassim stands on the other side, shaking their friend's shoulder. Alibaba groans at the rough movement, leaning instead into Centola's gentler touch. Slowly his eyes open.

"Hi." He hoarsely greets, blinking hard. "I just got thrown off a building, didn't I?"

"Something like that." Kassim scoffs playfully.

Then, though she doesn't know how, her arms are around his neck and her face buried in his shoulder. Her heart tries to slow down, but it's beating like she just ran ten miles.

"Ali!" He startles a bit, but manages a small chuckle.

"Sorry to worry you, Cent."

* * *

"Ohh. So they _do_ have that kind of relationship." Sharrkan scratches the back of his head. Yamu blinks at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You know. Alibaba and Centola? They're pretty _close_."

"What do you mea- oh. Oh. Shh!"

"Huh?"

"Don't speculate! That's their business!"

"Dang, woman, don't take it personally!" From the still unconscious Aladdin's side, Yunan stiffens, his eyes perking up. "Seriously, you're so damn temperamental."

"I'm the temperamental one?" Sharrkan grins at her. Yamu smiles back until Yunan pops up behind Sharrkan.

When he notices him, the swordsman jumps forward and lets out a small noise of surprise.

"Weren't you over there-"

"Yamu! Who is your _friend_?" The way he says 'friend' is strained.

"Um, you remember Sharrkan, yes?"

"Hm? Oh, yes, yes! That scrawny twig of a child behind Sinbad!"

Her cheeks flush, and Sharrkan's do too, but not out of embarrassment.

"I'm not a twig-"

"Sure you are! Look at those tiny arms! You were such a wisp of a boy." Yamu's face goes crimson.

"Y-Yunan-"

"These are muscles! More than I can say about you!" Yunan tilts his head, regarding Sharrkan with patronizing smile.

"I'm sure they are." Sharrkan is about to respond when Yamu whips her hand forward and drags Yunan away from the swordsman.

"What's the big idea?" She growls, embarrassment still fresh in her face.

"What do you mean?" He asks innocently.

"You know what the hell I mean. There was no need to insult Sharrkan like that-"

"Are you in love with him?" The question makes Yamu choke on her words.

"What?"

"Are you in love with him still? Again? Are you?" The woman stares at him, and hurt flickers through her.

"No." She answers softly. "No, I'm not. But I'm not going to treat him like trash just because I have memories of a world that didn't actually exist, Yunan."

Then she turns and walks away from the magi, who stares after her with something like regret.

* * *

"Bad, you're back!" Catrina greets, relief in her face. She opens her arms and the little girl runs into them, throwing her arms around the Fanalis's neck. "Were you safe? You better have been. You didn't get hurt, did you-?"

"I'm fine, Cat." The younger cuts her off, smiling a bit. "Really, don't worry."

"I can worry if I want to," She replies, "I am your sister."

"Thanks, but I'm really fine."

"Are you?" Catrina brushes pink hair behind Bad's ear, cupping her face. Bad is silent for a moment.

She nods, solemnly.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired." In understanding, Catrina stands and takes her little sister's hand, and together they return inside of the Palace.

* * *

The next day was warm.

The sunshine was crisp and bright, the air clean of the foul atmosphere that was brought along from the previous night's events. Though it was timid at first, the people of Sindria quickly lapsed back into their usual routine, going about their daily lives.

"My Mistress's Mistress?"

"Hm?" Everyone had begun to go back into their daily routines. Of course, as she had lived there for six months, Zeina as well had a daily routine. However, she had yet to perform it.

"You were staring out the window again."

"Oh, yes. I was."

"Something on your mind?" Khadeja asks, sitting in a chair and rubbing her shoulders. "I have a few minutes before I need to return to Centola."

"No really, it's nothing."

"No it's not. You can't lie to me." The self-proclaimed servant yawns. "You kept me up all night with those stupid emotions of yours. They seeped into my dreams like water, so I know what's wrong. I'm just giving you a chance to let it all out."

"Khadeja, really," Zeina sits as well, sorting through papers. They had been brought in for her from one of her carriers from the continent, paperwork from the De Coverna Network she works so diligently for. "There's no need for that."

"Okay, I'll talk for you. Last night, Al Thamen attacked. You started thinking with that silly little brain of yours, and now you're worried for your sister, right?" The fiddling stops.

"Your power is always quite remarkable, Khadeja."

"I know." Another yawn.

"Sorry for keeping you up."

"I'm always sensitive to the feelings of people I'm close to, so don't feel bad about it." The black haired woman points to the blonde. "But you know you can't stay here for much longer, right? You need to decide what to do next."

"For a while I had thought that I'd...Well, I'm not sure. It's very nice to be here again, in Sindria. I belong here, I've always had. And I know that if I chose to, everyone would be happy to see me stay. But I have an obligation."

"...She guilted you into that obligation, your sister. Don't let guilt rule your life." Zeina shakes her head.

"You don't understand, Khadeja." The sadness pours through Khadeja's chest, deep and unwarranted. It's a pool of tears unwept and depression not confronted, anger and guilt making a nauseating mixture resulting in heavy regret. Everything seems slightly darker, dimmed with cruel words from a loved one. "You don't know how I made Maysun suffer. I can't hurt her again. I must never hurt her again."

Zeina stands and brushes off her dress.

"I'm returning home soon. I can't afford to lose the last precious thing I have."

* * *

Bad awoke to familiar sounds.

Usually that sentence had a negative context, meaning the sounds of violence and explosions from far-off battlefields.

But today, it meant the clattering of pans in the kitchen, soft voices speaking to one another, Eren's boisterous laugh. Her eyes slowly open to a room she hadn't slept in for years, one that had wooden walls and a small vanity in the corner for her and Catrina to share.

Catrina's bed was empty, a mess of pink covers, and she herself had made a nest of blankets like a cocoon while asleep.

She didn't feel like wiggling out of the warm sanctuary, but the knowledge that her family was downstairs waiting made her slip out of her bed with a blanket wrapped around her and pad to the door. She descended down the stairs, noting that three feminine voices were in the kitchen and five male were in the living room.

She goes into the living room and doesn't give a damn that Alibaba was giving her a strange look. She yawns and instantly plops on the coach in between Yunan and Eren, the former of which wraps an arm around her so that she can comfortably rest her head on his shoulder. She lazily scans the room, at Judal, Kassim and Alibaba who has yet to greet her, and glares harshly.

"Ali-dope recovered nicely from his injuries."

"Yes, last night."

"What a shame." She deadpans, cuddling closer against Yunan.

"I take it you're not fond of Alibaba." Yunan chuckles out, whereas Judal busts out laughing.

"You could say that. I'm surprised Alibaba and Judal made up. What happened?"

"Kassim told me about Judal, and he apologized to me personally." Alibaba explains, and the black-haired magi glares harshly at the blonde.

"Shut the hell up about that, Ali-dope."

"You should talk, Judar."

"It's Judal- _Why do people always do that?"_

Bad fiddles with the blanket so it covers both her and Yunan, excluding Eren. When the older tries to get inside she pushes him out with her foot.

"You're too big! You'll take up all the blanket."

"You should've brought one for me, then!" Yunan takes his wand which had been resting by the side of his coach, and with a flick of his wrist a quilt spreads over Eren. "Oh yeah, I forgot you could do that. Thanks, Yunan!"

"No problem!"

"So Yunan, Eren is your King Candidate?"

"Yes, actually." Yunan answers Judal, reaching over Bad to pat Eren's shoulder. "I didn't lead him to the Dungeon, but I taught him everything he knows about his Djinn."

"Me 'n Sinbad are siblin' disciples." Again with the boisterous laugh. "That's so weird!"

"Don't say it again," Bad groans, snuggling closer to her adoptive father.

"Um, Bad?"

"What?" She glares over her blanket at Alibaba.

"Your hair isn't brushed...And you're still in your nightgown."

"Does it look like I care? Besides, you're in _my _house. Get used it."

"Aw, you're still cranky right after you wake up." Yunan coos in parental adoration, pecking her head. "Yamu will be so happy!"

Well, she had hoped it was only her and her family, but having other people around wasn't necessarily bad.

"I made pancakes!" Comes Centola's excited voice.

Bad perks up from her position like a predator who spotted their prey.

Not bad at all.

* * *

Kougyoku frequented Sindria's gardens, which meant Asad also frequented Sindria's gardens. Of course, he couldn't blame here. There was a wide variety of beautiful flowers that just didn't grow in Kou, not even in Hakuei's exotic gardens.

"Hey, Kougyoku?" Today she was examining each one and picking her favorites while Asad lounged beside her lazily.

"Yes?" She answers sweetly, and blushes when they make eye-contact. It's almost enough to distract Asad from his thoughts.

"Do you like it here?" Kougyoku stops and stares down at the flowers, before nodding.

"I do. It's a very nice country...And since I'm here I can spend time with Judal and wi-with you." Once again her face turns red. The Shadow grins this time, making a quick scan of the garden. Finding they're alone, he leans forward and kisses a brightly colored cheek, making her squeal.

"I like it too. But we can't stay long, you know."

"...I know. We can stay a while longer, can't we?"

"Yeah. It would be nice if we could stay here forever." His hand consumes hers, and for several minutes they relax like that, her sorting through flowers and him dozing off in the heat of the sun.

* * *

Sitting with his eyes closed, Sinbad begins to hum. He opens his eyes, and from far off a bird chirps, flying away.

A bird overlooking a certain pretty garden in the Sindria palace.

* * *

"Hey albino."

"What a lovely nickname." Ja'far was walking down the hallway like a normal person, like he normally does, when the she-demon appeared.

"I came up with it myself. Do you like it?"

"I love it." He recently has learned that he's surprisingly good at using sarcasm.

"...Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Can you get Sinbad to talk to Zeina about something?" Ja'far stops, staring at Khadeja. "What?"

"You're doing something nice for a human being other than Centola. It's scaring me."

"Can you or not?" Annoyance is laced heavily through her tone.

"Well, yes. Why? What for?"

"..." Khadeja shrugs. "She'd kill me if I told, but oh well. Zeina's probably going to be leaving Sindria soon."

"_What?! _So soon?!"

"It's been six months."

"Yes- well- I mean-" Ja'far sputters, making hand gestures that must make him seem like a lunatic. "Well, it's normal for her to want to leave but-"

"You don't want her to go. Why can't people say their feelings aloud?" Khadeja rolls her eyes, scratching her neck. "Look, Zeina is leaving because she's a good person who wants to take care of everybody. But she can't, so can you get Sinbad to talk to her? She won't say jack to me."

"Of course I can." Ja'far fixes his sleeves. "Yes, of course. Sinbad will probably have a heart attack if he hears she's leaving, though."

"Maybe don't tell him that, then?"

"Good plan."

* * *

"-Trina. Catrina." Jolting out of her thoughts, Catrina turns to Morgiana. "Are you alright? You looked lost."

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine...I've just been thinking a lot lately…"

"About what?" Catrina sighs, and sits on the floor. She unties the rock weighs she and Morgiana had been training with and let them clatter to the floor. Morgiana followed her example, curious.

"Home." The pure-blooded Fanalis is even more interested now, leaning in to hear Catrina's words. "I've been thinking about going home to Reim."

"Oh." Finding out that it was Reim must have poured water on her spirits, but Catrina isn't bothered by it, and Morgiana still listens. "What's Reim like?"

"It's a very nice place! The people all have blonde hair, and wear white robes. My father is a part of a group of Fanalis called the Fanalis Corps. I would love to introduce you to them!"

"Fanalis Corps? Are there a lot of Fanalis?"

"Yes! It's amazing, and so fun. Everyone acts like family. Of course, I've also been thinking about the Amala homeland as well. I told you about it, right? It's beautiful. And I would love to see my mother again."

"...That's wonderful, Catrina. That…"

"...You wanna go to the Fanalis' homeland, right?"

"Wha-what?"

"Cathargo. I've never been myself, but I've heard stories about it. That it's vast and full of enormous animals and plants."

"I...Would like to go."

"Then what's keeping you?" Morgiana looks down at her hands, obviously lost in thought. Catrina realizes what she said and laughs a bit.

"Sorry, what a question to ask. We both have our reasons, don't we? I want to go home, but I'm too afraid to. I've never traveled alone before...And I don't want to leave Bad's side. Is it like that for you, Morgiana?"

"I'm not sure."

"You should think on it." Catrina stands up, picking up her weights. "I'm going to put these away and visit Masrur."

* * *

"Miss Dunya?"

Many people had visited the Musta'sim Princess, but there was only one she really wanted to talk to.

And two more that she didn't mind seeing.

The one she wanted to see, however, was the boy in the Dungeon who let her talk to Isaac again. The one who she had planned to kill, the one who, now, was her true friend while locked away in a corner of the Sindria Palace.

"Yes, Aladdin?"

The boy gave a small smile, one he is very adept at giving. Throughout her time with him she began to see more and more light, and finds his gentle words and childish demeanor easy to be around. She liked how much time he gave her, it made her loneliness acceptable.

He sits at the edge of her bed, concentrating on the chess game laid out for them. But now there seemed to be something heavier on his mind.

"Do you know someone named 'Kouhime'?" Dunya slowly considers the name, tilting her head. Then, she gasps.

"Oh yes, I believe so!"

"You do?!"

"Yes, I heard some Priest from the organization talking about her. She's apparently a missing vessel of Al Thamen."

"A missing vessel…?" Aladdin thinks this over. "Do you know where I might find her?"

"Unfortunately, no. I was not a part of the group assigned to look for her. Why do you ask, Aladdin?"

"It's just…I've heard that she has the key to doing something very important. So I've been looking for her."

"I see." Dunya laughs a little, scratching the back of her head. "Oh dear, I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

"No, Miss Dunya helped me a lot!" Aladdin assuages her worries, taking her hands. Then, quickly, he lets go.

"Hm? Aladdin, is something wrong?" The boy shakes his head furiously.

"No, it's just...I'm engaged, so I can't touch other women!" Well this was news.

"You're engaged? This young?"

"Yes! I promised I'd marry Bad!"

There were two other people she didn't mind seeing.

One of which happened to be the little girl she almost _did _kill many times. One who was kind to her and got along very well with Aladdin. She was Bad.

"You and Bad, hm? She is a very cute girl."

"Y-yeah, she's really pretty." Aladdin fiddles with his small vest, his cheeks coloring pink. Dunya giggles at the hilarity of childhood crushes.

"And you'll be getting married when~?"

"When we're old enough! Though I'm not sure how old…"

"Small ceremony or large?"

"Ceremony…? You need one of those…? Miss Dunya, what is getting married like?"

"Well, you need a groom and a bride. Then a minister marries you in a beautiful church, and you run off to have a honeymoon-!"

"Fantasizing, Princess?" And there was a third person that she didn't mind seeing.

One who she considered an ally, one who had stolen and broken her heart when she was foolish enough to fall for his flirtations.

"Oh, Asad, you came to visit me."

"How could I not? I ran into this one, as well." Appearing behind the Shadow, Bad pops out and yells, "surprise!".

Aladdin tenses at the edge of the bed when he sees Asad, but the sight of Bad makes him relax somewhat.

"The guards aren't supposed to let Asad in, but we snuck past 'em!" Bad skips to the bed, joining Aladdin at the end. Asad slinks over, his gaze lingering on Aladdin before moving to Dunya.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asks gently, gentler than he usually would. It makes her face flush.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why are you here?" He rolls his eyes.

"Always so suspicious. Here," He reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a small box. "I got you a present. Call it a, 'job termination' gift."

She would have been upset by the joke if it wasn't for the rare mirth in his voice and the almost proud look in his eye. Hesitantly she accepts the box. Out of the corner of her eye, Aladdin moves closer to observe.

She peels away the brown wrapping paper and opens the lid.

Shock.

Inside of the box was a bracelet that was, to say the least, beautiful. It was a silver band with a perfectly sculpted flower on it. Engraved into the band were designs of small flowers and vines, and in the center of the flower a small ruby glittered.

"It-it's _gorgeous, _Asad. I can't believe you got it for me." The Shadow shrugs, scratching the back of his head.

"It's a gift." He says that, but he looks bothered by something. He shakes his head. "I should go. King Sinbad would bust a gut at seeing me here. Bye."  
She watches him go, clutching the bracelet in her hand.

"Asad can be quite nice." Bad comments, staring at the chess game left unattended.

"Yes...He can."

In a swift move, Bad sets the queen in position to kill Dunya's King.

"_Checkmate."_

* * *

**Knock, knock.**

"Yes?" Zeina called, eyes glued to a parchment. She read the final lines again, felt a flicker of annoyance, and then set it down, smiling at the open doorway. Sinbad strode in with his usual happy smile, and sat down on the chair across from her.

"You seem to have taken quite the liking to this sitting room."

"It's quiet." She replies, almost sarcastically.

"And I suppose the rest of the Palace is not quiet?"

"Not one bit." He laughs at that, crossing his legs.

"Well, I did want to create a lively Kingdom. Of course, if you want quiet so badly you could always have Yunan make you a study in that house of his."  
"Are you whining?"

"Why would I be whining?" Zeina uses her foot to nudge his leg, and he pouts at her like a sixteen year old again.

"Just because I can have a cup of tea with Yunan without him biting my head off," She muses. "How pitiful."

"I can have a cup of tea with the man, there just needs to be a barrier between us." The banter was familiar and nice, and instantly Zeina knew there was an alternate reason for his visit than to have a pleasant conversation.

"So, what takes you to my humble abode?" She asks, tilting her head at him. The carefree smile he had sported loses some of it's glow, but doesn't fall off entirely.

"A birdie told me that you were having a bad day."

"If you were using Zepar to spy on me, Sinbad, I _will _break your nose." Sinbad frowns, tenderly touching his nose.

"No, I wasn't using Zepar on you...I learned that lesson _years_ ago…" He shakes his head. "No, another birdie. A metaphorical birdie."

"...Khadeja?"

"Khadeja."

"Alright, so what're you supposed to do?"

"Talk to you, I'm guessing." Zeina shakes her head. "So, what's troubling you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She plainly answers, crossing her legs. "I already told that to Khadeja, which is why she went to you."

"Oh come now, can't tell an old friend?"

"Nope."

"How about an old friend with alcohol?"

"...I'm listening."

* * *

"People _knock_ alcohol, but it's a very fine substance."

"I know! Specially crafted, made with care…"

"...And it tastes damn good."

"You are a wise woman, Zeina." Sinbad mock raises a toast, and takes a swig of his glass. They sit now on the sofa, two bottles of plum wine sitting before them. "Now that I've gotten you some good wine, would you care to explain your foul mood?"

"I most definitely do not have a foul mood."

"That's not what the birdie said."

"Fine, I'll talk." She swallows some sweet wine, relishing it move down her throat. "I'll talk, but you can't ask questions and I don't want to hear your opinions."

"I swear." She eyes him critically.

"If you break your promise I'll stop talking."

"I swear!" Finding honesty in his words, the Temptress sighs.

"Alright then. Last night...The attack on Sindria just reminded me of something that happened at my own home. It reminded me of my sister." Sinbad opens his mouth, and Zeina points at him accusingly. His mouth closes instantly. "It reminded me of my sister. And...I don't know. It made me worried about her. She's never been the same since that event."

Silence lapses, and Zeina swirls the drink around in her cup, staring as it goes in circles inside of the goblet.

"She doesn't get along well with me anymore. We used to be best friends but now...I believe she hates me for reasons I don't understand."

"I didn't know." Sinbad breaks his silence. Zeina is still staring at the inside of her cup.

"I don't enjoy talking about myself. I never have. Once you tell people things, they become very valuable. Once they're precious to you, it hurts when you lose them." Sadly, she smiles. The liquid is still making circles and circles, round and round, never ending. "It hurts more when they end up hating you."

"Am I really not allowed to ask questions?" Usually Zeina would fire back, 'that's a question', but she really doesn't feel like it now.

"I said my piece. You can say yours, too."

"This event that occurred...Did it happen nine years ago?" So he made the connection. After all these years, he now has a reason.

"No." If she had been any other woman, tears would've formed in her eyes. But she's a De Coverna, and instead they form in her heart. "It happened before hand."

A frail smile that she just can't help.

"I was much too late to save anyone."

"...If you're scared for your sister, why don't you bring her here?" Her eyes flicker to his, which are as firm and steady as always. "Sindria is a safe place, Zein. With this new barrier it's even more fortified. Your family could be safe."

Zeina does not see the best in people.

On the contrary.

But for the first time since she left, in those earnest, tawny eyes of Sinbad, Zeian sees pure intentions.

He wants her to be safe.

Nobody has wanted her to be safe in a long time.

"Thank you, Sin." She cups his face, feeling more lighthearted than before. "She wouldn't come, though. She's quite stubborn when she wants to be."

An obstinate layer coats his face.

"I am too, you know."

* * *

There was a shadow on her face.

She didn't open her eyes, because there would be no use for it.

Though, she knew that somehow things had changed for her.

"When is she coming home?"

A timid voice quietly replies,

"I'm not sure. She should be back soon."

"And the request I asked of you?"

A tremor that the tiny voice tries to hide. A flick of anger slaps across her insides.

"I...I couldn't find her. I-"

"What use are you? I asked _one_ thing."

"I know but-"

"But _nothing_. Get out. _Now!" _

Footsteps smash against the floor as the girl leaves, sprinting to the exit. Well, to be fair, her demand had echoed harshly off the walls in an ugly screech. It doesn't matter though, and the anger exits her. A peace settles in her chest, firm.

"She'll want you to give up everything again, you know."

"I know."

"Truly?"

"That's what Zeina does. She _takes_."

Standing from where she sat, she turns until all she can feel is light on her skin. Even now, it feels cold like ice.

"Will you let her take from you?"

A cruel smirk. She doesn't answer.

"Will you, Maysun?"

"Who do you think I am?" The smirk widens across her face. "I'm a fucking De Coverna too, you know."

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Asad's favorite flower is a marigold. (I wonder why...;))

**Fun Fact #2: **Kougyoku and Alibaba met in this chapter, but I was too lazy to write it out! Expect something coming out in Beneath the Stars about those crazy kids!

* * *

I'm sorry this was so short and took so long! But I think it's good...(?) Sorry :( :( :( I'll try to pump something out quickly to make up for the short chappie.

But hey! Thanksgiving is almost here! My brother came home tonight from college, and I'm super happy! How are y'all? Tell me! I love all of you so much!

**Bad's Staves:** Bad summoned five staves and used a spell with six of them. Pretty cool, huh? And yes, Bad has named all seventy-two. If I expected you to remember all of them I would definitely be lying.

**Alqamar Shaeae: **Literally meaning, 'moon beam'. I got this from google translate. If it's wrong, please tell me :) Also, what seems strange about this spell…? What shape does the staves take when they're doing it…? ;) ;) ;)

**Nine Years Ago: **So, this is actually a _very_ important event, so I wouldn't forget about this. Nine years ago Zeina left Sindria to go to her home, which had been attacked. We know that Zeina was too late, and that her sister Maysun appeared to have been one of the only survivors. Maysun now hates Zeina for reasons stemming from this mysterious event. Yunan is also connected somehow, but everything shall be explained in due time.

**Maysun: **Oh yes. Maysun is most definitely not in her right mind, nor does she have a good relationship with Zeina. Just you wait. I have a shit storm of crazy ish planned for the De Covernas. Oh God, it's gonna be EPIC. _MWUHAHAHAHA!_

**Magi 285-287: **So, first, Ja'far looks _gorgeous. _He looks better than Sinbad, and I think he might be my new husband just because of how damn good he looks in that uniform. Plus, Pipirika is alive, that's a major plus. And I was expecting so much more action in Alibaba/Sinbad's talk. But the way they talked in that dynamic was pretty amazing. And for the recent chapter...BUDEL WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BACK OMG XD XD XD! I legit died.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	31. Chapter 30: Moving On

The writers block was strong with me. But in honor of winter break, I worked this out for y'all. 'Cause I love each and every one of you to the depths of my soul.

Questions:

**Khadedja sure loves Zaina or was it for Centola' sake?** Khadeja does like Zeina as a person, but there is another reason for her telling Ja'far to get Sinbad to talk to Zeina, which is to protect Centola. I'll mention it in this chapter

**About Kouhime, will it take a long time for Al to figure who it is? **...I'm not sure yet, because I know when I'm going to reveal it to him, but I haven't decided whether to do the Magnostadt arc before or after the De Coverna arc. In one way it'll be a healthy amount of time, but the other it'll be kind of a long wait.

**Has Bad really considered moving on?** She believes she has, but is having trouble truly letting go of her anger. That's a major part of her character, and deep down she understands that if she lets go of her hatred she'll have a headache of a identity crisis. So she'll try to move past her problems, however her goals won't change.

**Can Alladin know of the Other without Bad telling him?** Well, technically Catrina, Centola, Eren, Asad, Yunan, Yamu and Hakuei all know about it too and could tell him, but they won't and he doesn't know that they're aware of it. So, no, if he learns of the Other it'll be from "Kouhime" AKA Bad.

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**EIGHTH ARC: **The Path Ahead

CHAPTER 30: Moving On

* * *

_She brushes away the dirt from her dress. _

"_You are…?"_

"_Kouhime."_

_The man nods, before pausing and giving her a wide-eyed look-over. _

"_O-oh."_

_If it had been sometime in the past before this war, she would've asked what such a look and such a response meant. She knew now. _

_It meant awe. Respect._

_It meant she was famous and important. _

_In her hand, Sheba resonates with sadness._

_..._

_It also meant fear. _

_Fear. _

_Fear in their eyes, in their strained smiles, in their shaking hands. _

_Kouhime didn't understand it at first. Over time she did, but it was a difficult path to that knowledge she had to trek. When Kouhime Ren showed up to a camp, it meant that she was there to save them. _

_It also meant that they were on the verge of losing. _

_They didn't notice it. They didn't notice the weary comrades, the tired commanders, the bleak future awaiting. _

_That all changed when Kouhime Ren came. _

_They began to see it. _

_They suddenly realized that they were losing. _

_That is what caused the fear. _

_People would see Kouhime, and they saw loss._

* * *

"Bad?"

Her bedroom was dark.

"Bad, you should wake up."

The sun was on the other side of the house, so little light streamed through her window. Her eyes blinked open, staring up at Eren.

"Have you been sleeping all day?"

"Last night I stayed up."

"Why?" She sits up, rubbing her eyes. She shrugs her shoulders, but Eren's look tells her that she can't hide it.

"It's easier to sleep during the day. Less nightmares." His face relaxes, becoming gentler.

"You can always sleep with me or Cat, Bad. We don't mind."

"I know but…" Bad flops back down, staring at the ceiling. "I've been trying to work past it."

Eren's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Bad smirks at the expression.

_He thought the phrase "work past it" wasn't in my vocabulary._

"Very un-me." She comments, turning onto her side to face him better. "I just want to. I've been thinking a lot lately about it…"

Eren strokes her hair, beginning to smile.

"I support you no matter what, Bad. I'll help you with this as well."

* * *

Aladdin sat with his legs crossed and his eyes turned to the sky.

It was peaceful in the Sindria gardens, and if he watched the Rukh glimmer in a certain way he swore he could see his friends. Hakuryuu walking with a wooden arm, Morgiana being pulled along by Catrina, Centola fussing over Alibaba.

He looks closer, squinting.

Asad sits beside Kougyoku, smiling at her as she shows him how to make a flower crown. Ting Mei and Momoka make beds, Alexio listens to Zeina rattle off numbers as Khadeja stands boredly beside her, Eren practices his archery.

He concentrates, and then in the white Rukh she appears.

Bad sits at a table, laughing over breakfast with Yamu. She sits with rapt attention as the older magician tells a story, and a pretty smile spreads across her face. Yunan comes out from the kitchen, and kisses the top of Bad's head. Then he looks toward Aladdin and does a small flick of his wrist.

Jolting back, Aladdin watches the Rukh flutter away, the scenes he saw disappearing before him.

_He dismissed the Rukh from this far away…?_

Aladdin smiles a bit.

_I should talk to him about magic. _

Now that his fun is over, the young magi lays back on the grass, staring at the vast expense of the blue above him.

"Kouhime…" He tastes the name, sighing.

_Where is she…?_

_"I remember now. What she calls the 'Other'. I remember."_

Aladdin shakes his head, thinking over Ithnan's words.

_"The end of all things, Aladdin. The key to defeating Al Thamen. Maybe you'll remember too."_

No...It doesn't make sense. The 'Other'...What is it? If it's the key of defeating Al Thamen...Then why would Ithnan tell him about it? Why reveal it to his enemy?

Unless it was because Ithnan wanted Al Thamen to be destroyed.

"_Maybe you'll remember too, you _were _there."_

He was there? Then...Does that mean…

"Alma Torran?" He whispers to himself, his fingers curling around the grass. "Does he mean Alma Torran? But then who is Kouhime? How does she know of the 'Other'?"

Aladdin fidgets for a moment, and comes up with a hypothesis.

He does not know what the 'Other' is, but Ithnan did. He 'remembered' somehow before he died...After Aladdin used Solomon's Wisdom on him.

If the 'Other' is something that existed within Alma Torran and is really the key to defeating Al Thamen, then Aladdin should 'remember' as well by using Solomon Wisdom once more to search for it. And this 'Kouhime'...She must either be someone who lived in Alma Torran and whose Rukh he can talk to or a person living now who somehow knows of the 'Other'.

He sighs.

_How can I find her?_

* * *

"...I see." The wooden arm protruding from Hakuryuu's sleeve did not bother Bad. In fact, it was familiar to her. He did not have one in the Other, thanks to Kouen's Phenex, but Kouhime remembers Aladdin showing her through Clairvoyance magic what Hakuryuu used to look like before he regained his left arm.

Now they sit across from one another, talking with a serious air around them.

Hakuryuu nods.

"I want to destroy Al Thamen...And I know I'm not alone. I'm asking for your help, Hime."

"..." She breaths deeply. "My King has already told you yes, no?"

"He has."

"Then why do you need my assent?"

"Because I believe you equal him in power." His words make Bad's eyebrows shoot upwards.

"You believe I, a mere child, equal a King in power?"

"Don't be coy." Hakuryuu admonishes her, a small smile touching his lips. "I know you operate separately from King Sinbad."

A cat-like grin reaches her face as well.

"What a perceptive guy."

"Can I trust in your help?" Hakuryuu reaches out a hand. Bad stares at it for a moment, her grin dying.

"Hey, Hakuryuu, you have a lot of bundled up hatred, don't you?"

The hand slowly drops, his eyes blinking.

"What?"

"Will you talk to someone before we speak again, Hakuryuu?" Bad stands, staring down at the teenager across from her. He grumbles his dissent.

"I don't see how that would help."

"So you will?"

"Wha-"

"Good!"

Bad walks to the door, and opens it.

She speaks softly to someone outside, and then looks back at Hakuryuu.

"Here she is. Catrina, please have a chat with Hakuryuu."

* * *

It was not what Hakuryuu wanted.

He had always had high hopes for things, he admits this. Despite his attempts to remain calm and orderly, he dreamed big dreams and wanted things to go his way. Hakuei never seemed to mind this habit of his, even encouraged it, though he disliked it. That's mainly why he feels frustrated as he does now. It's not that he didn't _like _talking to Catrina, she was very nice. It's just that talking with _her_ was getting in the way of talking with _Bad_, whom he needed to get a straight answer from. He really likes the girl, and he needs her help. He had hoped their friendly relationship would pull through for him.

"Bad said you needed to speak with me." Catrina gives him the friendly smile she always gives everyone and practically skips to the chair Bad had occupied, perching herself on the edge.

"Ah...Yes, though I'm not sure why." Catrina hums, her gaze dropping to her hands. Hakuryuu's eyes drift to the window, watching a bird lazily fly by. He's wasting time he could be spending training with his new arm or talking with Alibaba. Perhaps he should just leave-

"Hakuryuu?" Catrina's voice is a small call. He snaps back to reality, and watches as Catrina finishes taking off the sleeve she wears on her left ar-

He flinches just a bit, and feels guilty right after. It was surprising, especially since it came without warning.

Catrina's arm was scarred. But not like how he was scarred, though it had the same off-color tone and waxy complexion. No...A long, jagged cut went from just over the top of her elbow to her wrist, a deep wound that almost caved inwards. Over it the burns looked like they were bubbly, yet they never popped. They were completely still on top of her skin.

"That's a- I mean, ah…"

"No need to feel bad," Catrina shows a tiny smile. "Many people react that way. It's pretty ugly, huh?"

"No!" He interrupts her, waving his hands awkwardly. "No, not at all! It just surprised me, is all. It looks fine...I have scars just like it."

Well, he has burn scars for damn sure.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, in fact-"

"Did you kill the people who gave them to you?" Hakuryuu stops. His words fail him, and he thinks of a response. Catrina is no longer smiling. She's blank-faced, serious.

"N-no. No, I didn't."

"Why not?" Hakuryuu wets his lips.

"I was too young to do anything against them." Catrina moves, settling back on the chair. She still is not smiling, and it's disturbing to the Fourth Prince.

"You were too young then…" She gives a huff that sounds like a chuckle. "Most people would say because killing was wrong. But you said it was because you were _too young_. How old?"

Suddenly he feels sick. He doesn't want to play this game anymore.

"Seven. Seven years old."

"Seven...I was only three years older than you when I got this…" She lightly touches her scarred arm. "But I killed them. In cold blood, like a real murderer. So tell me, Hakuryuu, if you were older, would you have killed them?"

It's a sick fucking game.

"...If it had happened now...Now, when I have a Djinn, I would have killed them."

"Ah, I see. So you feel that you need power in order to save yourself."

"Not myself! To save the others."

"Cut it out, Hakuryuu." Catrina tilts her head, looking tired. "We fight to save ourselves. Because we want _to live_. At the core of things, even if we start out fighting for another cause, we want to live so badly that even if everyone else saved it's our human instinct to want to live too."

She pauses, letting her words flow over him.

"I wanted to live so, so badly. That's why I ran away, after I killed those people. I ran and I ran and I ran, but there was nothing but heat and desert and hunger waiting for me. Still I fought. Still I continued on until I couldn't feel my feet and my vision was blurred. I _lived_, even though it _hurt_ and it still hurts to this day." She grips her scarred arm. "And I _hated_. I hated, and I still hate, because I can't let go of the lives I recklessly destroyed. Revenge is...It's not peaceful. It hurts worse than anything else."

"Then when is it alright to kill?" Hakuryuu interrupts, gripping his knees. He had enough of Catrina's sorrowful expression and pained voice. It was beginning to wrap around his heart and squeeze. "When is it okay to destroy the evil?"

Catrina shakes her head.

"Only when you're doing it for the good of everyone else. Not for yourself."

"You said we fight for ourselves."

"You're right. We fight for ourselves." She gazes deep into his eyes. "But we must only destroy to protect the lives of everyone else. Otherwise we're the evil ones."

She looks at her arm, a haunted look attaching itself onto her face.

"Otherwise we're the evil ones."

* * *

He tried avoiding Ting Mei.

'Tried' being the key word.

Now ropes dug into Asad's wrists and ankles and he had an itch on his nose he could _not_ scratch.

"_Asad_." Ting Mei's voice rang with thunder, harsh. "You've been acting increasingly childish, and we are going to sit down and talk."

He glares at her.

"Then untie me and we can have this stupid conversation."

"If I untie you, you'll pull another disappearing act and/or threaten to kill me. Again."

_Touche. _

"Fine. Let's "talk"."

"..." Ting Mei was silent for a while, sitting up straight in her chair. She looked elegant and annoyingly regal. "...I will not tell Koumei about your involvement in Al Thamen's plans."

Well, that's hell of a shocker.

"...Why?" Suspicion laces his tone, and her eyes close for a moment before reopening.

"You are many things, Asad." Her voice is soft, softer than he thought possible coming from her. "You do many things...Some of which are bad. But in my time in your service I have learned that you are kind as well. You care for people though you try hard to hide it. You are a good man."

"..." He shakes his head. "You know nothing about me."

"I know enough." She does not fiddle with her clothing or fix her hair. He always liked that about her. She didn't do the things other people did when they were talking and trying to distract him. Ting Mei sat still and spoke to him. She looked him in the eye and did not turn away until she said her piece. "Koumei is a good man as well. And Kouen is too. But you...Asad, I fear for you the most."

"Oh? Wouldn't you fear for your beloved Koumei?"

"You're reckless. You allow yourself to be used because that's all you've ever known. I can see in your eyes that you want to do good. You want to help others but you can't, because once they're important the organization will hold them as ransom." Asad almost pukes. She looks so _sad _for him. "You love too easily."

"...You've noticed?"

She nods.

"I've tried to hide it."

"You've hide it well for many years." Ting Mei replies. They do not say the words, but they know what they're talking about.

_She knows about Kougyoku and I._

"We're lovesick fools, Mei." He looks to the ceiling, now bothered by their conversation. "We want the only people in this entire world we can't have."

"I think my family is going to make me marry soon." Ting Mei blurts. Her hands fist in her lap. "I'm scared."

"I'm gonna lose Kougyoku soon. When we return to Kou. I'm gonna lose her." There is desperation and reluctance in his voice, but resignation is what causes his shoulders to slump. "Hey, Ting Mei, why are we so stupid?"

"You already said it." She responds, sadness in her tone. But her face is blank. They talk now through the emotions in their voices, not with their expressions. "We're lovesick."

She shakes her head, very slightly.

"I won't tell Koumei about where you went and what you did."

"Please don't mention Judal either."

"...I will not mention him." Ting Mei pauses, and then begins to untie him. "Do not forget what I said, Asad. There are people who really love you. You mustn't hurt them."

He rubs his wrist once he's free.

"...Yeah, yeah. Worry all you want, old woman."

* * *

Because truth was elusive and slippery, Bad will say that she rather enjoyed hiding behind lies. Yet they build up over time. They'll trap her, if she's not quick enough. Brick by brick they create huge monuments to her falsehood, walls which trap her in the abyss of shame.

But Bad is quick.

Bad has never been caught in a lie before.

Which is why she continually builds up more and more walls, creating towering mazes she needs to escape. It's fun, in a way. It's necessary, in another.

So, the question that must be asked is this: what does one do, when they have the hollow carcasses of many lies behind them, but wishes to now live with truth?

Unfortunately for Bad, that is something she must answer before continuing on.

Whether she figures it out or not is to be determined.

"You're wrong." Jolting, the Princess turns in her seat. Eren is beside her, his eyes gleaming.

"Wrong about what?"

"Whatever you were thinkin' about. I could tell from your face, ya know."

"Oh shove it."

"I'm serious! That expres-sion is familiar. '_Am I doing the right thing?'_. I can read it easily." She pouts.

"What do you read now?"

"_Shove it, ya bas-tard. _Ouch, Bad." She erupts into giggles. He takes that time to pick her up and take her seat, sitting her on his lap. "Okie, tell your brother what's wrong which ya."

"...How do you let things go?"

Eren contemplates this.

"How do ya let go, huh? Well...Ya stop holding onto it. And before ya get mad, let me explain. By that I mean...Stop comparing the you now to the you then. Stop believing it was better then. Stop trying to make everyone the same as they were in the past. Don't think that who ya are and who ya wanna be and who ya were will always be similar. People change, despite wha others say."

Bad takes this in slowly, furrowing her eyebrows. Eren waits until he knows that she's accepted this, and cracks a smile.

"It's a good thing ya came to me. If you'd asked Catrina or Cent or Asad ya'd be screwed."

"And why's that?"

"Are ya serious? None of them have moved on. Cat's told us about how much she hates _**Alice**_, Cent tries to bottle up her emotions (just like _**Jane**_), and Asad...Well, he doesn't care much 'bout _**John**_, but he wouldn't still be with Al Thamen if he wasn't holdin' onto somethin'."

"...When you put it that way…"

"Who said I wasn't smart?" He cheekily tickles her sides, beaming when he gets her to shed her frown for a bright smile.

"You are smart." She responds, looping her arm around his neck. "Thank you, Eri. You're really, really awesome sometimes, you know?"

Eren responds to the hug, smiling.

He may not be the brightest bulb, but he sure as hell knows how to make Bad feel better.

* * *

"You look like you're having fun."

Zeina pauses, staring at Khadeja. She hadn't heard the other come in, the glass of gin still touching her lips. She points at the servant, takes a sip of her drink, and swallows.

"You told Sinbad."

"No."

Zeina rolls her eyes.

"You told Ja'far to tell Sinbad."

"Yes." Sometimes it's annoying talking to Khadeja. She can be so literal. "Are you in a better mood now?"

"...Yes, I am."

"So you'll stay in Sindria."

"I don't know about that." Khadeja frowns.

"You should stay here." Zeina suspiciously studies the self-proclaimed servant, frowning.

"And why is that?"

"..." The black haired woman purses her lips. "I have a bad feeling about returning to your home."

"...Oh?"

"I just think...Maybe it would be safer for Centola here-"

**Knock, knock.**

Sinbad comes in without be called, his eyes instantly fixating on Zeina.

"I think your ivy plant tried to eat me last night." She raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

"It grew around my wrist in _one_ night. I want it gone."

"You think it's trying to eat you?"

"Would not be the first time a plant has tried to kill me." Zeina scoffs and shakes her head. "Do not do that. That is annoy as hell."

"Fine. I'll help you trim it properly, since you probably haven't thought of that." Zeina looks to Khadeja.

"You don't mind, do you?" She responds with a tight smile.

"No. We can talk later."

* * *

_Talk later._

There wouldn't be many more opportunities to talk, Khadeja knew. There probably wouldn't be anymore once Zeina convinces Sinbad that she'll be fine going to the De Coverna clan's residence alone.

Khadeja bites her fingernail, worried.

She had hoped that Sinbad would be the person who could stop Zeina's leaving from Sindria. She had _hoped _that perhaps he'd have the balls to tell her how he feels and get her to stay with him. If Zeina stayed, Centola would stay, and Khadeja's worries would be put to rest.

Because Khadeja could feel it.

On the horizon, glowering at her with the eyes of a serpent, slithering behind her back, sending nightmares to her sleep. She could feel a storm brewing, waiting, watching. It was a mixture of evil and hatred, something that made even she cower in it's enormity. Fear wrecked her now, making her bones shake, her blood still.

There was death awaiting in the future. There was a terrifying event that would change the paths of many people coming. And Khadeja knew that Centola was going to be right dab in the middle of it. Khadeja's premonition was the warning. If not heeded...If not taken, there would be nothing even the second-class Singularity could do to stop fate from charging head first into the lives of those she loves the most.

The servant wraps her arms around herself and tries to think of a way out.

Time was dwindling down and down. Soon there would be no stopping Zeina from leaving or Centola from following. The only thing that she'd be able to do is stay by her Mistress's side and try to protect her...It would be dangerous. There would be no guarantee that she'd live through it.

_Please, Sinbad..._

Khadeja prays, clapping her hands together.

_Please make her stay!_

* * *

"Okay...So just cut here and...Yes, all trimmed."

"Wow, what an art."

"Says the man who complained that it was too hard." Sinbad rolls his eyes at Zeina.

"You have too many rules. Just hack off a few branches and it would've been fine." Zeina gasps, clutching her plant.

"If you had done that, you could've killed it! Not to mention if you trimmed it so carelessly you're bed would have looked very ugly."

"It already looks ugly! There is an _ivy _plant growing _literally _all over it."

"Not on the sheets. And _I_ happen to think it is unique." She brushes off her hands, admiring her handiwork.

"Grow it on your bed, then." Sinbad mutters, swirling his wine around in his goblet. "So, any word from sister dearest?"

She scowls at him, throwing a vine. It lands limply in his lap.

"I told you, she doesn't write."

"You said you'd write her."

"...I'm not sure." Zeina sighs, sitting on his bed. She plays with a vine, feeling quite lost and childish. It's not an emotion she enjoys at all. "I better go speak with her in person."

Sinbad frowns a frown that is deeper than his usual ones.

"If you do, you won't come back." She rolls her eyes.

"Your faith in me is flattering."

"I don't think I can wait another nine years, Zein." The Temptress pauses, watching the King. "I want you to stay in Sindria. Everyone wants you to."

"...I know. I know everyone would like me to." She responds, her voice soft. "I know that staying would be fine by them."

"Everyone loves you very much."

"I know." She sets the vine aside, feeling fidgety. "I'm very, very fond of everyone here as well, it's just...I have a duty, Sin."

The King sighs through his nose. Zeina continues on despite his obvious dislike of her choice of words.

"There are a lot of people living on the De Coverna land who I support and care for, in addition to my sister. I work as hard as I do so I can provide for them and make them happy. To leave them without help-"

"They can come to Sindria as well." Sinbad promises. "Sindria is a place that welcomes everyone, you know that."

"...You are vastly underestimating how many people live with me." Her lips start to smile without her consent, images of the entire De Coverna clan coming to Sindria. It wasn't that they were family members, just people whom she let into her fold.

"There are many answers to this problem." Sinbad responds, reaching forward. He engulfs her hands, staring into her eyes. It's when he does things like this when she's reminded once again of their time adventuring together. Whenever someone he cared for needed help he'd look that kindly into their face and tell them a brilliant solution.

"I know." She admits. "But I need to go back to my home. I promise I'll think of a solution, Sin."

"Promise you'll come back." She half-laughs, half-smiles.

"I promise, you stupid sailor. Why are you so overprotective?"

The King joins her in a round of laughter, but he doesn't answer the question.

* * *

The days were slipping by too fast. One minute Bad's talking to Eren, then she's eating dinner, then she's practicing magic with Aladdin…

She felt like something big was coming, and it was coming quickly.

So quickly, in fact, that she had actually began to feel jealous when Aladdin went off to spend time with Dunya. It was pitiful, she knows. Aladdin was being the kind soul he was, spending time with a dying woman who would only talk to him, her, and Asad (she didn't understand why Dunya'd talk so much to Asad, but everyone has their tastes).

(Dunya still wore the bracelet Asad got her.)

Aladdin's sudden attachment to Dunya bothered her.

It made her feel anxious, because Dunya was a pretty lady. It made Bad wish that she was older and prettier as well, but then she'd mentally slap herself for being so vain. Aladdin, in the Other, never looked at other women and she never felt jealous whenever he did speak to another girl.

She could chalk it up to the fact that she was a bit mindless then, but there was a more crucial factor that caught her by surprise.

Aladdin was a closet pervert.

In the Other, Aladdin was most definitely _not _a pervert...At least, not that she noticed. But now here he was, her Prince charming, randomly groping women. It really sucked for her, to be frank. So, whenever Aladdin went to visit Dunya, Bad tagged along.

Even today, she quickly went to Dunya's chambers, expecting her magi to be there.

Except he wasn't there.

It was just her and the ex-Al Thamen agent.

"Oh, Bad. I didn't know you were coming today…" Dunya looked haggard, the bags under her eyes bigger than the Princess remembers from the previous day.

"Forgive me if I woke you." She responds, padding over to the bed. She takes a seat by it instead of sitting on the mattress, fearing for the woman's comfort. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so great," Dunya turns her head to face Bad, hands over her stomach. "...Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?" Bad doesn't make promises unless they are doable, but Dunya doesn't know that.

"Please don't tell Aladdin but...I only have a day or two left." Bad jolts.

"That little?" She winces. "I mean...I'm sorry, Dunya."

"No I...I understand. I'm not really sure why I'm so sick...There are people at the organization who can Dark Djinn Equip on and off easily...Perhaps I'm just weak."

"That's not it." Bad shakes her head. "That's not it. You're just not evil, Dunya. You had intentions that were, in a way, pure. You wanted your life back...And I don't think there is anything wrong with that, no matter what people say."

"...Are you sure?"

"...I want my life back." She bows her head. "I want it back so badly...But someone I treasure every much told me the only way to move forward is to stop comparing my life now to then. I have to stop thinking that if I do things a certain way everyone will go back to their happy selves before-"

Bad forces herself to stop.

"You are strange," Dunya's voice crackles, and she starts to cough. When the fit passes, she tiredly turns her eyes again to the girl. "You are strange, Badroulbadour. But...That makes sense. I should have done that too...Right…?"

"There is no right way." The not-quite magician looks at Sheba in her hand, and clutches the staff. It heats up under her palm reassuringly. "Someone I used to love very much...Someone who is gone now...Told me that there are many right ways…"*

"A wise person."

"He was. I-" She straightens her spine, and smiles frailly at the dying woman. "Well, it's in the past."

Dunya's lips purse.

"May I ask another favor?"

"...Yes, you may."

"Be good to Aladdin." She blinks at the request, surprised. Her cheeks flush. "He adores you, you know. It's cute to hear him talk about marrying you...Be good to him. You're both children, but I see a woman in you, Bad. A sad woman. So be kind on his little heart, please."

"...I love him." She reveals, gripping the purple fabric of her dress. "I love him, Dunya."

"If you really love him, don't break his heart."

Bad sighs into the air.

"I don't know if I can make that promise."

Dunya frowns, but closes her eyes, ready for sleep again.

"Don't forget, Bad…" The Princess leans in, listening for the older's words. "...Don't forget the words you spoke to me...Take your own advice."

* * *

It was spring. Winter in Sindria wasn't really winter, more of a damper time. Flowers still grew year-round, the sunlight still shone like beacon of hope.

But winter in the Amala homeland was snowy. The grass was covered in a blanket of powdered snow, icy and bright. The ground was hard and frozen, but if you stepped off of the plowed paths and onto the fields you sank into to winter's first snowfall. Catrina remembers playing outside for hours, making snowmen with her mother. She remembers the layers upon layers of clothing Aishia made her daughter wear, the special bread made only in the winter.

In the spring, the snow melted away slowly. It still fell from time to time, but as the ground thawed and the game animals awoke from their sleep, the whiteness that coated her homeland faded. Replacing it came a sheet of flowers, blooming in bright arrays of colors. The fields were prepped for farming season, though everyone spent their time collecting admiring the landscape and preparing new clothes for the work ahead in the summer.

Then summer.

Oh, she loved the summer. The sun was kind, lavishing the long fields in warm heat and caressing the people with a sweet brightness that never blinded. Though some days were still hot, and there was nothing better than returning home after long hours of plowing and seeding to a cool cup of water and a supper of bread and onion soup. Normally onion soup was not the favorite of Catrina, but her mother planted and grew the best onions in their garden.

There was nothing like it anywhere else.

It was a good season for Catrina, because as much as people disliked her, they grudgingly accepted that she was extremely strong. Her helping out seemed to make the villagers more lenient to her presence, and as a thanks for her work they didn't bother her during the height of the planting season.

Finally, fall.

Oh, fall. There was still much to be done, last harvests to be collected from the fields and packing up to do before winter came. Trees shed leaves of magnificent colors, from sunset orange to cool purple. The best leaves came from the woods in the east, especially since they had special properties to them. In the fall there was also a big festival spanning several days, one celebrating the Amala tribe and their history. Everyone let loose and were carefree.

It was Catrina's favorite time of the year, mainly because nobody cared about her presence. They were too busy having fun to gossip or stare or insult her, and they even let her into the party...Though the other children seldom played too long with her.

There was no season in the Amala homeland that Catrina didn't like, actually. She loved all of them equally. She loved the land and the weather and the dirt under her fingernails from the fields. She loved living as an Omega despite being an Alpha, helping in the fields and getting the rare, "thank you". She loved her mother and their lives together deeply, from helping her cook to learning Amala magic from her.

Catrina stares out from the balcony on which she is perched, sadly clutching her arm.

It was spring in Sindria.

It was also spring in her homeland.

"...Catrina?"

"Eri?" Eren stands beside her, leaning on the railing that she sits on. He studies her worriedly.

"I've been standin' 'ere for five minutes, ya know."

"Oh...I'm sorry." Eren sighs, tapping his hand on the railing.

"Cat...I think ya should go back to your homeland."

"Wh-what?"

"You should go back."

"Wh-what are you saying? We're all staying in Sindria for a while longer, righ-"

"Cat." Eren's voice is firm, and his eyes firmer. "I've watched ya pine to go home for years. I've wanted to tell ya to go but I...I was afraid that if ya left Bad would become, ah, unstable. But now…Bad's better, I think. So don't be afraid to go back, Cat. I want you to be happy."

"I am happy."

"No. You'll never be really happy if ya don't make things right with your ma." Eren takes Catrina's hand, almost looking sad. "You're my lil' sister. I love you 'n Bad more than anyone else...So please do the thing you've always wanted to do. 'Nd then come home, ya hear?"

"Eren," Her voice cracks, and she realizes that she's crying. She launches to her brother and wraps her arms around his neck, letting the tears flow. "I-I don't want to be alone."

"You'll never be alone. Bad and I will always be on your side, no matter what path you choose."

"I don't want to be wrong. What if I go back and they all hate me?"

"Then you don't need them. You have a family, Cat. You have me 'n Bad 'n Yamu 'n Yunan. We love you."

"I just...I just don't think I can go right away."

"...Then go to Reim first. You said you wanted to see your father, right? Go visit him first, and go to your mother after."

"...I don't want to be gone long." Catrina's shaking, her sobs wracking her body. Sobs of happiness, of excitement, of fear and of sadness. "How long until I can see you and Bad again?"

"Bad will go crazy if you're gone longer than a year." She half-laughs through her cries, making a slight smile for her brother.

"A year, then. We'll meet again in a year."

* * *

"-Myron, I'm telling you, he was not staring at you funny-"

**Crash.**

"Lies!" Being the older brother of a slightly mad sister had it's perks and it's downfalls. For one thing, Myron was incredibly loyal to Muu, and was a great friend. She also was skilled in combat and always had his back no matter what the challenge was. Myron was very reliable. However…

There was also the slight brother-complex she sported, the obsession with being lady-like, and her unfortunate (and astounding) ability to pick out and break the most pricey thing he owned every time she was mad.

Now, Muu was trying to calm her anger.

"He _was_, brother. And it was the worst timing! I was trying to be charming but this buffoon had dropped tea in my lap, and it was _super freaking hot._" He nervously laughs. "Then when I pretty much leap up and was freaking out, I noticed him looking with this arrogant smirk. I WANTED TO KILL HIM SO BADLY."

"Myron, if you kill Ignatius you'll be executed."

"I can dream, can't I?!"

"Hey, knock, knock," Looking up, Muu spots his right-hand man loitering in the doorway. Lo'lo gives a half-smile that looks slightly strange with his scar, and knocks on the wall along with his greeting.

"Oh, Lo'lo! Come in! What are you, a stranger?" The Fanalis chuckles lowly, but he comes in slowly, almost cautiously. He looks a mix of antsy and excited, but strangely nervous as well. For a moment Muu believes it's because Myron is still muttering to herself, but Lo'lo is never afraid to pick a fight with Myron. Usually he tries to rile her up. "What's wrong, friend?"

The buffer Fanalis shifts from foot to foot, before jutting out his hand. In it, an open envelope is clutched in an unfamiliarly delicate way.

"You should read this."

A real grin slides itself across his face, a twinkle in the man's eye. He adds, almost singing,

"It's from Catrina."

* * *

She was too weak.

Aladdin's hand wraps around hers, but it's too late.

"_Asad, can I ask you something?"_

"_Sure."_

"_Why d__o you stay with Al Thamen?"_

"_..."_

There is something shining on the boy's forehead, something bright and white and round. It glows to her, inviting and warm. He seeks entry into her soul, but her heart is crumbling, her skin turning cold. She's hot and freezing and sad and happy. He tells her to stay on Earth, to fight for life.

But for every inch of skin she gives to death, relief pours down on her like a rain to desert sand. She craves it, desires peace from her pain. She feels her vision blur as the coldness spreads through her body. A blue haired magician...Yamuraiha, an ex-student of Magnostadt, tries to still the progress.

She wants them to stop already.

"_I'm scared."_

_She never expected him to say that. _

"_Dunya, I'm scared that the few people I love will die." _

"_That boy...Aladdin, he wishes to go to Magnostadt."_

_A beat of silence._

"_He does?"_

"_He told me, though he has yet to tell everyone else…Can I ask something?"_

"_What is it?"_

'It's too late', she'd tell them, if it wasn't that her throat was so dry. 'I'm already gone...It's time for me to go. I'm returning to my family.'

Aladdin's grip tightens. He's so gentle and kind even as tears pour down his cheeks. She swears she can see Bad behind him, but she's not there...It's a mirage, a trick.

"_Asad...Could you do me a favor?"_

"_Of course."_

"_...I saw what happens when your body succumbs to the Dark Djinn Equip..."_

She closes her eyes. It's time.

"_Would you…"_

There is no more darkness. There is no blood seeping through the sheets or friends crying. This is what she wants.

"_...Would you please kill me before that happens…?" _

…

"_If that is what you truly want, Dunya."_

Dunya feels the last of the pain fade away.

* * *

Asad can hear the bustle from the roof. He lays back against the tiles, clutching the silver bracelet to his chest. He'll clean the blood off of his blades in a moment, but for now, he is silently praying for Dunya's soul to arrive in heaven peacefully.

_May Illah guide you on your path, Dunya._

* * *

CRYING.

DUNYA YOU BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY.

FLY AWAY MY LOVE!

Okay I'm just gonna cry a little bit.

**Aladdin's Theory: **Okie folks, we all know this is most definitely not true. But Aladdin's thinking within the parameters of his own world; he has never heard of or thought about timetravel before, nor has he thought that the Other is actually the _real _fate of this world. He actually believes things as they are now is how they were supposed to be. As such, his explanation comes about because he thinks that the 'Other' is an actual thing: a theory or device that could destroy Al Thamen, and because he was 'there': Alma Torran, as a fetus. Aladdin is misinterpreting Ithnan's words, but they were extremely vague, so it's natural that he wouldn't be able to put two and two together. He has yet to figure out that the "Kouhime" he seeks is a part of Kou's royal family, but he will next chappie.

**Ithnan's Remembrance of the 'Other': **Contrary to what Aladdin believes, Ithnan did _not_ remember solely because of SW. Remember last chapter when he was telling Aladdin to keep looking through Alibaba and Centola's memories? The reason he told him to do that was because _Ithnan _looked through the memories and saw the Other (because back in the Balbadd arc, Bad showed Centola her memories). Because he saw the 'Other' and was affected by SW, Ithnan was able to remember it.

"**Someone I used to love very much...Someone who is gone now...Told me that there are many right ways…"*: **Bad, quoting Alibaba from the Other. Gah, she's so cute.

**Khadeja's "feeling": **Has to do with the upcoming De Coverna Arc. And yes, there will be a lot of shit going down then.

**Catrina and Hakuryuu's Chat: **Hakuryuu needs to know that revenge sucks. Catrina was able to show him exactly _what _happens after you get it, since she took revenge on Jabari and the others after they attacked her. I think Hakuryuu is going to be finding that revenge isn't exactly what he seeks fairly soon...

**ZeinaXSinbad: **Not yet, folks. Maybe after the De Coverna arc~? _If Zeina lives, that is._

**Asad Killing Dunya: **Siiigh. I didn't want to. But...I mean...I was re-reading the chapters around Dunya's death and I don't see how she could have wanted to die that way. So...She asked Asad to kill her. Which was pretty sad. Annnnd I'm going to write something about their relationship on BtS (go angst!).

Wow no Centola this chapter. Just noticed that...Oh well, the De Coverna arc _is_ Centola-centric.

**IMPORTANT: **Okay guys, so I have something I'd like to share and I'd really appreciate feedback on this: I wanna do a prequel to SS. I want to write an adventure story about Zeina and Sinbad when they were teens (I already have the first few chapters written, actually). Or, if you'd prefer, I could write a romance about Aishia and Catrina's father (This would not be released until the Fanalis-Amala arc hits, obvi), _or_ a _prequel _prequel about the Other (This would be _hella_ interesting imo). What do you guys think and would you be interested? I actually would love to write any of these, and I really do want to publish them, but not at the same time or else there will be _really_ random updating. So...Any feedback? I'm prob gonna make a poll if y'all wanna vote.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	32. Chapter 31: One Last Step

So, I had like waist length hair that I cut for the first time since kindergarden into a shorter bob. (I feel freaking amazing about it, btw.)

Then I realized I look scarily like Serendine.

Me, combing my hair before school: "La da da da~"

Me, realization strikes: "WHAT THE FU-"

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**EIGHTH ARC: **The Path Ahead

CHAPTER 31: One Last Step

* * *

**Warning:** Suicide

* * *

He watched for the longest time.

Arriving at dawn, watching the pyre being constructed, Kougyoku's hand tucked neatly in his. They watched soldiers carrying the wood and whispering to one another, they watched priests coming in with baskets of pure white lillies. At noon the head priest began to practice, waving around a big green leaf. He didn't know they had a religion here in Sindria, though Kougyoku reminded him that a free country like Sindria accepted all religions, and that this ceremony was a Partevian one.

It was set up by King Sinbad, of course, so he wasn't so surprised.

When they carried in her body finally, he squeezed Kougyoku's hand and decided not to visibly show emotion. She laid her head on his shoulder, a delicate reminder she was there, and they watched Dunya being laid onto her pyre.

"Asad," Kougyoku says his name softly. "What was Dunya to you?"

"...She was a friend." Asad replies, staring at the body. Dunya's ringlets were delicately arranged around her, her hands gently laid on her stomach. Her skin was pale, pale as snow, and the long sleeves of her dress hid the slashes on her wrists.

"To think she killed herself…" Kougyoku whispers, and does a small shake of her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He sighs, coating an extra layer of light around them. "I'm fine."

Late afternoon, when everyone comes to see, the coffin is closed and his last peak at Dunya is over. The torch is placed into the pyre.

And the flames consume.

* * *

Warning: Suicide

* * *

"_Are you sure, Dunya?"_

_A nod of the head. She looks so peaceful...So tired. But the way Dunya's hands shiver makes Asad feel shame for what he's doing. He takes Hachi and presses the blade just below her elbow, breathing in. _

"_Don't look. It doesn't hurt as badly if you can't see it."_

_She nods her head again. _

_He closes his eyes for a moment, opens them, and then quickly slices downwards. She breathes in quickly, but settles herself. _

"_Just one arm?" His voice is soft._

"_Both." She grits out, slight pain running through her voice. Asad pulls the covers over her profusely bleeding arm, and goes to the other side of the bed where he can't see it. He takes Dunya's hand, where the bracelet he gave her shines. _

_Her eyes meet his, such a shade of emerald._

"_Thank you, Asad." Dunya breaths it with such relief that it-_

"_You're welcome." He squeezes her palm, trying not to freak out. He's seen many people die just like this._

_But… _

_He places Hachi just below her elbow, tells her again to look away, and slices. Dunya bites her lip, gasping, and nods. He covers her arm with the sheet. _

"_Asad...You should go soon. Aladdin and Yamuraiha are coming for a check-up..." She seems paler. He stops himself from looking to the other side of the bed, stops himself from checking the amount of blood she's lost. _

"_I can call them in. They can stop the bleeding-"_

"_I'm fine." _

How could anyone be fine with this?

"_Asad...I loved you…" _

"_...I know." _

"_I told you...And you rejected me." He remembers. It was not fair what he did to Dunya, but his heart already belonged to another girl. "I've asked so much of you, but, could you do one last thing?"_

"_Yes."_

_She coughs, a terrible sound, and cringes slightly. Then it's gone, more blood is gone, and she looks slightly delirious. _

"_Could you kiss me, just once?" _

…

_He leans forward and grants her wish, gently cupping her face. It was not like when he kissed Kougyoku, because at that time he was full of joy and love. It was more somber than that, but he can practically see the peace radiating off of Dunya when he pulls away. _

"_Thank you, Asad." _

"-sad. Asad?" Jolting, the Shadow regains his bearings. Kougyoku worriedly stares at him, shaking his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"O-oh yes, I'm fine." He realizes the pyre is ashes, and everyone has gone. He stands from where he had been sitting with Kougyoku, feeling sore, and goes to the pile of charred wood. Kougyoku follows, nudging him when she spots Hakuryuu and Morgiana a little bit away.

"They're in their own world." Asad assuages her worries, and takes a silver bracelet out of his sleeve. Kougyoku watches as he places it on top of Dunya's grave with care.

"..." She opens her mouth to speak, but stops herself. Asad turns to her and once again takes her hand, bending the light around them.

"Let's go back."

He watches her take a last peek at Morgiana and Hakuryuu talking on the beach, before nodding in agreement.

* * *

"How's it going, baka-baba?" Bad purrs, leaning against a pillar in the training area. Despite her call, Alibaba is still focused in on his sword, practicing his swings.

"Ali-dork!"

No response.

"Alibaka!"

Nothing but a repetitive thrust of the sword.

"Centola is out of your league!"

Wow. She really expected a response to _that, _at least. Speaking of the devil, Centola comes up behind her, face flushing.

"T-that's rude," She reprimands the girl, peaking at Alibaba to see if he heard her. Fortunately, he's ignoring both of them, stuck in his own world.

"What's up with him?" Bad asks, sitting beside the pillar. Centola daintily floats down beside her, using her hands to brush her dress into position.

"He's been like this for a while...Ever since Aladdin announced he was going to Magnostadt." Bad flinches, turning with wide eyes at Centola.

"H-huh? What do you mean?" The strawberry-blonde blinks slowly.

"You didn't know?"

"No. Al's going to Magnostadt? When?" A bit of panic sets in, but she tries to calm it. She knew Aladdin studied at Magnostadt. And she knew he went when he was young. She had just thought- or perhaps _hoped_ that it would be a longer time before he went.

After all, Aladdin was…

...Well, not _her_ Aladdin. But he was the beginnings of the man she loved, and everyday she spent with him she could see him blossoming into the person he was meant to be. Each word he spoke sounded more and more like the _him_ she remembers. Every lesson he learned made his breath slow with the desire to grow. All the painful events he went through made his eyes deepen with wisdom.

He was becoming more and more wonderful, and the days she spent here in Sindria made her fall in love with him all over again. She saw parts of him that she never knew he had- a childish side, a perverted side, an innocent side that knew nothing about the world.

Centola shifts, a hand stroking down her back in an uncomfortably familiar way.

"I'm not sure when. A week, perhaps?" Bad sinks in on herself, shoulders falling gently.

"Oh."

"Did you- did you not plan on going to Magnostadt with him?" Centola asks, genuinely surprised. Bad shifts, turning away from her friend.

"It...It would be best for me to stay away from him." She weakly smiles at the Temptress. "I can get more work done that way...And…"

"But," Centola's voice drops, mindful of Alibaba even though he isn't mindful of them at all. "You love him...Right? Don't you want to be near him?"

"Don't you want to be near Alibaba?" The older girl flinches, and instantly Bad feels a pinch of regret for her quick retort.

"Sorry for snapping," She apologizes, taking Centola's hand. They both knew in a matter of time Alibaba would be leaving for Reim...Which left Centola with a couple of possibilities. All the work that needed to be done was easily accomplished by the others, so she basically had a free year to herself for whatever she wanted.

She could keep Alibaba company to Reim, which Bad knew the blonde would like very much. Although the Princess also knew Centola would be much too worried about Alibaba fighting in the Colosseum, and in turn Alibaba would be worried about upsetting Centola. If they played their cards wrong, Alibaba's magoi might never stabilize and his Djinn Equip never reached.

Centola could stay in Sindria. It was not a bad idea, and the way things were going it appeared Zeina was more than alright with staying in the island country. Centola could train, spy on Sinbad, watch over Kassim-

Hm.

Bad's not sure keeping Centola and Kassim together would be a good idea. Call it her inner, ah, what's the word, "fangirl", but she didn't want them together for whatever reason. That wasn't the only reason Bad didn't want Centola to stay in Sindria. What Aladdin told her the other night wasn't wrong: Sinbad is a blinding man. He'll convince anyone to follow him if they stay...And a Temptress is no exception, according to the tales she overheard Hinahoho telling to his children.

_Zeina and Sinbad were wild when they were young, huh?_

Or Centola could travel the world. It had it's perks, it's downfalls, but it wasn't an _unpleasant _idea-

"-Bad. Bad." Blinking, said girl returns to reality. Alibaba stands in front of her, eyebrow raised. Centola was shaking her shoulder, and nervously smiles.

"Alibaba just noticed us," She quickly informs the not-quite magician.

"Oh."

"What were you thinking of?"

"None of your damn business, Ali-ape."

"Your nicknames just keep getting worse."

"It's all in the process." Centola groans.

"Enough banter. You two are like siblings!"

"We're not!" They both say at once, and glare at one another when they realize what they've done.

Centola laughs, now more lighthearted, and stands.

"Ali, you promised to take me the market, remember?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I forgot." Centola sweetly smiles, and Bad takes a good look at what she's seeing, rubbing her eyes.

_Is...Is Cent going on a date with the Thing (Alibaba)?_

"Are you ready now?"

"Sure, let's go!" Alibaba notices her staring and then rubs the back of his head. Reluctantly he asks, "Wanna come?"

She was going to refuse the offer, but takes a moment to watch the adorably pouty expression on Centola's face before answering.

"Never in seven hells," Bad turns on her heel, waving her hand. "I'm going to talk to Al. Don't go too fast, you crazy kids."

"Huh? What does that mean-"

"Nothing!" Centola squeals, pulling Alibaba along. "_She means nothing."_

* * *

"Hey, Kouhime…"

"Ah, Hakuryuu. How was your talk with Catrina?"

"I've been thinking a lot. About what she said...About what I've learned here from everyone…"

"And?"

"I don't...I don't think I want to become like that. I, I don't really understand what Catrina told me. I don't think I could unless I were to do the things she did. But I've seen her pain and...It would be truly foolish to believe I wouldn't end up like her…"

"..."

"O-oh, I apologize. I don't mean that Catrina is-"

"I understand. I know what you mean."

"Oh."

"So what do you want now? What's your endgame?"

"I've thought a lot about that as well. I've decided that...I'll convince my sister that we must take things slowly. There is no need to rush into a war where lots of people will be hurt. And...And I think…"

"Yes?"

"I think I'm going to try and talk to my cousin Kouen. He's…The next Emperor after Koutoku, so it'll be best to talk to more about, well, this."

"I see. Leave my name out, will you?"

"No promises."

"Haku-"

"I was kidding! Take a joke, Hime."

Despite herself, Bad smiles.

"You're stupid. But if that's your plan...Then count me in. Let's be allies, Ryuu."

"R-really?! Yes, let's be allies!"

* * *

They told him it was a suicide.

Aladdin didn't know what that word meant. All he knew was that there were slashes down Dunya's arms and more blood than he's ever seen spewing out of them. He tried to stop it. He worked hard to stop it but he didn't know any healing magic. As quick as the palace magicians worked, by the time they barely closed her wounds she was gone.

A suicide.

It was whispered through the halls, passed back and forth between people. he didn't know why they kept saying it. Even at Dunya's funeral...He shakes his head. Whatever it meant it sounded bad, and people used it in such a furtive way- as if warding off evil. It didn't make any sense.

He sits on a bench in the gardens, wondering why the sunset is still pretty and the flowers still bloom even though Dunya's dead. It feels like the world should stop for a moment, just for her.

"Hi." Bad materializes beside him, sitting on the bench. She pulls her knees up to her chest, mirroring him. "Are you okay?"

"What does suicide mean?" He blurts, grip tightening on his pants. Shock flickers across Bad's face, before it's replaced by an echo of sadness.

"It means someone killed themselves."

"What?" His mind reels. Someone killing themselves? "What do you mean?"

"Dunya...She was the one to inflict those wounds on her body, Aladdin. She did it to herself."

"But why?" His voice is louder now, though Bad still remains calm, sad. her voice is much quieter and more soothing. "Why would she do that? If I went to Magnostadt, I could've found a cure-!"

"_Aladdin."_ Bad stops him, the sadness now making a solid appearance in her face. "Dunya couldn't have waited that long. Her body...If she didn't kill herself, the effects of the Dark Djinn would've."

"No." Aladdin shakes his head. "No, that's...I don't understand...Why would she give up…?"

Bad opens and closes her mouth, discomfort overwriting the sadness.

"Why would anyone do that..?" Now her red gaze looks firmly away from his. "Even if she was dying, killing herself wasn't...It wasn't the way I wanted to see her last…" Tears form in his eyes, and he hiccups as they start to trail down his face. "She was my friend! I-I wish she had told me about how she felt. I could've stopped her. I could've helped her if she was feeling that terrible!"

Bad still won't look at him, but from her profile he notices she's biting her lip very hard.

"Yeah." She croaks. "B-but it's not your fault, Al."

"I...I wish I knew…" He cover his face, not wanting to think about it anymore. Bad's arms wrap around him, her face burying itself into his shoulder. He feels the sobs roll through his body, making him shudder harshly. They rush into Bad as well, shaking her.

She doesn't let go.

"It's not your fault...I-it's not…"

* * *

_Why won't my Djinn Equip work?_

Frustration built a heavy stone inside of Alibaba's chest. No matter how hard he trained or whenever he tried to perform it, the Djinn Equip just wouldn't work. He tried talking to Sharrkan about it, but his teacher had just said that he wasn't sure how the Equip was supposed to work- just that Sinbad seemed to get the hang of it fairly quickly after he got his Djinns. Alibaba went to Eren for help for a few days, thinking it would be helpful to have a man already knowing how to Djinn Equip show him how. Luckily Eren had been working on using his new Djinn, and was happy to go through the process along with him.

But Alibaba's heart sank when he realized that, even though he was doing just as Eren told him, he couldn't seem to work it out right. He stopped training with Eren when he finally equipped Seere. Alibaba wishes he had felt good for Eren for achieving it, but jealousy had poured through him. How come the Chandlen was able to get it in two weeks and Alibaba couldn't even after working on it for almost six months? He felt anger rise in his throat.

No amount of training it was going to help him, it seemed. He swings his sword hard, letting out a loud grunt to vent his frustrations.

A squeal followed by a clang follows his actions, and he looks to his side in surprise. There, Kougyoku is positioned right in front of his blade, only stopped by Asad's quick actions with his own swords.

"Be careful," The Holy Keeper snaps, pushing forward. Not expecting it, Alibaba stumbles back. Kougyoku sighs with relief at how the sharp weapon is pushed away from her neck. "You could've killed 'Gyoku, you bastard."

Alibaba's mouth twists downward, but guilt pushes itself forward in his thoughts.

"Sorry, Kougyoku. I didn't know you were there." Then to Asad, "Thank you for stopping my sword."

The older studies him, and nods.

"The Princess wanted to show you something." He announces, sheathing his katanas. Kougyoku stands, and smugly searches the inside of her sleeve, pulling out a flower crown. The flowers were painstakingly arranged, each one small and blooming, white or yellow. The green vines were threaded together tightly in a perfect circle.

"Wow, you made that Kougyoku?" The Kou noble lifts her chin, a smug grin taking over her features.

"Of course I did!"

"And to think you were so bad at first!"

"Yea- huh?! What are you saying?!" Asad's glare intensifying, obviously not taking the joke the right way. He pulls out one of his swords by an inch, showing it to Alibaba, who blanches and soothes his error.

"I mean, you must've worked hard! It's perfect now!"

"Of course it is." She stands, and brushes off her dress. She notices Alibaba's sword, and blinks, beginning to smile. "Hey, were you training?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I was." He doesn't correct her by saying he was 'angsting'.

"Good! I'm rusty myself…" She pulls out her hairpin, and Alibaba barely has time to notice the shadow that crosses over Asad's face before there is a giant blue sword in Kougyoku's hand. "Let's have a spar!"

* * *

This was bad.

As things were going, Asad wouldn't be able to stop Kougyoku from fighting Sinbad and getting Zepar-ed. His fists clench as he notices a purple haired male coming out from the palace toward the training area, his ears tuning out Kougyoku and Alibaba's pointless bickering as his princess tries to bait the blonde into Djinn Equiping as well.

_Crap, crap, crap._

He turns to Kougyoku, feeling panic rush along his chest.

In the Dungeon, he had remembered.

_Kougyoku was crying behind him, and he was slaughtering her brothers._

Protect her.

_Over everything else, protect her._

_It was something sprung from the depths of his mind, something he forgot from the manga. Kouen had spewed something about mind control and Koumei about not being able to trust her anymore, and Asad knew he had to kill them._

He had remembered what that sick fuck Sinbad did to _his _Kougyoku...He may not have figured out what happened to her in the end, but he can guess it wasn't anything good. Clutching the sword, he debates just killing the son of a bitch now...But then Kougyoku wouldn't forgive him, though Gyokuen would sure as hell give him a metal.

Or make him her new husband.

_Ew._

Ah, but there is no time...The King comes closer, and Asad's breath hitches a ride to the goddamn moon. Eventually he makes a break for Kougyoku, grabbing her arm.

"Un-Djinn Equip."

"Wha-"

"_Now." _His hiss is harsh, and in surprise his girlfriend(?) does as he asks, a baffled expression coating her face. The stupid blonde bastard (Alibaba, the fucker. He's the reason Kougyoku decided to perform a Djinn Equip. He should've killed _him._) watches with something like worried confusion, though Asad can tell it's all for Kougyoku. For him he gets a slight glare, as if he was acting insane.

(He was, but Asad was throwing caution and normalcy to the wind.)

"What's wron-"

"Stopping so soon?" Asad drops Kougyoku's arm, but that's so his hands could rest near his swords. The idiot-king comes in with a grin on his face, his attention directed at Kougyoku.

_Oh yeah, it would be so easy to just kill him…_

"I came to help you with your Djinn Equip."

_LIKE HELL._

His anger must show on his face, because Sinbad gives a cool glance at his expression and laughs.

"But maybe your bodyguard does not want you to fight me." 'Bodyguard' sounds rigid, as if he is teasing him...Or insinuating that he might be more than that. Asad's gaze hardens, though he doubts Kougyoku noticed Sinbad's subtle undertones. Instead she smiles politely at the King and bows.

"King Sinbad! Forgive me for not noticing you...Though I'm sure my skills would disappoint you."

"No, you're very strong! I'd love to see you in action."

Faintly, the Kou Princess smiles, holding her sleeves up. She briefly meets Asad's gaze, now understanding why he was acting so strange.

"_Don't fight him," _He tries to communicate in his gaze. "_Please."_

Her breath visibly catches when she sees the desperation in his gaze but it melts away when she returns her gaze to the King.

"My forgiveness, Lord Sinbad...But I'm afraid that I may cause extensive damages to your Palace. To ruin such a beautiful home would be simply wasteful."

"I wouldn't worry about the damages, I'm sure I can deflect whatever blows are directed toward my home." The challenge is so much more evident, and Asad sees Kougyoku's eyes narrow as her pride feels the blow.

"Well, if you insist," She pulls Vinea up as Sinbad does one of his jeweled cuffs.

Asad's heart sinks.

He can't let this happen. Desperation wages a war in his heart, and one of his hands drifts toward his sword, resting on the hilt.

He can't kill Sinbad.

_He can't kill Sinbad._

But how will he stop this fight from happening?! He can't- he has to...All he can do, all he has ever been able to do is kill...So…

"What do we have here?"

Asad blinks.

Oh.

Walking in with a breathtaking smile, the most beautiful woman in the world flips her hair over her shoulder and surveys the two royals.

"Having some fun?"

Something like hope fills Asad.

Of course.

There was no way _he _can stop the fight.

But Zeina De Coverna could.

* * *

To say that she was tiffed would be an understatement.

Zeina was _pissed_.

There were a few reasons as to why she was so pissed, and frankly, she wants to name _every single one_.

1\. The maids kept on asking where their 'leader' (Khadeja) was.

2\. Sinbad had been avoiding her.

3\. Rory was looking so lovesick that she wanted to cuddle him, but he wouldn't let her.

4\. _She cannot find Alexio._

5\. Sinbad had been avoiding her.

6\. Yamu has been spending a lot of time with Yunan and very little time with her.

7\. Someone has been stealing the flowers off of her plants.

8\. Sinbad had been avoiding her.

...She feels like there is something wrong with her list.

Oh.

She should _really _find Alexio at some point.

But despite the innumerable little things that were bothering her, she kept herself together. She was a _Temptress_, for Godsake, and she refused to get angry or look anything less than a majestic swan with great legs.

So when she saw Sinbad trying to fight a Kou Princess?

She found a wonderful way to release her frustrations while simultaneously punishing the stupid bastard who _only cares about himself_-

Hm.

Maybe she should take a peek back at that list once more…

She sweeps onto the training platform, gazing at it's occupants. Sinbad, holding his cuff, the Kou Princess gripping a hairpin, Rashid's son (adorable little Alibaba!), and…

She pushes aside her displeasure as onyx clashes with maroon.

..._Asad._

"What do we have here? Having some fun?" She flips her curls over her shoulders, allowing a sparkling smile to take it's place on her face. If Zeina could not kill them with kindness, then she was going to blind them with beauty.

"Why yes, I was just about to engage in a spar with Lady Kougyoku." Zeina hums, ignoring Sinbad's silent request for her to exit the premises before they Djinn Equip. She goes up to the King and delicately brushes the wrinkles out of his sleeves, noting the sigh as he resigns himself to the fact that she's not leaving.

"Is that wise? Showing someone from another country your Djinn Equip…" She says it loudly, and a tiny smirk plays on her lips as the Kou Princess stiffens. "Oh my, you two must be great friends!"

"..." Sinbad smiles back down at her, but she can see that behind his sparkling eyes he's as angry as a lion the tamers forgot to feed dinner. "Well, our countries are hoping for a blossoming friendship, right, Lady Kougyoku?"

The Princess smiles, but wavers in her response, placing her hairpin back into it's place.

"Yes, you're right Lord Sinbad. Forgive me, but I realize I have matters to attend to. I hope we can continue our spar another time."

"Yes, of course." The King smiles (grimaces, but to others it's a smile) and allows the Kou noble to pass, her bodyguard snaking by with her. Alibaba follows them, giving a small wave at the King and Temptress.

"See you later, Rash- I mean, Alibaba!" Zeina laughs off her mistake, and the ex-Prince blinks and nods.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I know, I almost called him Rashid-" Sinbad gets straight in her line of vision, that anger she had noticed showing in his face.

"I mean with Kougyoku," He nearly hisses, glancing over his shoulder. No one is around to hear their conversation. "Why the hell did you do that?"

Normally Zeina would use a light quip to make him more mad or perhaps laugh at his anger, but remember, she's _pissed_ today.

So, scowling like a Temptress should not scowl, Zeina grabs a fistful of Sinbad's dark purple hair and, like a child, _pulls_.

"Ow!" He lets out as his head is yanked downwards.

"I know what you were planning, Sinbad." She glares at him, all her annoyance bubbling to the surface. "You forget we spent four years together. I know what that-" she points to his ring, which glitters ominously, "_Does."_

Sinbad sighs, his anger dissipating somewhat in front of her scarier anger.

"I've told you this many times already, haven't I?" She pokes his chest, a bold move to do to a King. "Never tie down a person's life without their knowledge or consent. Once they realize what you've done, no matter how untouchable you may be, they'll give it their all to do destroy you. _The wrong person could destroy you."_

"Yes, I know that. I just may have forgotten while you were on vacation for _nine years_." A heavy annoyance makes her jaw lock, and she steps back from him, her eyes flashing.

"Oh yes, bring that up _again_. And guess what? I'm leaving soon for another 'vacation'. So how about you stop _avoiding_ me?"

…

She realizes she might be angry because of him, not the other things. But the realization comes late and does nothing but irritate her already hurt feelings.

He pauses, his mouth opening and then closing. He stares at her for a while, thinking of what he wants to say and how to say it without furthering their conflict. After a few awkward minutes, he offers his arm and she slips her hand into the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her toward the palace.

"I'm sorry." Sinbad says at last. Zeina slowly shakes her head.

"It's alright."

"No, I...Have been avoiding you." She gazes up at him questionably, and he doesn't say anything for a short while, his adam's apple bobbing slightly. "I don't really know why. I guess because...If I start getting back into a routine where you're not there, then it'll be easier to accept it when you're gone."

"...It won't be that hard." She scoffs a bit, tightening her hold. "I'm not Sindria's lifeline…"

Abruptly he stops, making her stop with him. His golden eyes glow like the last embers of a fire, bright and steady.

"Maybe not anymore, but that doesn't mean you're not important," A hairs-breath of a pause, a decision made in a split-second. He adds, "_To me." _

Zeina was no sappy person. She believed there was such a thing as love, of course she did, but she didn't think it came at first glance or that it was destined. She thought that if you were to love someone, it would take time and trust and a certain magic that one couldn't obtain through conquering a Dungeon. It was overwhelming just how vulnerable she feels in front of Sinbad. It was a feeling she thought she'd forgotten, but suddenly it hits her with the force of a freight train.

_That's right...He used to make me feel this way, didn't he…?_

Her arms feel bare, her lips without words, her brain slowing down. Something heavy rests in her stomach, contradicting the way her body seems to flow with Baal's lightning. She tries to swallow, but the simple action is so hard to do. She forgets everything.

She forgets her family, her homeland, her magic.

She forgets the idea of leaving Sindria, of separating herself from this stupid man once again.

And she sees in his eyes, though perhaps it's just the hazy feeling that clouds her brain, that he forgets everything too. Just him and her, caught up in a moment.

She breaths in suddenly, afraid of tearing her gaze away. He's closer than she thought he was, so close…

Zeina rips her eyes away, and they settle on the sash at his waist. She breathes steadily, wondering what the hell came over her.

She doesn't get caught up like that, it doesn't happen. Not anymore...Not since she realized that it hurt to remember the way he made her feel when she looked too long into tawny eyes charged with energy.

"Zein," His voice drifts to her on a breath, moving the curls around her face.

"Yes?" She doesn't move her eyes, too afraid. Things are coming back to her...Every important thing that, in a moment, seemed useless to her.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"...Yes." It's hard for her to break away from this conversation. She feels weak and flustered...She wonders if this is how she and Centola make most men feel when they flirt with them.

"What do you think?" Ah, too close, too close, too close… "Zein?"

"...I…" She forces her eyes upwards, but even then she only gets to his chin before it's too much. "...You are important to me, too."

She wonders, for a moment, if she is saying the right thing.

Their gazes lock. Zeina questions if they're even thinking the same thing. But then the gentlest smile she's ever seen Sinbad wear spreads across his face and he is firmly taking her hand, threading their fingers together in an inseparable knot.

"Good."

* * *

The light flickered nervously around Asad as he made his feet travel faster across the floor. Kougyoku's hand was tucked in his, and he squeezed her fingers as they went along.

He stops very suddenly, making Kougyoku stumble into him.

"Hey, what was up back there? Why'd you act so weird?"

"Sorry…" He mumbles, distracted. "I, uh, no, sorry."

"Asad…" Worry flickers inside her. "Are you okay? You're being strange."

He sighs, focusing his eyes on her.

"No, I'm fine just…Trust me, okay? I'm just taking care of you."

"Why?" He blinks, as if the reason should be obvious.

"Because you're-"

"No, I mean," She sighs, trying to think of the words. "Why do you feel like you have to protect me? I'm not a child anymore. I can take care of myself."

Asad goes still as stone.

"It's...It's not as if I don't appreciate what you've done," She soothes over her words quickly. "But I'm almost an adult. I conquered a Djinn. I can protect myself now, so you don't have to keep things from me the way you do."

He's still very quiet, listening.

"...I, I really care about you," Her cheeks flush at her own words. "So let me protect you sometimes, okay?"

He stays stoic, but begins to nod.

"...Yes, okay."

But there is a sort of emptiness in his eyes, and she knows that her words barely had gotten through to him.

Or, perhaps, they cut more deep than she had intended.

* * *

_It's eyes had no color. _

There was no light within them.

It was all darkness and sauve smiles, as if trying to persuade a lost child to follow it down it's trail of deception. It's hand would reach out and snatch up power, growling at it's failures and hissing at those who try to touch the long, silky hair it sported.

Khadeja didn't really know what it looked like. But sitting on the window sill and staring out at the horizon, she could feel the pungent smell of horror and sadness wafting over the world. She could blame it on all the terror that came with living in this era, but she knew that it came from one person, and one person only.

_It just kept staring. _

"Not talking again, I see?" She snaps back into reality, blinking at the visitor.

"Hello there," She boredly responds, going back to her watching.

"If you keep daydreaming you'll fall."

"Oh yes, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" Ja'far rolls his eyes, frowning at the state of her room.

"Why don't you make the bed?"

"I don't feel like it." She admits that even it was a bit messy, even for her. But she was a secret slob and was proud of the fact that she kept Centola's room 100% neater than her own. "So, when's Zeina leaving?"

"...Why do you ask?"

"'Cause Cent and I are going with her." The self-proclaimed servant slips off of the sill, a frown on her lips. "I wonder if it's the right choice, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a bad feeling," Her words, though quiet, draw his attention. She lets her eyes drift toward her desk, where scrolls lay open haphazardly. She doesn't even remember reading them. Maybe Zeina should check her seal, it seemed like she was drifting in and out of consciousness without realizing it.

"About what?"

"About leaving, obviously," She sighs at his slow connection-making skills, and he glares. "I know we shouldn't go, but I don't think there's a way to stop it. It's making me nervous."

"...Maybe it's just a feeling," He tries. "Maybe you just like it here."

"It's not like that," She sighs, this time just sad, and shakes her head. "Nevermind, you wouldn't get it."

"Then perhaps you should try harder to explain."

"I can't."

"Why not?" She pauses, and then replies,

"Because if I put the things I feel into words, you'd be scared." Ja'far regards her slowly.

"You truly are mad."

"That doesn't mean I'm not right."

* * *

_Dear Father, _

_It's been a while, huh? Sorry for never writing before this, but I've been really busy ever since we left Reim. I have so much I want to tell you! I was debating writing it all out, but I realize it would take me forever to tell you everything. _

_So, I've made the decision to tell you in person. I'm going to take a trip to Remano soon! I'm hoping that it will be alright with you if I stay in your house. I hope to train with you and talk to everyone in the corps; I've heard it's grown a lot._

_I can't wait to see you, Daddy. Don't get in a lot of fights, okay?_

_Sincerely,_

_Catrina_

* * *

The candle flickers in the center of their circle, and four people stare at one another.

"So…"

"So…" A nervous laughter bubbles up from one of them, a redhead with bright orange eyes. "Um, I guess we'll be saying goodbye soon…?" It's supposed to be an excited statement, but comes across very sad. The others lower their heads, nodding slowly.

"Yeah...I'm going to the De Coverna home with Auntie." A girl across from the redhead says, looking up with earnest green eyes. She clutches a pillow to her chest, and manages a small smile. "But I'll miss you all. And I promise to write once I find out where I'm actually headed…"

A small laugh lights the air, and a buff man scratches the back of the head.

"Wow. Since you two are going, I guess it'll just be Bad 'n I here in Sindria, huh?" More smiles cracked, each sad but hopeful.

"..." A little girl with red eyes looks down, and then lifts her eyes in determination. "No."

The green haired man turns back to his companion, confusion on his face.

"Huh? What do ya mean, Bad-"

"You're going back to their homeland too, Eri." Eren looks shocked, blinking. The statement, more like a demand, doesn't compute in his head.

"Huh?" He repeats, and Bad straightens, her head held high.

"You're going back home, Eren. And I'm going to the Tenzan Plains with Hakuryuu."

This new information is like a slap to the face to the group, each who now have questions to ask Bad.

"I have thought this through. Centola is going with her aunt, Catrina to Remano to see her father, and you're going to see your family again, too. I heard about what happened in Seere…" Shifty gazes and blurred eyes meet her words. "...And I know that you all have things you need to do. I myself need to talk to Hakuei, so this is for the best."

"You're insane!" Eren bursts out, his hands fisting. "Hakuei could trick you, or give you to Al Thamen! You can't go to Kou!"

The words "without me" go unspoken between them.

"I have made so many mistakes," Bad says suddenly, gripping her nightgown. "I have done so many terrible things for the sole purpose of winning."

Her three companions are quieted by her words.

"There is no excuse for what I have done, but I will not try to disown it. I will not forget that I felt so, so much _pain _and that that pain was what has driven me forward. I am "Bad", and I will always remember that. I will carry that burden through time and space and fix this universe as many times as needed. I will make mistakes again and again and fail at some point, but I will never, ever," Her passion burns in her eyes, letting loose tendrils of flame upon her friends. "_Ever,_ be tricked into becoming the slave of those whom I detest, nor will I give up this mission, even if it means keeping this hatred I realize serves no other purpose but to drive me forward."

She juts out her hand, a fist that signifies her words.

"_That is my promise to you." _

There is a quiet pause as she finishes her speech, and then, timidly Centola says,

"I admire that."

Catrina wipes her eyes mumbling,

"I trust you."

Eren bites down his lip, nodding slowly.

"If that's your will, I will follow it."

Bad lets loose a small smile.

"Then let's get planning, okay?"

* * *

The laughter bounced off the walls, floating back to the pair.

The older sat on the couch, lounging with a cup of wine in his hands. His little brother was splayed haphazardly on a chair, holding his stomach as he gasped for air.

"Holy crap you're such a dumbass," Judal cackles, pointing at Asad. "Did you really just pull the branch out of her hair?"

"She was spying on me, so I felt I had the right."

"What did Ka Koubun do?"

"Nothing, he's too scared of me to do jack crap." Another short round of laughter.

"You guys had fun, huh? Man, I missed you, bro." A small smile graces Asad's face.

"I missed you too, brat."

"..." Slowly Judal looks up at his brother. "Hey, Asad, do you wanna go with me?"

"Huh?"

"To travel the world. Let's go, you and me, the way we should've years ago." An excited smile spreads across the magi's lips. "We can go wherever we want! We don't have to answer to those Al Thamen bastards anymore."

"..." Asad watches Judal, and then lifts the cup to his lips. He takes a big swallow. "No."

"...Huh?" Judal blinks, his smile waning. It doesn't disappear fully, unbelieving of his brother's words. "W-what are you talking about? Haha, we've always talked about hating those guys, so why-?"

"I have to stay." The Shadow closes his eyes and then looks straight into the magi's. "I have things I need to do."

"What?" It's a soft question, but then anger strikes and it's louder. "_What_? What could you _possibly _need to do?!"

"..."

"I-I, those bastards have hurt us all our lives! Why would you want to stay? Why would you want to go back? They're sick monsters! Come with me, and we can-"

"_I ca__n't." _

"Yes you can!" Judal's hands fist. "If this is about, about what they made you do then you should know I don't care about that! I don't care about what you've done-!"

"I do, Judal!" Fury appears in the elder brother's face, and he stands suddenly, making the younger flinch back. "_I _care about what I did. About who I-"

His voice cracks, and he takes a second to compose himself.

"I did many terrible things to protect you," He whispers, running a hand over his face.

"To...Protect me?" Asad freezes, realizing what he said. "What do you mean? What...Did...Did they make you do it because-"

"Judal-"

"-Because they said they'd kill me otherwise?"

The assassin stares at his little brother, at the slight horror on the magi's face.

"They said-" Asad shakes his head. "They said they'd...Make you do it. Or they'd kill Kougyoku. Or separate us. Or they'd do it themselves and light the whole fucking town on fire."

Asad collapses back onto the coach.

Judal is quiet, waiting for Asad to continue.

He doesn't.

"They don't control you, Asad."

"They've controlled me since the day I fell into their grasp. I belong to them, no matter how hard I've struggled over the years." His eyes are glued to the ceiling. "What's the point anymore? Why run away so they can find me again?"

"They won't."

"If I do run away, what will happen to Kougyoku? What if they kill her? I'd _never_ forgive myself."

"Kougyoku's stronger than you think."

"I'd much prefer I suffer than anyone else." It hurts to realize that he's being truthful.

_All this time I thought I was doing this for Judal and Kougyoku._

_But was it really just to punish myself?_

"Are you trying to punish yourself? 'Cause that's...That's not what my brother would do." Judal shoots forward suddenly, grabbing Asad by his robes. "That's not something my brother would do at all! He'd never say 'what's the point' or 'what if', he'd just do! He'd fight on because that's the only thing the two of us are good at and tell me everything'll be alright, because he's always been the stronger one!"

"_Judal, stop crying. It's just a scratch."_

"_But it's bleeding!"_

"_Yeah, yeah, come __here you big baby."_

"_Bro…"_

"_There__, a big brother hug. Do you feel better?"_

"_...Yeah…"_

"He's always taken care of me, so I- so I'm going to take care of him now!" The grip loosens. "I won't let anyone tear us apart anymore!"

"...Judal…" A bowed head. "...You dumbass..."

His hand reaches up and gently takes the wrist holding his robes.

"I'm not gonna stop fighting, okay? So stop crying, you big baby."

Judal wipes his face quickly, glaring.

"I'm not."

"Yeah, yeah." Asad stands, surprised at how he's still taller than Judal, and hugs him. "I have a few things I have to do in Kou first, but I'll join you soon, okay? I'm done with Al Thamen."

"You promise?"

"...Yeah, I promise, dork."

* * *

"...Yeah, I promise, dork."

Ja'far stands outside the room, stoically and silently.

Underneath his robes, his hands fist.

_Zeina was right…_

He listens to the brothers laugh together once more, trying to push down his hatred.

_This man, Asad...Is __**Shade**__._

The images of a short figure in a brown cloak come to mind, of swords and movements too fast to follow.

Images of a showdown between him, the ex-assassin of Sham Lash and the great and mighty assassin Shade, of _losing._

Then gleaming knives.

Then an invisible enemy cutting down his best friends.

Then death.

He pulls out one of his darts, holding it in hand, seeing the reflection of his cold eyes.

Someone reaches out and grabs his wrist.

Blinking up at Khadeja, Ja'far meets her steady gaze.

_Don't._

_Did you know?_

Her eyes close, and then reopen.

_Don't. It's not worth it._

_You don't get it. It would be. It _would _be-_

She pulls him forward and hugs him. Then, in his ear she whispers,

"You're not him."

His arms go limp.

"..."

"I know. I know it hurts."

"..."

"But's he's a child still. And he hurts too."

"..."

"So don't." Slowly he hugs her back, his forehead pressed against her shoulder.

"What should I do?"

"...He's going to do good in the future so...Don't give him up to Sinbad yet."

"I want to."

"I know."

Ja'far doesn't respond, and they stay like that for several moments in the darkness of the hallway.

* * *

"So...Where are we going exactly?"

Zeina cracks a smile at her niece.

"Wouldn't you like to know~"

* * *

"...What?"

"Oh come now, Uncle, you didn't expect me to sit around~!" Sinbad blinks very slowly and stares down at his ward, who gives him a smile like sugar.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

"Really?! Yay! Thank you!" Just as Sinbad realizes his mistake, the ward rushes out of the room celebrating her victory.

He groans into the air.

"Sin? Where is she going?"

"...Kou, apparently. For 'diplomatic' reasons."

* * *

"Ah, Master Eren…" Eren lays a hand on Alibaba's shoulder, smiling widely.

"I know it's pretty last minute, but I think it's a good idea for me to visit home. I haven't been there in...Five and a half years. Jeez." Alibaba looks down and nods, almost sadly. "Hey, don't look so down! Didn't Sinbad suggest for you to go to the Colosseum?"

"Yeah, but...I don't know how to tell Aladdin. We haven't talked since he said he was going to Magnostadt alone."

"...Yeah, I know what you mean…" Eren's now the one looking sad. "Bad's not letting me join her, either."

"She isn't?"

"She says she has to do a few things herself...And that I need to go visit the people I love before rejoining her. It's annoying, but I get it."

"..." Alibaba grips his sword. "You're right. I have to master my Djinn Equip before I meet up with Aladdin and the others again! Thanks, Eren!"

* * *

It was a bit too quiet for Catrina's tastes, but she still musters up her courage and meets Masrur's gaze.

"Yes, so...I'm going to Remano to see my father...And then hopefully I'll go to my mother's."

"...Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" Morgiana, off to the side, blinks between the two, tilting her head in confusion.

"Me too," She says, shuffling forward. "I'm going to Carthago to see our homeland...It's just something I have to do."

"Yeah, something we have to do." Catrina smiles a bit, and nods her head. "So...I'll miss you both very much!" She launches forward and hugs Morgiana tightly, pressing their cheeks together.

"You're the very best, Mor. Thank you for being my sister! We'll definitely see each other again soon!"

"Y-yes! W-we will." Morgiana manages a small smile, her eyes shining. Then Catrina turns to Masrur and awkwardly shuffles over, giving him a hug too.

"Y-yes and th-thank you for being such a good master…" She scratches the back of her head, feeling her cheeks go red. "A-and for being so nice to me...Um…"

He scratches the back of his head, also looking away.

"Um, Masrur…" He looks down, and instantly her gaze drops. "Uh...I'm not a very good people-reader but, ah, if you were to wait for me until I come back to Sindria I'd appreciate it very much. I think I'll be a more mature person then, so..." She kicks her foot in the dust, daring to peek up.

A sliver of a smile is on his face.

"Sure thing."

She can't keep the volcano colored red from filling her face and turns away, holding her cheeks.

Again, with confusion, Morgiana looks between them.

* * *

"Is this goodbye?"

Zeina rolls her eyes, opening her arms.

"Unfortunately, yes. Come give me a hug, stupid man." A slight smile crosses Sinbad's face, and he does as she asks, pulling the Temptress to him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her head against his chest. He places his chin on top of her head, where it sits very comfortably, and takes curls into his palm to feel the their silk-like texture.

"_Why do you have to gooooo?"_

"_Why do you always whine?" Z__eina laughs, opening her arms. "Give me a hug, stupid man."_

_Sinbad rolls his eyes and does so, liking the feeling of her warmth. She didn't seem like she'd be as warm as she was, but it was almost like she radiated it. _

"_When are you coming back?"_

_She tilts her head up, smiling at him. _

"_Soon enough." _

"_Oh ha-ha." She laughs, and he grins. _

Sinbad stops as the memory hits him, pausing his his absent-minded stroking of her hair.

He realizes that he was going to kiss her back then.

For the first time, he realized he was going to.

Then he realizes that he was going to kiss her many, many times, but stopped himself. Whenever they were too close he pulled away, whenever her smiled seemed too inviting he tore his eyes off of her lips. Time and time again, when the moment was right and she looked like maybe she wouldn't have minded, he just..._Didn't_.

Actually, he _did_ kiss her once or twice, but those were accidents. He didn't mean to...Even though he wanted to.

"Hey, Sin?"

"Yeah?"

"It's okay for me to come back, right?" The question tugs at his soul, and she stares up at him, looking just slightly like she's not sure. She always looks sure, as if the answer to every problem was stored in her head. An answer springs to him quickly, the complete sincerity behind it surprising him.

"I will _always_ want you to come back."

She smiles slightly at him, and Sinbad doesn't back off.

He reaches upward, his hands slipping around her neck and cupping her chin, lifting her head. She grasps his elbows, eyes fluttering closed.

And then, he kisses her.

It was something that took too long to happen but also needed the time to cultivate, an emotion that he didn't know he had for her. It was the reason he missed her so much, it was the reason he convinced her to come back, it was the reason he always wanted to kiss her.

It was why he never gave up on Zeina De Coverna, even though it appeared she gave up on him.

He doesn't want to pull away, but does so out of necessity, pressing their foreheads together.

"Thirteen years...Why the hell did I wait thirteen years to do that?" Sinbad laughs breathily, chest moving with his deep breathes. Zeina chuckles, replying softly with an almost wistful tone,

"Because I wouldn't have let you do it a day sooner."

"Liar, you would've."

She just kisses him in response.

* * *

Catrina leaves first on a ship carrying goods heading directly for Reim.

Eren is next, on a ship headed for the country of Mystania, the closest country to the Chandlen mountains.

And then the final ship sails, carrying aboard it nine special passengers.

Yunan watches his daughter's ship sail out of Sindria harbor, a small smile coating his face.

"Well, what next, Yamu?"

The blue-haired magician gives him a mischievous smirk.

"I've already made plans."

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **I chose Starry Skies as a placeholder name. And now it is not a placeholder name.

**Fun Fact #2: **Zeina eventually found Alexio practicing with Sharrkan. She straight _cooed_ at them for a solid five minutes. ("Ah! My two babies!" "Zeina, stop it!" "M-Ma'am, people are staring...")

**Fun Fact #3: **Y'all prob think I'm kidding about the hair thing at the beginning. _I am not. _

* * *

So I've realized the way I map out chapters is really weird XD XD XD I write out what scenes I'm writing for the chapter in a sentence so I don't forget. One of the lines was, "Khadeja: STRAIGHT SPOOKY AS SHIT". Oh my God one of these days I'm going to copy and paste it on here. I'm so weird hahaha.

ALSO: I've made a poll of my profile about a possible spin-off! Plus go vote!

***Morgiana and Hakuryuu's talk: **It did happen! I just didn't want to write it, so instead I had Kougyoku and Asad spot them during their little chit-chat. And...Minna...It's time for me to reveal my darkest secret...I AM A MEGA HAKUMOR SHIIPPPPPPEEEEERRRRRRR-

**Dunya's 'suicide': **Yeah...Asad killed Dunya, but made it look like she killed herself. But this is necessary because A. now Bad knows how such a death could affect Aladdin and the rest of her friends if _she_ killed _herself_ and B. Asad got character development/Dunya's relationship with him had more depth. So. Yeah. :(

**ZeinaXSinbad: **I said last chapter I wasn't going to do it. BUT I LIED! I DID IT GOD HELP ME- (just felt like it will make things a lot sadder, you know~?)

**Catrina's Father: **It's coming._ And I'm so effing excited._

**Asad: **He's having a few realizations about his life, mostly about Judal and Kougyoku. In this chappie not one but _both_ of them pretty much told him to stop worrying about protecting them, while also encouraging him to move past Al Thamen. Asad's going to take these words to heart!

**MasCat: **Ooh yes Cat asked Rory-chan to wait for her~! She's not sure about her feelings yet, which is why she asked him to wait for her to come back to Sindria, since she doesn't really know how to handle a relationship yet. Kind of like how Morgiana asked Alibaba to wait for her as well in some chapter I am too lazy to search up.

**Pirate arc: **Ugh. Ugh. UGH. I didn't want it to come to this, but as it turns out, there is going to be more people than I wanted in the pirate arc. Oh well. The more the merrier...Maybe more people will distract me from the fact that I _hate this arc_ for no apparent reason...

**Upcoming arcs: **OOOOHHH MA GAWD. I'm so excited! After the Pirate arc (which is one chapter bc fuck this arc), there is going to be 5 (technically 6) ARCS: the Ren arc, Shadow arc, Fanalis-Amala arc, and De Coverna arc (which is 2-part, btw), and Chandlen arc **(these are not in order bc HAH)**. They all start from the end of the pirate arc and follow our five mains on their year-long journey, and I've decided they will be told from the POV of the character the arc follows, with a few exceptions of side character POVs to progress the story. Each arc, despite being 1-3 chappies long, has it's own individual plot...But they all end up tying together~!

(You do not know how long I've worked on this ^^^)

**Ren Arc: **Originally titled "Magnostadt arc", but I had an epiphany and changed it up so that we'd see Ei-Ren and the funeral without crapping up the order of a few things. Also I've delayed Aladdin's discovery of "Kouhime" for a short while.


	33. Chapter 32: Third Strike, You're Out

Guys I was legit going to make this a musical XD You do not know how serious I'm being right now. Also this isn't edited yet so I'll do that tomorrow. Have a nice read!

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**NINTH ARC: **Pirates of Penzance

CHAPTER 32: Third Strike, You're Out

* * *

It felt like, sometimes, that she'd never escape certain things.

War followed her like a plague, breeding from her footsteps like weeds and spreading like a virus. Hatred liked to cling to her the same way a black cloak would, hugging her shoulders and slowing her down. Guilt and anger were swords clashing in front of her, a constant battle where there were no winners.

But there was one thing that would never, ever, _ever_ leave her alone.

_Ships._

"It's always a ship. 100%, always. _Ships_." Aladdin giggles beside Bad, putting his hands behind his head.

"What even is a ship? Is it an object? A person? Or perhaps a _feeling._"

"What are you even saying?"

"Honestly I don't know anymore, Al. I just don't know."

Bad had not minded at first that she was bound for ship-dom, as there were too many things on her mind that distracted her. First, Hakuei. Second, Hakuryuu. Third, _Alibaba._

The blonde had gotten on the ship in "secret", but Eren and Centola both had spilled the beans to everyone a few day in advance of their departure. In turn, they decided to prank Alibaba. Which was actually very funny.

Until Bad realized that she was going to be spending her final days not with Aladdin, but with Aladdin _and _Bear-baba.

Hm. Bear-baba.

_Where'd that one come from?_

She had imagined just sitting around talking to Aladdin about magic and giggling at his jokes, but now it seemed like Alibaba was making it his life's goal to interrupt them at every turn.

Bad doesn't remember him being that intrusive in the Other.

(Though, back then he seemed to like cooing at them with Hakuei like loving parents.)

She'd tried shooing him to talk with Hakuryuu and Morgiana, but they seemed like they were in their own little world and Centola was busy trying to keep Khadeja from killing someone and Zeina from drinking too much.

That's when she had to thank God for Alexio.

The older boy would ask Alibaba to mentor him in swordsmanship, and with a dreamy look Alibaba would accept. Then came a few hours of peace, at least.

But it didn't really matter. Time was ticking down, and it really made Bad depressed to think about parting ways with Al...It was hard enough splitting with Eren and Catrina.

Watching Cat going up the ramp was only made bearable by Eren's hand swallowing her own. The Fanalis girl had hesitated at the top, turning to look back down at them. They waved to one another, their eyes filling with tears. Bad's throat burned as Catrina walked onto the ship. She looked too young and too lonely standing next to the sailors hauling on goods bound for Reim. She wasn't ready.

But then the memory of Catrina's eager, shiny eyes when she talked about her parents flashed through Bad's head and the girl was forced to just swallow down her emotions. Eren seemed to understand, the reluctance to let one of his sisters go evident in his deep frown.

They had watched the ship sail until it disappeared on the blue horizon, locking gazes with Catrina until they couldn't see orange anymore.

Letting Eren go was harder.

It wasn't something she'd say out loud, because she missed Catrina with every inch of her heart. But Eren was...Eren was…

Not more important. She loved them both the same amount. But the reason that Bad was able to love Catrina in the first place was because the stupid Chandlen had grown around her heart. He was her barrier against every wound, he healed even the deepest scars she felt. As long as she had Eren, she would never be alone or scared. He'd never, ever abandon her like everyone else had.

Before he left he swooped her up the way he always does, carrying her princess style toward his ship. She had firmly wrapped her arms around his neck, hiding her face in his muscles.

"I don't hafta go." He said softly, leaning his head against hers. She shook her head.

"You have to."

He chuckled, a melancholy sound. The others who came to see him off left them alone, knowing that it was a goodbye neither of them wanted to do.

"I'll miss ya, Princess."

Her throat burned again, and it felt very hard to tread the path between stability and depression. But she had to pull through. She couldn't allow herself to give up and ruin her friends' lives, she couldn't allow anyone to feel-

"_I could've helped her if she was feeling that terrible!"_

-Like that.

"Mountain...I think I'm going to change your name," She whispered, clutching at him. "You can be my Knight."

Eren was silent, and he set her down. He placed both his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her seriously. His accent disappeared, replaced with firm, decisive choice in his words.

"You're right. I'm your Knight in shining armor. Which means no matter what happens, you call me if something bad happens. You come and find me and I'll protect you, okay?" She looked down. "Okay, Bad? Promise. If you think Hakuei is going to hurt you, or Al Thamen is going to do something, or even if something just doesn't _feel _right, you come find me or contact me to come get you. Your safety means the most to me."

"Why?"

"..." He stroked her hair, his hand so big it nearly cupped the whole half of her head. "Because you're the Princess I rescued from the tower, remember?"

It was horrible, watching him leave after that. She wanted to cling to him some more, wanted to make their goodbye just a little bit longer so that it didn't hurt watching him leave. It got to the point that when Zeina came over and rested a hand on her head, Bad clung to the Temptress. She didn't even really talk to Zeina that much, but for some reason the soothing, motherly attitude the woman radiated finally appealed.

Watching Eren sail away was harsh and real and hurt like hell, but she gripped onto the blonde woman and allowed her to brush the pink strands out of her face.

"Eren asked me to tell you to brush your hair while he's gone." The Temptress broke the silence a few minutes after the boat left the harbor completely. Bad snorted.

"Of course he did."

The only good thing about leaving the following day was that she didn't have to see Yunan and Yamu go, and enjoyed being fussed over by her parents during the time of her departure. Yamu had plans and Yunan was free as a bird, but they were staying in Sindria until their darling daughter left. It was a good feeling to have them hug her and say that they loved her, double checking her luggage to make sure she had everything she'd need.

Then she was on the ship, had Centola say that she thought Alibaba was gay, and watched Alibaba dissolve into a sobbing mess on the floor of the adjoining room.

(She almost cried from laughter. The prank was _savage_.)

"-Ad?" Blinking into reality, Bad meets Aladdin's blue gaze. "Hey, what's up?"

"Huh? No, I just starting thinking about some stuff," She casually brushes it off, and Aladdin accepts her excuse, beginning to chat about Magnostadt. He was excited about the new things he'd study and the possibility of becoming an even greater magician. His eyes lit up when he talked about it, and his hand movements became faster.

She liked watching him talk about his interests. It felt a lot like the Other, when she'd sit beside him and watch him excitedly point out people and explain things. He likes having someone to talk to who listens.

Maybe because he's always the one who listens.

"Hey, kids, Aktia is on the horizon!" The captain comes over to them talking, smiling kindly. He motions with his head, and Bad looks toward the landmass in the distance.

Morgiana pads to the front of the ship, narrowing her eyes at the country.

She tilts her head, curiously turning her head to the side.

"...Is that….Fire?"

"_You got good eyes, girl."_

* * *

Having a sword to your throat was a not a new experience, but every time it happened Bad found that the same feeling hit her.

The cool blade against her skin, the steady adrenaline pumping through her. Any pressure would draw blood against the sensitive skin, any movement tightened her attacker's hold. A prick of pain radiates in her side, and with it a sense of annoyance springs up.

"Good job, short stuff," Bad drawls, rolling her eyes. "You got me. Now, are you going to let go or am I going to need to make you?"

"Shut up," The rough growl resonates in her ear, hot breath fanning the side of her face. "Let go of my friends or the girl gets it!" Hakuryuu's eyes meet hers.

When the bastard pirates showed up, it was a free for all. Mor and Alibaba on the right, Aladdin and her on the left, Khadeja beating the shit out of anyone who went near Centola...Or looked her way.

It was all going well until a blonde, a Fanalis and a blue haired boy got thrown overboard; then Bad went slightly nuts and may have threatened to kill one of the sons of bitches. That's when she started fighting the head pirate as Hakuryuu pulled the trio out of the water.

Then she made the careless mistake of looking over to check on Aladdin.

(It was stupid because _she knew better _and _this was drilled into her during the war_.)

Never, ever, ever, _ever, ever, __**ever**_ check on your comrades during battle, not if you want to live. It's cruel and depressing and a universal rule every warrior followed. She had seen many of her friends die, but there was more that died when she wasn't watching.

(Morgiana.)

("_Sorry."_)

But she followed it because she _did_ want to live. Aladdin followed it too. It was the hardest when they fought together, because it wasn't really _together_. It was more like he held her tight, they took up their armor and weapons, and then it was battle. Afterwards she remembers running as hard as she could through the camp looking for him, and collapsing into his arms when she found him.

It was her greatest fear that she wouldn't find him one day.

So there Bad was, Sheba in the hands of one pirate and she in the hands of another.

"Olba, right? I heard your friends."

"Bad. I heard yours." He shifts the blade closer. "Weird name, but I ain't complaining."

"Oi, let go of her," Hakuryuu says, holding up Zagan. The wood of his fake arm slithers across the planks, and frighten the pirates already locked in the Fourth Prince's grasp. Aladdin lifts up his staff and Alibaba his sword, each boy looking pissed at Olba's careless pick of a hostage.

"We want your cargo," Olba abruptly states, digging the blade farther into Bad's neck. She forces her face to go still, almost bored.

"Don't give it to them." Bad tells Hakuryuu, rolling her eyes once more. "They're all greedy brats. You can see it in their eyes."

"Shut up!" Olba digs his hook into her side, making her wince as it pierces the skin. Aladdin lets out a soft growl, tightening his grip over the staff.

The door leading to the lower decks slams open and Alexio stumbles out, sword in hand. His eyes widen when he takes in the predicament.

"What's going on?" He asks, rushing over to Aladdin. Olba studies him, his eyes going wide for a fraction of a second before narrowing.

"How old are you and he?" Olba's question is a demand, soft to only be heard by Bad. The girl raises an eyebrow but answers for the sake of curiosity,

"I'm eleven, he's twelve. Why?"

The head pirate "tsk"s and and motions to the other pirates.

"I repeat, hand over your cargo or else pinkie here gets it!"

"Pinkie?!"

The others eye the blade at Bad's neck before slowly complying, going off to the side as indicated by the pirates. Hakuryuu doesn't look happy, but he lets go of the several pirates he had in his grip and joins his friends, eyes making a quick gesture toward one of the bags.

Bad feels herself begin to smile.

That is, until, Olba grabs her and throws her into taller boy's hands.

"Hey, what's the big idea-?!" A hand slaps over her mouth. Aladdin opens his mouth to shout, but it's surprisingly Alexio who takes the initiative.

"Let her go!" The brown haired boy yells, unsheathing his sword and glaring daggers at Olba. Olba stares at him for a while, lips parting almost as if in shock. Awkwardly, and slightly confused, Alexio lowers his sword just an inch or two.

That's enough.

Olba's hook lashes out and rips through Alexio's shirt, pulling him forward. Off balance, Alexio tries to swing before the older boy's hand wipes forward and knocks the sword away. His fist connects with Alexio's stomach, and with a gasp the boy falls forward, unconscious.

"Ale-!" The air rushes out of her, and Bad falls down as well, black spots covering her vision.

* * *

There was something nice about returning home, and something sad as well.

Asad's hair is tousled by the breeze, the silver hair being brushed away from his forehead. He brings a pale hand up to his hair, pulling it farther back as he stares out at the ocean with his inky eyes. He doesn't really remember what he looked like before Al Thamen, but he knows they changed him somehow.

_From a boy full of a life to a man without color. _

Footsteps from behind him and Kougyoku appears at his side, smiling slightly at him.

"Home-bound." He comments, looking down at her. Her smile fades ever so slightly.

"Home-bound."

"I'm not giving up." Kougyoku's mouth opens, and she blinks at him with those big eyes sprinkled with life and innocence. The assassin shrugs, a smirk touching his lips. "I've decided that you mean more to me than anything else. I'm not giving up on you."

"...Asad…" She shakes her head, worry written in the lines of her face. "You can't. If anyone finds out-"

"I don't care. You're worth it." He scans the deck, finding no one else in sight. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and tugs her into his side. "I don't really know when I started loving you, but I do know that I'll be damned if you're taken from me the minute I finally got you."

She has, surprisingly, a darker skin tone than his, but it contrasts beautifully when he locks their fingers together. It looks even better when her head rests on his black-clothed shoulder, the strands of rose-colored hair stand out vibrantly. She sighs happily, a beautiful smile he's always cherished blossoming from her.

"If you promise to be careful...Then…" She giggles, giddy. "Then I'll allow it. It will be tough to get En-nii's approval..."

"He's never liked me, but I daresay I can win him over."

"Give it your best!"

"If that is my Princess's desire."

_From a boy full of life to a man without color._

He leans down and presses his lips to her forehead.

_But I can still protect her._

* * *

_Poke, poke._

Bad groans, turning on her side. Vaguely she hears someone huff.

_Poke, poke._

"Eri, I wanna sleep…" She whines, snuggling into her bed.

Her bed that feels wet.

And hard.

And slimy-

_Ew oh my God!_

Bad snaps up, hissing at the headache that accompanies the action, and looks around her. Her wrists are bound and so are her ankles. When she moves, she notices a brown haired boy beside her with surprised eyes.

"Alexio?"

"Hey." He gives a shaky smile and looks around him. "Looks like we're trapped, huh?"

"Yeah…" Bad shifts so she's not sitting on her side, looking around the cave. "Is this the pirate base?"

"Looks to be. I can hear them eating in the next room." Bad scans the area once more, looking at the rocks rutting out and the dirt floor. They didn't exactly live in sanitary conditions, but Aladdin had told her the story about the island hideout a hundred times so she wasn't expecting five-star accommodations.

"Do you have anything sharp?"

"No, they took away my sword and your staff." Alexio grumbles it, and in his face she can see the wounded pride. "Damn! I'm sorry, Bad. I tried to help but all I did was make things worse."

"It's not your fault," She soothes him, squinting through the darkness toward the door "You were trying to protect me. It was really, really admirable of you."

She doesn't notice his blush through the darkness.

"O-oh, no, it was nothing…" Bad tugs on the ropes, finding them tight on her wrists.

"Maybe...Hey, there's a sharp rock over there. Can you grab-?"

"Don't try anything." The door opens and light floods in. Bad winces at the brightness, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She meets a green gaze and blinks slowly, tilting her head.

_Huh?_

"Olba," He reminds them, crossing his arms. "The name's Olba. So, you're Bad and he's…"

"Alexio," Alexio speaks up for himself, raising an eyebrow at the pirate. "My name is Alexio. Why the hell'd you kidnap us?"

"I'll be the one asking the questions." His hook gleams ominously as he stalks toward them. "You, girl, are you a magician?"

"I dabble."

"And the boy's a swordsman?"

"Apprentice." Alexio grumbles again, cheeks staining red.

"How much magoi do you two have?" They don't answer. Olba sighs. "God, fine, I'll answer."

He pulls out a big, shiny orb from one of his pockets. He forces it into Alexio's hand, and whistles when it glows a bright blue.

"Shit, you've got a lot…" This seems to weigh on Olba for a moment before he regains his senses and then passes it to Bad. Bad rolls her eyes as he shoves it into her bound hands, not fighting.

The orb glows a blinding white, and Olba lets out a sound of complete confusion. He quickly snatches it out of the girl's grasp and stares wide-eyed at her.

"What the fuck?" He asks in confusion. "It's never- it doesn't do that-"

"Is that good or bad?" She gives the biggest smirk she can and then laughs at Olba's pale-faced scowl. "How old are you, twelve?"

"Fourteen..." The pirate answers quietly, still too shocked to realize that he answered her. "I'm telling mom about this-"

"No need, Olba." They all turn back to the doorway, where a woman stands. Her hair was a cascade of wavy locks to her feet, her eyes the most unusual Bad had ever seen. Her scleras were darkly colored but her pupils were light, her eye-shape slanted down to compliment her long lashes. She wears a smile that sends shivers down even Bad's back.

"I suppose you're 'mother', yes?"

"I am. And who might you be?"

"Well, my name is Bad." She giggles, tilting her head to the side. "Oh, wait, silly me! Not actually "Bad", but Badroulbadour. I like to shorten it but sometimes people get confused! Hehe!"

If her usually charming introduction fazes the woman, she doesn't show it.

"Adorable. My name is Umm Madaura."

"What does it mean?"

Taken aback, Madaura pauses before saying,

"Someone once told me it meant 'Great Holy Mother'."

"Who was that?"

Madaura's face darkens for a fraction of a second before replying,

"No one I'd like to see again." Realizing that she's gotten off track the pirate Queen kneels beside Bad, showering her with a large smile. "But you, oh you poor thing, what are you doing traveling alone? Where are your parents?"

"Back in Sindria." The Princess looks to Alexio. "We're just making atrip to see our uncle; he's a general in the Aktia army."

"You two aren't related." Madaura pats her head. "Even I can see that, little one. But I admire your courage...And your quick tongue. Say, would you like a real mother?"

"What-?" She doesn't have time to respond before there's a bright light in her eyes. Alexio lets out a shout, but all Bad can see is-

_Mother._

* * *

Zeina paces a few steps, turns, and studies the group in front of her with an unreadable expression.

"Alright. So these pirates attacked us."

As elected leader of the six, Centola reluctantly nods.

"Then they kidnapped Bad and Alexio."

Once more, Centola nods. Aladdin looks away, his face tense.

"And none of you caught their names or, you know, _woke me up?"_

"You passed out because you drank too much," Khadeja reminds (accuses) her. Zeina gives a scoff that somehow does not come off like a scoff.

"I probably would've done a better job than you six," The Matriarch sighs and flips her hair over her shoulder, looking toward the harbor. "Okay, here's the plan. We get to the coast, contact the navy, and get them to lend us a ship."

"We're going after them ourselves?" Khadeja asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well I'm not letting Alexio get converted into a pirate, if that's what you're asking." The blonde never looked so serious. "Or Bad, for that matter."

"Converted…? What do you mean?" Alibaba now questions. Zeina gets quiet, crossing her arms.

"I've heard rumors about Aktia. I wasn't sure they were true until Sinbad confirmed my fears…"

"What? What is it?"

Zeina sighs deeply, troubled, and looks Alibaba in the eyes.

"Children. The pirates are kidnapping and brainwashing children."

* * *

"Madaura!" The pirate Queen pauses in her stroking of the child's hair, looking over to Olba. The boy rushes over with the pearl in hand, looking slightly confused. "That girl, she-"

"She made the magoi-measuring tool go off the charts, I know." Madaura sets the child down, smiling slightly at Olba. "She has incredible power."

"So that's why we need her?"

"Of course. She'll make awonderful addition to the family...And that boy, too. He made the pearl light up brightly, like you did once."

_But with her, I won't need any of these other brats._

The next child comes up, plopping down on her lap. Madaura strokes the girl's hair and leans back, cooing to her.

"Right, Badroulbadour?"

Red eyes just look back at her in a daze.

"Yes...Mother."

* * *

A deep sigh.

"She got kidnapped?"

"Unfortunately." Zeina can feel her mood turn somber. "And so did Alexio."

Sinbad's face in the pearl softens. Yamuraiha had given out a magic tool before they had left, distributing three to Zeina, Bad and Aladdin and another to Sinbad. If they wanted to contact Sindria all they had to do was inject the pearl with magic and they'd get a response from either Yamu or the High King.

"I can send help-"

"It'll take too long," Zeina interrupts, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Cent and the others already went to go get them. I'm working on getting the military to help."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Not really." Zeina goes quiet. "Do you think it's her, Sin?"

"..." The King's eyes go just a shade darker. "It's her MO."

Zeina breathes through her nose and closes her eyes.

"That _bi_...Yeah. That seems about right."

"Zeina, I'll send someone down if you-"

"No, it's fine. I can handle it." She rolls her eyes. "Really, so overprotective."

He starts to smile before squashing it down.

"If you need help contact me, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, Sinboy."

He levels a stare, not breaking eye contact.

"You've always been stubborn, but you have to promise me. If anything happens…"

"You've always underestimated me. If I do recall, _I'm _the one who first gave _you_ this speech."

"The tables have turned, Zein. I'm the responsible one now." She laughs, as if finding it funny.

"Alright, well, we'll have to see about that." She smirks at him. "I have to go, I have a meeting with a captain. Thanks for making me feel better."

"You didn't promise me yet."

Zeina just gives a wider smile.

"We'll see."

* * *

Alexio blinks hard, pressing a hand to his pounding temple.

"...Are you alright?" Olba asks, eyeing him. Alexio shakes his head, looking around him with bewilderedness.

"That woman...Is not...My mother…"

"..." Olba pats the boy's back. "It's okay, Alexio. She may not be, but you'll soon see her that way."

"Why?" The short teen pauses. "Why should I? My mother...I don't remember her...But she's my _mother_. I can't just give that title to anyone else…!"

"It's not about a title. It's about the act of motherhood."

"I don't…" Alexio squeezes his eyes shut, pressing his forehead against his knees. "Mom…"

Olba sits next to the kid and, with no little amount of hesitation, puts his arm around the boy's shoulders. Alexio leans against him dazedly, still whimpering with conflict.

"Bad...I have to help her…" He murmurs, but Olba hushes him.

"Hey, it's okay…" Olba bites his lip. "...It's okay, _Micah_."

* * *

_**Boom.**_

Bad jolts, blinking up from her nap. Her mother giggles down at her, bouncing her on her knee.

"Oh dear, did that wake you?"

"...Yes, mother. What is it?" Her mother gives a delicate smile, smoothing down her hair. Suddenly Bad's young and small, a four year old listening to her mother read her a story.

"Just visitors," The giggle is so nice and warm. Her mother's eyes are very gorgeous. Around the pupil is gray, and outward from there it's a green. Then the ends are ringed with a navy blue, a shade like the sea. Her hair surrounds her in long, straight locks, tickling Bad's nose.

Bad's nose.

Kouhime's nose.

Kouhime had asked her, once, why she didn't look like her. Her mother had giggled quietly and shook her head, kissing Kouhime's forehead.

"_You are perfect just the way you are, lovely."_

"If mother needs your help with something, you'll do it, right dear?"

"Of course, mommy."

The world melts away, the sounds of fighting disappearing.

Kouhime sleeps again in her mother's arms.

* * *

Children.

Everywhere, there were children.

It made fear shoot through Aladdin's bones, quickened the movement of his legs. He tries to go as fast he can, but it's hard and makes his lungs burn. Beside him, Mor is struggling to run, coughing up water. Pirates on either side of them cry out in shock or just cry, their swords wobbling in their tiny hands. Alibaba looks shocked, one arm supporting up Centola, and Hakuryuu just clenches his jaw and runs straight ahead.

"It should be this way!" Centola says, holding up the end of her dress. They were all sopping from the dive Aum Madaura had forced them to take, and it left a trail of water behind them. "We have to find Bad and Alexio. They can't be far."

"Do you think Bad's alright?" Aladdin asks, cautiously. His worry increases, causing his heart to pound painfully against the back of his lungs. The thought of Bad becoming one of these brainwashed pirates made him feel sick, like he it'd be all his fault if she got hurt.

It was, kind of, though.

He should've launched forward like Alexio to save her. He should've been taken too; it was only fair. Instead he stood shell shocked as the brown haired boy clashed blades with the head pirate. Aladdin saw the bravery and loyalty in blue eyes, was surprised to see the lengths Alexio'd go to in order to save Bad.

It was something he should've done, but didn't.

And that's what made shame course through him. Someone else did what he was supposed to. He's not sure how he knew he was supposed to, but he _knew_.

The sound of feet against the floor stops him, and a crowd of young, _young_, children come out of the shadows wielding daggers.

Aladdin puts aside his morals and opinions, and levels his staff.

(It's his turn now, Alexio)

* * *

The first thing that Centola sees when she enters the room is a woman. Her hair is so long it flows from her head, over the armrests of her chair and brushes the floor. She holds something, _someone_, and smiles serenely at the intruders.

"Ah, what brave children," She purrs, "You've come so far, you're so strong!"

"Give back the children and the cargo!" Alibaba demands, brandishing his sword. "If you don't…"

He leaves the thought unfinished, but Madaura just smirks.

"You won't attack me," She giggles, a sickening sound. Centola cringes, finding her actions to be deplorable. But, because she remembers what happens next, she lets loose tendrils of mist from her arms. The pink clouds spread toward her friends, pooling around their ankles.

Madaura chokes, looking at Centola as if not noticing her at first. Centola turns and meets her gaze head on, unafraid.

"...Such beauty...And that magic..." Madaura shows her teeth in a form of a growl, fisting her hands. "You...You are a De Coverna, aren't you?!"

Centola raises a brow, but nods.

"My name is Centola De Coverna, heir to the De Coverna Family!" She waves her hand and the mist lurches forward, starting to travel toward the pirate children swarming around the base of Madaura's raised throne.

"Heir? Don't tell me you're the child of that _awful_ _woman_?" Madaura sneers, but then she freezes and an easy smile crosses her face. "No...That's good…"

She raises her gloved hand, and Centola acts quickly, mushrooming her magic around her group. A bright light hits them, a giant circle appears. Within it beautiful pictures appear of mothers and their children, detailed and gently colored in baby blues and blush-colored pinks. They blink against it, before a gust of wind hits them.

"H-huh?"

"Holy Mother Halo _Fan_." Madaura cries, laughing. "A magic that beats even that of _the De Covernas_!"

Centola consolidates the magic cloud around her and Hakuryuu, but fails to spread it. They watch hopelessly as the pink mist dissolves around Alibaba and the others.

"N-no!" Hakuryuu cries, holding up his pole arm. Centola raises a hand to stop him from attacking, studying the room.

_Where's Bad?! She wouldn't fall prey to this-!_

With horror, Centola finally catches a good look at the child curled into Madaura. A girl with bright pink hair and sleepy pink eyes pops her head up to stare at them.

_Pink...Eyes? Bad doesn't…?_

"Oh, my dearest, you're awake?" Madaura coos, ignoring the attacking group. Alibaba falls to his knees, clutching at his head as Morgiana cries tearfully for her "mother". Aladdin clenches his jaw, his eyes widening once he catches sight of Bad. "Aw, you're so adorable! Look at your new siblings."

"Do you recognize them?"

Bad shakes her head, standing.

"No, mother."

Coldness spreads down Centola's body.

_Mother. Bad's mother._

A shaky sigh.

"C-Centola-dono, don't tell me Bad was…"

"Yes. If there is one weakness to Bad…" The Temptress straightens and glares holes into Madaura's head. "It's her mother."

"Cent, she-!" Alibaba sobs, struggling to raise to his feet. "She looks like mom!"

_Anise._

Centola's heart lurches. She wonders if she let Madaura attack her if she'd see Lilliana again. See green eyes matching hers, soft brown hair slipping through her tiny hands, a bright smile...Watching the sunsets on Junkyard Street together. But now is not the time to be thinking about that, so Centola goes back to studying the room. She spots Alexio behind the pirates, being shielded by Olba. He appears dazed, but frowns when he catches Centola's gaze, shaking his head.

_Alexio's fighting it._

If only…

"Aladdin, help the others!" Centola commands, grabbing Hakuryuu's wrist. She looks into his eyes and shoves down her conscience, putting power into her words. "Don't fall into her trap."

The command registers in Hakuryuu's eyes, bonding them together. She tightens her grip to apply more magic into the spell. Zeina taught Centola that Temptation magic was effective in the mist form, but touch was a major way of spell casting. It was impossible to resist if a Temptress was touching someone while giving the command.

With this solidified, Centola steps away from Hakuryuu and takes a deep breath.

Her magic vs. Madaura's.

And possibly Bad's. Deciding not to let that happen, Centola goes for the surprise hit. She launches forward, throwing out her arm to shoot off her mist. The pink fog goes forward, going to the Pirates. Olba dodges it, but some of them aren't as lucky.

"Sleep!" One of the smaller ones go down, but the others still stand on shaky legs. Slowly they raise their swords, still willing to fight. Centola bites her lip. "Drop your weapons!"

Two do.

The rest take their first steps toward her. She hears the mocking laugh of Madaura ringing in her ears. Something locks into place within her head, and she realizes what to do. Pumping her legs, she barely misses the swing of a sword and ducks below a punch, grabbing the discarded sword of a frozen Pirate.

Then, exploding her mist around her, she yells,

"_Mother!"_

* * *

Alexio didn't know who his mother was.

What he did learn from a wacko on the street was that she was his father were desperately poor, and his mom died when he was three. In order to save himself and, to a lesser extent, his son, Alexio's father gave him to an orphanage. The same orphanage that ignored him, abused him, forgot his name. He got free when it burned to the ground, and roamed the streets at the tender age of nine with only a useless ring in his hand.

So it didn't make a lot of sense when a woman appeared who he distinctly knew as his mother. Someone warm and brown haired and with eyes that were a peculiar shade of spring green. Her nose was slightly crooked, and her teeth weren't the best, but she was his mother and he loved her.

That made him jolt.

How could he love someone who he barely remembered? How could he instantly accept her so readily when he didn't _know _her?

Then Olba came into his vision, rubbing his back as he curled into the older boy. Olba was kind, and he knew him somehow. He knew Olba better than the vision of his mother.

He held onto that deeply, he built his reality around that point.

_I know Olba better._

Whenever that vision became strong he sought out Olba and the illusion faded slightly. He was able to make things out beside the head pirate.

Beside Olba was two other older boys.

Next to those two older boys were several mean-looking girls.

Around those girls toddlers whined for attention.

Behind those toddlers was a metal wall.

He concentrated and didn't allow the vision to break him, but that still didn't allow for movement.

Olba was standing in front of him.

Next to Olba were pirates.

In front of Olba was a beautiful girl.

_Cen…_

The name was hard to remember.

A book appears in his lap, and he stares at it for a moment before it comes back to him.

_Centola: light of knowledge._

Centola. Centola was there.

Centola who was…

Alexio squeezes his eyes shut. He can't tell. He couldn't remember. Whenever he closed his eyes, his mom appeared and he wanted it to _stop _because it felt too nice and he _knew that it was too nice._

"_Mother!" _

The call was loud and charming and twinged with honey. It flew into his mind and triggered something he didn't know how to describe.

"_H-hey, Micah…" His mother was crying, sobbing. She was cradling him, kissing the top of his forehead. "I have to go away, okay? But, but you need to be a good boy for me. You need to live a good life, okay? You...Don't talk to strangers. Don't be stupid with your money like your father and I. Don't believe a girl when she says she wants no strings attached because she always does."_

_A rough laugh. Alexio looks over his shoulder, seeing a man covering his face with his hands. _

"_Please don't hurt others. And...Don't forget that I love you."_

_A kiss on his forehead, again, final._

"_I love you, Micah."_

_Then he's picked up as his mother starts coughing._

Alexio blinks.

"My mother…" Then anger fills him. He stands up, turning to Madaura. She stands looking down at them with a mixture of confusion and frustration. "You...You dare try and use my mother against me?!"

The other pirates shake off their shock and stare at Alexio, their eyes wide. Some of them start crying, others are so confused and in denial that they just freeze.

"What gives you the right to defile her image in my mind?!" Alexio is screaming now, pointing at her. "You're a monster! Trying to control me by using my mother?! She...She would never want me to do that things you want me to!"

"Dear, that's-"

"Yeah." It's a small voice, but the room quiets at it. A pirate lowers his sword, looking at the floor. Again, as if in revelation, "Mommy wouldn't."

Uum looks so stricken at the voice, unbelieving. Shakily she smiles down at the child.

"What are you saying? You're protecting me-"

"You're not my mother," The pirate drops the sword completely, taking off his hat. He finally meets the pirate Queen's gaze, looking hurt and scared and very confused. "Mom used to call me her little mushroom. She told me not to live a life like, like _this one."_

He starts breathing harshly.

"She said she didn't want that for me!"

"What are you saying, Bhrol?" Olba shouts, but even his arms are shaking. "How dare you treat our mother like this!"

"But it's true!" Suddenly the room is filled with arguing pirates. Behind Olba's yelling form, Centola is smiling slightly at her victory. She meets his gaze and leans down, sliding a sword toward him. He grabs it quickly and pushes his way through, going back to back with her.

"What'd you do?"

"I made everyone remember their real mother," Centola softly replies. "I made them remember that their mothers wouldn't want this."

Alexio smiles sadly, gripping his sword.

"It worked pretty well, huh…?"

"Yes. I guess it did…"

"Cent!" Alexio turns to the voice at the same time as the older girl, watching Alibaba rushing towards them with his sword in hand. "What'd you do?"  
"Ah, nevermind that, let's defeat Uum before the pirates come to their senses." Alibaba crisply nods, Morgiana, Aladdin and Hakuryuu right behind him. They go to the throne only to find it empty, no Bad or Umm in sight.

Alexio whirls around, looking at the door. Madaura rushes there with Bad at her side, reaching for the door handle.

"Hey!" Alexio cries, running toward her.

His sword is blocked by another, and in surprise he locks gazes with Olba. Grinding his teeth together he yells to the others to go after Umm, pressing forward to force Olba back. He uses the slippery style Sharrkan taught him, while also using the forward-back movement Alibaba champions.

He may be young, but Alexio prides himself in the fact that he's been practicing everyday for months to become better. Zeina chose him out of all the orphans on the street for no other reason other than she was being kind. She named him defender, and that's driven him to practice and practice and practice some more.

Which is why, with pride, he's able to match Olba's stronger strokes with his technique.

"Hey, kid, what'd you see?"

"Alexio." He corrects roughly, taking two steps back. Olba eyes his blade and repeats,

"What'd you see?"

Alexio pauses, knowing what he's referring to.

"I saw a woman with pretty green eyes."

"...Yeah?"

"She was sick. Maybe dying. But she told me to live a good, long life."

"..." Olba looks down, his grip tightening on the sword handle. "She had a crooked nose?"

"..." The brown haired boy wants to pause and stare at him, but continues to hold up the blade between them. "And one of her front teeth grew in wrong?"

"..." A small, imperceptible nod. Alexio's breath catches, but he doesn't allow himself to dwell on it, doesn't allow himself to look into Olba's peculiar spring colored eyes.

"She called me Micah."

"I know."

* * *

Kouhime was dreaming pleasantly, until the visitors came.

"_Mother!"_

Something..._Happened_, then. Something changed.

Suddenly it all came back.

_Her mother was lying in a pool of blood, gripping her hands._

"_Do you get it, Kouhime? Do you understand now?"_

"_M-mommy?" Her mother sighs with tremendous burden, as if the labor of it all was becoming too much to bear._

"_I'm sorry Kouhime. I'm sorry. But I can't take it anymore...You understand, right? I told you the story after all so...Yes, you get it…" Tears start to fall, of sadness and hurt and the pain of leaving behind a child. "Oh baby, I love you...I swear I do, but you-you were only born because that _man _hurt me…"_

"_Mommy, please don't bleed anymore," Kouhime sobs, trying to press down on the wounds. "Please don't leave me, mommy…"_

"_Kouhime...Just please…" Her mother makes her lean down so she can kiss the child's soft cheek. A little thing of only four, a tiny girl she just can't liv__e for. "Promise me...Promise me you won't lose to them."_

"_I-I promise."_

"_Good...We always keep our promises…"_

Then Bad was gasping and clutching to a woman, a woman who wasn't her mother-

But she was, actually.

Her eyes were such a pretty blue, her hair shiny, short locks of black. She wore lipstick that was a lovely shade of red against her pale, unblemished skin, and her hand was so gentle when it touches hers.

"You won't disobey mother, right?"

Bad pauses.

Kouhime smiles.

And she nods.

* * *

"Bad!" Aladdin calls, running to the door. Alexio and Hakuryuu cover him and the others by clashing with the pirates who resisted Centola's counter-brainwashing.

A pinch of confusion hits him once he sees Bad's gaze. He had expected wine-colored eyes with a mischievous glint to turn to him, he had expected to see the certain darker coloring that expressed her intelligence. Eyes that comforted him with their certainty and wisdom. Instead, he got different eyes. Different eyes on the same face, a face that was pale and pretty and strikingly innocent. They were pink.

A lighter color than her hair, a shade colored in gentle hues. It was a color he didn't see very often, that of a pale white rose with its tips dipped in pink. They glowed, too, two pools of light filled with naivete and docileness. He wanted to reject this new development, think that it didn't suit her in the slightest, but it did.

It championed her delicate features, it highlighted that she was, in truth, small and fragile-looking. Her skin seemed paler in contrast, turning a pretty shade that reminded him of lilies. She became a doll that should be kept out of the ignorant hands of a child, and he felt the strangest urge to protect and shelter her.

"_...-Hime...I'm here…"_

Aladdin jolts and then pauses, wondering what he was just thinking. His focus snaps to attention as Alibaba lifts his sword, ready to confront Uum.

"_Come forth, Raiden!" _

But instead faces off with Bad.

He screeches to a halt, nervously stumbling back. Wearily Centola eyes the new staff in Bad's hands, eyes drifting over to the far corner of the room where Alexio's and Bad's weapons lay forgotten. Aladdin follows the gaze and then back to Bad, slowly raising his staff.

"I didn't know she could do that," Morgiana confesses beside them, staring with uncertainty at the tattoo on the girl's chest. Since the Fanalis had been passed out during their battle against Ithnan, it's only natural for her not to know about Bad's ability: pulling out weapons from her own body.

"I was hoping she wouldn't," Comes Centola's heavy answer. "But...If push comes to shove...I believe we can take her."

"Bad's strong, but against four of us she can't win."

Aladdin furrows his eyebrows when Centola winces.

"I...Wouldn't underestimate her, Ali." Centola lets ribbons of mist once more fall gracefully from her arms. "Bad doesn't get serious often, but when she does…"  
The seriousness that the Temptress adopts sends a slight shiver down Aladdin's spine.

"But we can help her, right?" His voice rings with hope. The beauty turns her head away from Aladdin so he can't see her face when she answers.

"Yes. We can help her."

* * *

Centola wasn't lying.

Bad had always been strong and wily, cunning with her trickery during a fight. Alibaba had witnessed the effects of her harder spells, saw how she pushed her body to limits only the insane could stand. Bad was a diligent, resourceful fighter. Sometimes Alibaba admired that a lot, especially when it seemed all he could do was rely on her strength when he was weak.

Alibaba thought he knew the extent of Bad's power.

He was wrong.

Utterly and completely wrong.

Because, in truth, Bad was a _monster_.

She pressed forward with the speed akin to a Fanalis, she sent off a wide variety of spells that ranged from water to wind, her borg was made of pure steel. Everytime he thought he found a lull in the action she'd start up again, eyes never betraying to her emotions. It was like she had none, as if she was just an empty puppet.

Her battle prowess startled him to no end, since he had never seen anything like her before. _Her_, who had a distinctive pattern of fighting, who used her words as well as her fists to throw off her opponent. This Bad didn't talk. She didn't say a single word the entire time with the except of spells. He didn't want to hurt her, but containing this Bad was impossible. She didn't care who got caught in the crossfire, and the pirates fled to the corners to avoid being killed.

So, with pain, he brought Amon's sword down atop her borg. It took several swings, but he eventually broke it, making her stumble back. Hakuryuu, knowing what needed to be done, sent the non-bladed side of his magoi-coated polearm whipping across her side. She let out a gasp, rolling to the side. In an instant she was up again, dodging a lightning-fast attack by Morgiana by jumping to the side. She swung her staff upwards in front of her, connecting with Morgiana's second kick in front of her face and pushing the Fanalis off.

Bad studied them all in a cool, calm once-over.

Aladdin, a cut on his forehead streaming with blood, yells,

"Why are you doing this?"

* * *

"Why are you doing this?"

Kouhime thought it was a strange question.

Still, the tall, blue-haired magician doesn't waver in his azure-colored gaze. She feels warm looking at him. When she squints, the Rukh cover him in the color of milk. He was bright. The Rukh loved him, a lot like they loved the man in the hat fighting beside the dragon-scaled man her mother called, "_The Miracle"._

The blonde man covered in fire next to him awaits the answer, his sword raised high. On her right, a pretty redhead with stoic features grips the chains in her hands, preparing for another strike. A scarred man on her left simply leans his polearm against his shoulder, looking almost empathetic.

Kouhime tilts her head to the side and answers in a soft voice,

"What do you mean? Mother asked me to."

"Bad, you can't do that!" Bad? Ah, he was calling her bad. It was strange...Like he was saying she was a dog, perhaps? Or, maybe where he comes from it's a common phrase. "You can't listen to everything your mother says!"

"Forgive me, I don't understand." She tilts her head to the other side now, attempting an amicable smile.

"Of course you don't, dear!" Kouhime blinks, looking at her mother. Gyokuen comes strolling toward her, lifting a hand to run it through her daughter's hair. Kouhime bows quickly at her mother, presenting herself demurely. "See? She's mine now."

"You can't treat her like a weapon! She's a person!"

Gyokuen looks at her with those pond-colored eyes. Just two weeks earlier they had been enjoying tea together in her mother's room, discussing the latest book Kouhime had been given to read and memorize. Gyokuen was very in touch with her daughter's tutors, and they carefully selected the material to present her with in order to, 'keep her white glow'.

Kouhime loved her mother. She was her everything, the only person who cared about her-

"Bad's mine."  
…

_Huh?_

Bad.

Bad.

Bad.

Evil, deception, hurt, pain- trickery, anguish, suicide,evilbadbadbad- _break,_**CRaCk**, bring on the cameras and the stars-Like pain, like torture and-and-and anguish, hurt, hurt, Bad, Bad, Bad-

**Shatter.**

"What's my name?"

Gyokuen looks at her with surprise, blinking.

"You're Bad, of course."

Splintering, that's what it was. The world was dividing and splitting and changing- no, rearranging, because what was and what is and what never would be had been mixed together in her mind. It was all scrambled now, all mixed and tangled in complicated knots.

She screams at them to straighten out, she who has no name.

No, she had a name.

"...No. It's not Bad." She rubs her eyes because they hurt slightly, she leans her weight onto one leg as her voice drops from the light, sweet tone to a darker, more malicious one. One suiting to a girl named Bad. "It's _not_. So you're not my mother. You're a fake. You're a _liar_."

"Bad, I mean, sweetie, that's not-"

"Why did I see her?!" Bad screeches suddenly, pressing her palms against her eyes until the pain increases. "Why did I see her, of all people?! _Why?!"_

She hears the woman stumbling back, crashing into others.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!" She breathes harshly, knowing if she lets go of her hold over her eyes she'll see _that woman_ again. That disgusting woman who had the adacity to pretend she was a _mother_. "She's not- I don't think of her that way, I don't, I don't, I can't, I won't…"

Bad murmurs to herself reassurances, piecing back reality. Did that fit there? Yes, but this belonged here, ah, don't forget this…She slowly glues it all together, untangles the knots into straight lines. This is here, that's there, shove this deep down and forget it ever happened…

"Bad?" She drops her hands, looking at the girl beside her. The room was empty now, except for her and Centola. "I made the others go after Uum. She's trying to escape."

"...I didn't want to see her," She croaks, feeling so weak. "_I hate her."_

"I know," Centola leans down and holds Bad, cradling her. "You have every right to hate her, Bad."

"Why am I so sick that I still think of her as my mother?" Bad crumbles, clinging to the Temptress, who swoops her up. "I can never face Yamu."

"It's not your fault." Centola also picks up Sheba and Alexio's sword, heading to the door. "It will never be your fault, Bad. I'm just surprised you didn't instantly try to slaughter her."

"I was a bit busy," She sourly replies, closing her eyes against a pounding headache. Maybe it was the wrong choice, because almost instantly, she falls asleep.

* * *

"They've captured the pirates and saved Alexio and Bad." Khadeja's voice is relieved, as if she was unsure of the outcome. Zeina knows that's not true since she knows most things.

"And the leader?"

"...You were right. A woman named Uum Madaura."

"...Sometimes it sucks to be always right."

Khadeja scoffs, a tiny smirk spreading across her face.

"No, it really doesn't."

* * *

"What of the pirates?"

Ever since returning from the pirates' lair, Alexio was antsy under the pressure of that question. The guards were taking their damn time, going through "ordered routines". They bound all the children, swept through to take away all the weapons, counted all of the pirates (three times to be exact), and now are conferring quietly away from them.

"They'll...Probably go to jail." Hakuryuu answers, sighing.

"But they're kids," Alibaba argues. Hakuryuu shrugs, as if to say it's out of their hands.

"But-" Alexio's mouth opens, but he doesn't know how to express what he wants to say. How to explain how at least one of those pirates is more than just a pirate to him. "I mean…"

He looks back, at the evil woman who brought this mess about. She's still smiling, something that scratches his heart and shocks him. How could she be calm? How _dare _she be calm?

As he learns, others are thinking the same thing.

"Kill her."

_...What?_

A rock soars through the air, hitting a guard on the helmet. Startled, the soldiers watch as if naive infants as the crowd comes closer. They're made of tears and smell of smoke; death is written in their eyes. They're the sufferers, the peasants, the _unpleasants_ whom many of higher status would like to forget. They're the mob who can only move forward by feeding off of one another's harsh words and twisted ideals.

"Kill her. Kill her now." Murmurs upon shouts of agreement, spilling forward like the sudden gush of a flood. "Kill her! She killed my husband!"

"And my wife!"

"_Kill her!" _

"_Now!"_

The soldiers try to hold them back, but they're outnumbered and outmatched. Everything of meaning to them holds little thought to the masses, who press forward with alienated harshness. They hold spears and rocks and sometimes nothing, grabbing with greedy hands for a hairful of the witch.

Alexio stumbles back, shocked, as Alibaba and Hakuryuu suck in breathes. The horror of watching crows descend on their prey fills them, stops their movements. The pirate-children cry out in rage and desperation, some begging the crowd to stop and others screaming for the soldiers to do something to _something_. Umm screeches as bats hit their mark on her shoulders and legs and face, as blood splatters across her skin and the ground. A spear is handed to a man in the front, readied, and-

_"Stop."_

The voice is familiar and warm and makes Alexio relax despite the situation. After all, everything always got better once Zeina entered the situation.

"Ma'am," He breaths, his shoulders dropping. His gaze jumps between the now frozen crowd, his mistress, the pirate witch and Olba, biting his lip. If he could talk to Zeina, maybe she'd spare the pirate children…

"Now, now, what seems to be the problem here?" Zeina's voice is strong and deep but also feminine and teasing. Almost as if the question isn't a question at all, which perhaps it isn't. "Perhaps I can handle this?"

The mob curls and hesitates, enticed and surprised by the appearance of a golden-haired beauty. Her smile calms them somewhat, an expression only those who've handled power before can use. Only people who are charming and strong and intelligent can use their smiles like that, can control a situation so simply. Umm helplessly tries to see with her ruined eyes who had exactly saved her, her lips curling downwards ever so slightly.

"She killed my husband," A woman says, _whimpers_, again. Zeina smiles at her, sad and understanding.

"And she shall die for it. But such useless blood doesn't need to be on your hands." The woman looks down at her hands, where strands of dark hair lay intwined with her fingers. As if understanding this, as if suddenly horrified, she quickly tries to pick out the hair and wipes her hands on the dirt apron she wears.

"Y-yes…" She says, looking to her fellow mob-goers. They awkwardly stare at their blooded bats and wipe their red hands, some still looking upset. "But…"

No one comes to her rescue, waiting to hear her speak. She licks her lips, unsure.

"Leave it to me. I promise justice." Zeina strides forward, confidently. It forces the mob to shrink back, makes them fold. The guards, uneasy, don't say anything when she nears them, allowing her to meet the gaze of Umm. "Well, well, the Holy Mother. I haven't seen you in years, Madaura."

"…Lady Zeina," Madaura grinds her teeth together, but can't do anything. Her hands are bound and she's kneeling on the ground, trying to push down the pain of being brutally beaten. "It's been too long."

"Not long enough, unfortunately."

"Do you…Know her?" A soldier asks.

"Yes. She stole from me a long time ago…And then did again to my dear friend and I. This time she took my Alexio." Zeina flips her curls over her shoulder. "She's a thief. A repeat offender."

"…" Madaura looks around her, wildly. As if the solution to her problems would be a tangible thing. Alexio frowns. That woman didn't care about anyone other than herself. She had been using the pirates to her own ends.

"Ah, Madaura, I can't believe you've resorted to piracy of all things. If you'd try to live a good life after all that's happened to you, you wouldn't be going to jail now. But don't kill yourself over it. I'm sure you'll be let go in twenty years or so…If you don't get the death penalty. Well, then, go quietly why don't you?"

"Lady Zeina, please! Forgive this sinner!" Madaura throws herself at the Temptress's feet, pressing her forehead to the ground. "I've had no choice! This life is the only one available to me!"

_Don't believe her, Ma'am!_

The witch obviously knows that Zeina's the only one other than a King who could possibly pardon her. There is something magical about the influence of Zeina De Coverna, something impossible. A few conversations with a couple of people and suddenly all one's problems could go away. She dismisses issues with the nonchalance of a person who understands the true depth of their power over situations.

"…Well, we'll have to see on that. Write me in prison, won't you? It's been really too long." Though it sounds like an easy thing to say, Zeina's words hold so much more weight.

_Prove to me your useful first, and maybe I'll let you live._

Alexio finds himself in awe of her.

Then, with a flick of her wrist, Zeina allows the soldiers to take Uum Madaura by the arms and pull her up. They drag her onto the ship, all the while listening to the overflowing 'thank you's the pirate-queen spews toward the De Coverna.

* * *

"You…" Centola reaches out and tangles her elbow with her Aunt's. "You…Did something."

"I do many things."

"Those children are going to jail."

"I'm not going to let them." Khadeja stands by, looking at them out of the corner of her eye. She helps Bad stand, who turns her face away from her friends in a rare showing of shame. "They're children."

"A bleeding heart."

"This heart bleeds too little."

Centola lays her head on Zeina's shoulder.

"I heard it."

"I wish you hadn't. This is my matter to deal with."

"That boy…Olba, Alexio says he's…"

"Yes, he told me. I will see if I can…" Zeina quickly shakes her head. "A matter for later. Now, Cent, please…I don't want you to be here."

"I understand. Alibaba is talking with Sinbad on letting the pirates go to Sindria."

"He is? Well, saves me some work. I should talk to him too. I'll do it in a moment."

The Temptress squeezes the other's arm.

"I don't blame you for this."

"It's necessary."

Centola pauses, and nods slowly.

"You don't know how right you are."

* * *

A breath in, a breath out.

Zeina smiles to herself, sarcastically.

"I should've done this beforehand." She whispers to herself. "Madaura has been nothing but trouble ever since she stole from me the first time…"

Her eyes close.

She pictures Madaura, sitting aboard the ship, plotting out what to write to the De Coverna Matriarch.

_"If you'd try to live a good life after all that's happened to you, you wouldn't be going to jail now. But don't kill yourself over it."_

Pictures her stilling, eyes glazing over.

"_But don't kill yourself over it."_

Pictures her turning toward the sheets of the cot in the corner provided for her.

"_Kill yourself over it."_

Pictures her hands reaching toward it.

"_Kill yourself."_

* * *

"Man, you look mad."

"Feel like it too."

Hakuryuu suppresses a smile, leaning against the wall next to Bad.

"So, Hime, wanna talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Not really."

"…Did you see her?" Bad closes her eyes.

"At first I saw my real mother. The one who gave birth to me, I mean. I forgot how she looked like until then…Her eyes were so…_Unique_. Then that changed and I saw…_Her._"

Hakuryuu now solemnly nods, understanding.

"Yeah…I don't think I would've been able to handle that." Bad almost snorts at the irony of him of all people saying those words.

"It really sucked."

"I can't forgive her for what she did, you know. I think…I _know_…That defeating her is the course we need to take. But the way we approach that course is what we need to decide." Hakuryuu pauses before placing his hand on top of her head. "That's why I'm glad you're coming with me to Tenzen. I need someone to help me convince Onee-sama."

"…Yeah, you're right, Ryuu. Hey, can I call you Ryuu-nii?"

Hakuryuu startles before a bashful blush coats his cheeks in a light pink.

"R-Ryuu-nii…? Well, I mean, if you want to I will allow it."

Bad giggles, and nods.

"Alright then. Ryuu-nii." She muses to herself just how pissed that nickname will make Hakuei before relishing the nice feeling of having someone to smooth down her hair.

* * *

"What's wrong?"

"L-Lady Zeina, there's been an accident!"

"What? What happened?"

"The prisoner...Umm Madaura, she's dead!"

_There is no weeping for those who never love. _

"I see. This is troubling...But it's what the people wanted. Feel free to announce it to the public that she chose to end her own life instead of facing justice."

"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

The sun was bowing its head to the earth when the Sindria trading ship was ready to set sail back to it's home country. Alibaba had convinced the pirates to go to Sindria, handing off the negotiations of their treatment to Sinbad who had agreed wholeheartedly to the matter. Now it was almost time to leave, but there were two holding back the departure.

"I don't get it, why is Alexio talking to Olba?" Alibaba asks confusedly, standing beside Centola. The Temptress hums a little and shakes her head.

"He found out something he didn't know before in the pirate's lair. Olba and him need to talk about a few things before they part."

"It's for the best," Zeina appears beside her niece, crossing her arms. "Alexio wants to come with me, but Olba doesn't. Though I'm sure they'd like more time, this is all they get for now."

"I'm sure it's alright," Centola lightly grips Alibaba's arm before resting her head on his shoulder. "They'll meet up again."

Alibaba blushes a bit at Centola's actions before sighing.

"I still don't get what you guys are talking about."

* * *

"...So…" Alexio scratched the back of his head. "How the hell'd ya end up in Aktia?"

"...Dad brought me here when he was looking for work. He found it, died, and I ended up on the streets." Olba says it solemnly, but Alexio flinches all the same.

"Shit."

"You shouldn't swear so much."

"As if you should talk," The brown haired boy rolls his eyes, almost smiling. "This was the weirdest way to meet you."

"Tell me about it."

"I guess I got left in the desert because there wasn't enough money?" Olba looks down. "...Well, that's what I always assumed anyway."

A pause.

"I guess you really are my little brother, huh?"

"...Yeah. Weird." Olba traces the curve of his hook.

"You can come to Sindria with us, Micah. I think you should." He digs the toe of his shoe into the dirt, sighing.

"...I can't do that." Alexio points over to a bit away, where Zeina stands. She's wrapped in yellow and orange, her smile gentle as she talks to Bad and Centola. "You see her? She saved my life."

"...She's the one who tried to help Madaura out...Before the guards announced..."

"...Yeah. When I was in the desert, she reached out to me. She taught me how to read and write. She brought me to Sindria, where I studied swordsmanship under a really nice teacher. I got to finally, finally have something to protect...She gave me the name "Alexio", because I didn't remember what my own was…" Olba bites his bottom lip, eyes moving downward. "But…"

Alexio comes forward, holding out his hand. Olba stares at the object he holds for a moment before his mouth opens in shock. Alexio smiles, and quickly drops the necklace over his newly-found brother's head, stepping back to admire it.

"This is…"

A nod.

"It's Mom's ring. I didn't remember until Cent casted her spell but...It's Mom's." Alexio coughs, staving off tears. "I want you to have it. Just for now though! I'll be back in a year to get it back."

He musters up the best smile he can.

"I always wanted a brother, you know! And if you're going to Sindria, try and study sword styles with Master Sharrkan. He's the best."

"Micah...No, Alexio…" Olba lowers his head and nods. His voice sounds slightly choked up. "Yeah. I'll see you then."

The boat sets sail in the direction of the horizon.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Though their relationship isn't very romantic at all, Aladdin is still very jealous of Alexio and Bad.

**Fun Fact #2: **Aum and Umm are two very similar ways to name the crazy pirate witch, so please excuse the writing if it is inconsistent throughout the chappie.

**Fun Fact #3: **Catrina's dad sneezes every time someone guesses who he is :)

* * *

CAN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO CHEER FOR THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THIS ARC? *erupts into applause*

Okay.

I totally got caught reading the raws of Snb yesterday by a classmate...And it was very awkward for everyone.

**Bad and her mothers: **As Cent said in this chapter, Bad's weakness is her mothers. Her birthmother "abandoned" her, Gyokuen used her, and Yamu...Well, Yamu's awesome but that just makes Bad want to protect her more. So we got to go in-depth on this issue and see Bad's reactions to it :)

**Zeina and Uum: **Past..."Friends". They met during their time with Sinbad, but before that as well...Hence the title of the chapter, "third strike, you're out." I'll probably only elaborate on this if I do one of the spin-offs I was thinking of writing. But yeah, Zeina killed Umm.

**Alexio/Micah: **Yes, Alexio is Olba's little brother. HAHA SURPRISE GUYS. They were both born in a desert city, but then their mother died when Alexio was 3. Not having much money, their father left Alexio in the hands of an orphanage and took Olba with him to Aktia, where he then died, leaving Olba as well on the streets. Alexios' orphanage burned down when he was 9 and since then he's lived on the streets with their mother's ring as his only possession, which he then gave to Olba (aw).

**Recent Chapters: **Koumei is handsome, Kouha has better legs than me, and Kouen still makes me swoon. Also SINBAD. And another matter: _if Arbakuei keeps touching Sinbad, I will bitchslap her._

**Next Arc: **...The one...The only...DE COVERNA ARC! Omg I'm so excited guys. As I've already said, it's a two-parter, so this is part 1. I can't reveal the chapter or arc name yet though, because that would be kind of a tip off. You'll love it, though! Ah, I'm so excited~! Dream-chan, here I come!

ONCE AGAIN: I made a poll on my profile! Please vote, it's going down on 2/20 and I would really like to see what you guys want to see me write. That being said, I might extend the deadline because I realize that one of the options includes Cat's dad and that hasn't been revealed yet...OH WELLSIES.

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	34. Chapter 33: Succession

*MAGI 298 COMES OUT*

Me: B-but….Bu-but…

Me: But _MasCat._

**If you had to choose a theme song for your characters and the story in general, what would you choose?: **I MADE A LIST. But I'm unsure if some of them fit right, so if you have a suggestion, tell me! :) And feel free to choose theme songs for characters not mentioned as well.

Songs for each character ^_^:

**Bad:** Demons by Imagine Dragons

**Centola:** Happily Ever After by He is We

**Eren: **Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay/ One Call Away by Charlie (Get it? ;)) Puth

**Catrina: **Smoke and Fire by Sabrina Carpenter

**Asad:** My Demons by Stars€t

**Zeina: **Bombshell Blonde by Owl City

**Starry Skies:** Apocalypse by Zektbach (I was listening to this when I thought of a lot of the plot- you'll see why I named Starry Skies "Starry Skies" once you listen. ALSO LOOK UP THE YOUTUBE AMV FOR MAGI. ES BUENO.)

* * *

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**TENTH ARC: **De Coverna (pt 1)

CHAPTER 33: Succession

* * *

"Did you hear?!"

"Yes, isn't it great?!"

"Li, get our best clothes ready!"

"Hey, did you know-?"

"-Five! Hey, Five! Great news!"

"Rousseau! Come 'ere!"

"Doc!"

"What is it?"

"_Lady Zeina's coming back!"_

* * *

The night before Centola leaves, she has dinner with her friends.

Hakuryuu and Morgiana quietly talk and eat fish, cheating in towards one another. Every now and then their knees touch and Hakuryuu jolts back, a blush covering his face. Morgiana just looks slightly flustered but also confused at her friend's reaction.

Bad is giggling about something with Aladdin and Alexio, the three cracking childish jokes together. Aladdin seems very pleased with the new friendships he has with the two, but every now and then Centola catches him looking between Bad and Alexio with a competitive gleam in his eye. Zeina boozes with Khadeja, who actually is drinking for once- muttering something about "needing to let her mistress have a night off".

That left Alibaba and her. It's nice, actually, to sit with Alibaba. They'd talked a lot ever since reconnecting in Balbadd, but it feels like every day she has something else she needs to tell him about. Sometimes it's about the days when they lived together in the Slums or a story from her time in Rayide. He'd return with a funny story about Sharrkan in a brothel or Kassim trying not to smoke, and she'd laugh.

Then the music starts.

Aladdin bounces up and starts playing his flute along with the music, making the male singer chuckle and dance with the boy. Bad stands and drags Alexio out to the dancefloor. Centola nearly breaks down giggling when Alexio and Bad start dancing together and Aladdin almost faints. Zeina and Khadeja drunkenly sing along to the music, completely messing up the lyrics.

Hakuryuu and Morgiana do a shuffle-dance, Hakuryuu blushing too hard to look Morgiana in the face and Morgiana staring up at him with shiny eyes. It's the most adorable thing she's ever seen, and Centola is already planning what to say in a letter to Catrina and Eren about the night. There is no way they'll forgive her if she forgets to tell them about Aladdin's jealousy and HakuMor romance (Eren _especially_ on the former and Catrina _especially_ on the latter).

Alibaba asks her to dance.

It's..._nice_.

It isn't the first time dancing with him, because she remembers when she was young and dressed in rags twirling around her dirt-home. This is something nicer than that. He spines her around, dips her, laughs with her. They do a sort of fast-paced jig, making up the moves as they go.

It goes on for a wonderfully long time, until the song ends and they're both breathing heavily. Then, he escorts her back to the inn very gentlemanly-like. Of course, they're flanked by the still singing Zeina and Khadeja (on a side note, Zeina almost got picked up by a _very _attractive man until Khadeja slurred something like, "the idi-yot king'll soooo not forg've me 'f I let thissss hap'pen." before kicking the man where the sun don't shine) and the kid-trio. HakuMor romance still goes strong behind them, but to a lesser extent.

It's a great way to end their adventure, she thinks.

* * *

The next morning, she's standing with her friends at the docks, saying goodbye.

"So…" Aladdin smiles up at her. "It's been really nice being with you, Miss Centola! I liked learning from you. I'll see you and everyone else next year."

She smiles back at the boy. While she hasn't gotten to spend as much time with him as she has with the others, she did like being around him. He's calm and has a gentle soul- next time she'll definitely hang out with him. Until then…

"I feel the same, Aladdin. Be safe at Magnostadt, okay?" He nods his head before going over to Alibaba to say goodbye. Morgiana comes up next, shuffling over with her face set in a stoic position. It makes Centola happy to see her, especially since she knows the girl's just nervous to part with her friends.

"Thank you very much, Centola," Morgiana bows. "It's been very nice."

"Of course!" Centola giggles and hugs Morgiana, even though the Fanalis freezes at the familiar gesture. "Now, Catrina said that you need to remember to write. She wants to hear everything you have to say about Cathargo, okay? She's dying to know!"

That makes the redhead brighten.

"Really?"

"Of course. You're siblings after all!"

Morgiana is concealing a small beam.

"Centola-dono, thank you!"

"Huh?" Hakuryuu bows to her.

"You helped me a lot in Sindria, so thank you."

"I didn't do anything, really."

"All the same, you're my friend now."

Centola smiles softly.

"I'm glad to hear that, Hakuryuu. Thank you for everything as well." She points to Morgiana. "Now, go ask Morgiana out. I'm sure she wants you to."

"W-what?!" Centola glides away from the Kou Prince, laughing at her joke.

"Sis?" She stops and stares into Bad's eyes. The bloody pools greet hers, nothing like the soft pink hues she had seen the previous day. The day before Bad and her had a talk about things. A nice, long talk that didn't end in an argument like some of their conversations did. Bad described to Centola her fears about Gyokuen, her desire to save the world, and what her mother's eyes looked like when she was alive.

"Bad," Centola starts to smile, leaning down to get to the younger's height. "I'll miss you."

"Me too," Bad reaches forward suddenly, wrapping her arms around the older's neck. Centola pauses, surprised by the strange sincerity in her actions. "Thanks for...Helping me."

"Of course." The Temptress hugs the girl back, kissing her temple the way that she's seen Eren do sometimes in private. "We're partners in all this, Princess."

"Really?"

"Yes." Centola pulls back, smoothing down the hair of the girl. She realizes that it was down today, going straight down to her waist. "I'll see you again soon, Bad-girl. Please be safe."

"When am I not?" That makes Centola laugh. She squeezes the girl's shoulders, sisterly.

"Seriously, be safe. Write me. Don't get hurt. It'll kill Eren and Cat, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"And," Centola leans in close, "When the funeral comes along, don't react to the name 'Kouhime'. Don't pick fights with the royal family. _Do not play games with Gyokuen_."

Bad crosses her heart with two fingers.

"I swear," She vows.

"Promise."

Bad frowns.

"_That_, I cannot do." Centola rolls her eyes before smiling wide. "Goodbye, sis."

"Bye, lovely."

So, that was everyone.

Aladdin, Mor, Hakuryuu, Bad-

"Cent!"

_Ali._

"Hey, wait a sec," The blonde catches his breath, grasping her arm gently. He gives a big, goofy smile. "So, um, we'll see each other next year, right?"  
Centola eagerly nods.

"Of course we will! Be careful in Reim, okay? Don't…" She thinks of something. "Don't get too drunk and get everything stolen, okay?"

"Weird advice, but I promise." She smiles at him, waiting for the words to flow out of her. In surprise, she realizes she has nothing to say. Usually there is a whirlwind of things to discuss with him, but today there's just...Nothing. As if she's waiting for _him _to speak. "Oh, Cent, I got you something!"

"Huh?" He pulls something out of his bag.

"Well, 'cause you helped me pick out the extra household vessel for Morgiana, I figured I should get you something too…" Alibaba smiles sheepishly, holding out his hands. Laying across his hands, a bracelet gleams in the morning sunlight.

"Ali…" She reaches forward timidly to take it from him. It's silver, made of tiny chain links like a charm bracelet. When she puts it on, she admires the small items attached to the links. A star, a bow like her ribbon, a sword (that looks a bit like Alibaba's), a sun…

_Ba-bump, ba-bump, ***, ba-bump._

She breathes in suddenly as she sees the heart. It's very smooth except for the center of it, where a name is carved. Alibaba notices her studying the charm and coughs, blushing.

"I asked the blacksmith to forge your name, but he wrote mine instead," He quickly explains, rubbing the back of his head. He peeks up at her, his eyes wide and nervous. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" She reassures him, clutching the bracelet to her chest. Centola blushes at her volume, rushing to explain herself. "Oh, um, I mean, it's really sweet. I love it, Ali."

"Really?"

"Yes!" Again with the volume. She forces herself to quiet, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. Alibaba's beaming at her, his face like the sun's. He thinks of something before stepping forward and gathering her in a hug. She hugs him back tightly, breathing in his scent. The Balbaddian Prince doesn't always smell good, she knows, but today he smells like sea salt and sand, a combination that reminds her of when they were kids and used to bathe on the beaches whenever they got dirty.

"I'll miss you, Cent," He whispers into her wavy hair. She tightens her hold, knowing that letting him go after years of separation is going to, for lack of better word, _suck_. And it's going to suck a lot.

In a flash, she remembers when she was a kid and confessed to Alibaba that she had a crush on him. It was before he went to the Balbadd Palace, and had hugged her just like now. He had gripped her so tightly, so _nervously_. Then, she, like an idiot, told him that she liked him. _Like_ liked him. The sugary memory makes her smile against Alibaba's shoulder, and she takes an extra second longer than she has to in order to memorize how nice it felt to be held by her closest friend.

"I'll miss you more," She tells him, knowing that she's speaking the truth. He smiles down at her, squeezing her arm once more before backing up. She watches him go off to say the rest of his goodbyes, all the while pretending that she hadn't fantasized for a moment about repeating what she did years and years ago. Instead, Centola grips her bracelet and lets herself dream about the future for the first time in what feels like forever.

Not a future she needs to save, but a future after that. A future with singing and dancing and settling down in Balbadd with a man sporting warm golden eyes. Of having beautiful children, of seeing all her friends day after day; Catrina, Eren, Bad, _everyone_. In a wonderful daydream, she realizes how much she wants that. All she wants is for her friends to live out their lives in peace and happiness just like she wants to live her life with someone very close to her heart.

"Cent?"

Centola blinks up at Zeina, who appears at her side.

"What are you thinking about?"

Centola catches Alibaba's gaze from across the dock. He's giving Morgiana her household vessel, but finds the time to smile at her brightly. She smiles back.

"Something...Very nice."

"..." Zeina laughs, laying her head on top of Centola's. "Go for your dream, Cent. Man, if only Haroun was here to see this…"

Centola almost ask who "Haroun" is, but she's too preoccupied with Alibaba's smile to react. She traces the charms on her bracelet, stopping over the heart with his name carved into it. Right now, she couldn't care who watches them.

All she knows is the warm sensation blossoming throughout her chest, and the wonderful rhythm of her heartbeat.

* * *

"...This is the boat we're taking?" Centola stares at said ship, her eyelashes fluttering as if to erase the image and replace it with a new one. Zeina nods and proudly inspects the ship.

"My baby!" She cooes, clapping her hands together. "Isn't she beautiful!"

Zeina asks it as a question, but considering her motherly, dreamy expression and the way she looks expectantly at Centola, she answers,

"It's amazing, Auntie, but…" She fiddles with her charm bracelet, not yet used to the weight. "Isn't it...A bit big?"

The S.S. Kaguya is by far one of the greatest vessels Zeina- and by extension the De Covernas- owns, a large, well shaped vessel made from fine dark wood. It's windows (_windows. _Made of _glass_. It must've cost a fortune) are shiny and well taken care of, gleaming in the sunlight. The figurehead at the front is a smiling mermaid with a detailed tail, and blue banners hang artfully on the masts beside the crisp white sails. The insignia is something she doesn't recognize, a white flower on it's side with long, pretty petals.

When the ramp is set up, a slim man with a toothy grin comes sauntering down the planks, his eyes shining.

"Well, I'll be, La-dy!"

"Still sporting the strange speech, Henri?" Henri shrugs, and spots Centola. His eyes widen for a fraction before his grin reveals even more teeth.

"And I'm guessin' this is yours?" Now that she looks closer, Centola recognizes that accent. It's different, of course but…

"Are you from the Chandlen Lodgings?" The boy pauses for a moment, before his green eyes sparkle, his similar colored hair fluttering in the wind.

"That I am. My accent is mixed with the lingo from Mystiana, by the way. There they have such a pretentious way 'f speakin'. I guess my years there makes me sound strange, huh?"

"No, I think it's lovely," And familiar, but she doesn't add that. While Eren's accent was a mix of Californian slang and southern lit, Henri's had more of a lighter feel, a slower and less rushed way of speech. It was like the twang that southern belles used in the movies, and the slow sensuality of the texas cowboys mixed with..._French_.

That surprises her. But, she reasons, considering this world has a Roman country and a Chinese country (and the Indian-vibe of Sindria), it makes sense that there might be a country for France. She hasn't seen Mystiana after all, but if it really _is_ French-inspired she'd love to visit sometime. France had always fascinated Jane with it's rich history and numerous revolutions.

"Aw, how kind. Your girl is sweeter than honey, huh, La-dy?"

"She's not my daughter, Henri. She's my niece."

"Hm? Oh, by Miss Lilliana?! I shoulda known." He smiles warmly at her. "You have your mother's eyes, lil' La-dy."

"Thank you," She says. "You knew my mother?"

"Naw, but Lady Maysun's portraits are so detailed I can see the similarities."

"So you assumed I had a secret daughter and never said anything?" Zeina starts up a conversation with Henri, who takes the liberty of getting Zeina's bag for her and carrying it up the plank. Khadeja follows Centola up as well, who takes a deep breath as she goes. She's finally, finally meeting her family. People who know about her and who will, hopefully, accept her. She's never felt so nervous in her life, not even when she left Balbadd for the first time on her own.

But still, she braces herself, and prepares for the adventure she's been wishing for.

* * *

**1st Month...**

The salty air doesn't distract Centola.

The dryness of her throat can't draw her attention.

The light spray of water against her skin is barely an annoyance.

Because she, for the first time, lays eyes on her homeland, and the strangest feeling greets her at the sight.

She expected to trek across deserts or maybe wade through waist-high grass, climb up to a mountain village. She thought that by taking the boat they were going to Kou or the colder regions of assimilated Gai because the De Covernas originated there. When she asked Zeina, the woman had just smiled mysteriously and gave an enigmatic answer.

Now Centola knows.

Her homeland isn't just a village hidden in known lands.

_It's an island._

"It's called Isla Caverna," Zeina says, appearing at her side. "Built nine years ago after the old one...Collapsed. I admit, I took a page out of Sinbad's book with this."

Centola doesn't look away.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"So beautiful." She finally speaks, giddiness racing through her veins.

It really is beautiful.

The rock of the island is a pretty black-gray, sharp-looking and hard. Embedded in the rock are green grasses growing like moss over the jutting mountains to create a contrasting warmth to the scenery. The mountain peaks melt into gentle, green hills that give a gradual slope toward white sandy beaches and tan colored docks. At first Centola can't see the village, as they approach from the backside of Isla Caverna and are blocked from seeing it by the mountains. But now that they round the crescent-shaped side, her breath catches in her lungs.

Built into the rocky mountain cliffs and on top of the hills, houses stand proud in organized rows. Their appearance shock Centola, because she's never seen so many brightly colored paints before. Greens, blues, pinks, oranges, all shining like beacons across the oceans. At the docks, on top of long flagpoles, banners like the ones fluttering on the S.S. Kaguya hang above the ships. The ships themselves all look different from one another. A few have the bulky, wide-decked style of the Aktia navy (now that she was looking at them, they might actually _be_ from Aktia) and others are the thinner, smoother-gliding shape of Sindria's ships. Some are small, others giant, a few are fine and a couple look ratty. One out of three ships have the same design as the Kaguya (though notably smaller versions).

Just as Centola sees Isla Caverna, Isla Caverna sees her.

A commotion startles the docks as sailors scramble to clean up and people from the large village burst out of their houses and rush to the marketplace sitting across from the docks. They all huddle in front of the dock the Kaguya is headed toward, eagerly looking up as if to catch sight of something. Zeina giggles and pulls away from the side, wiggling her eyebrows at her niece.

"I love making them wait," She purrs, almost sadistically. "It's fun."

Centola laughs a bit, before looking at the town again. A man throws open the top windows of a bar, squinting at the Kaguya. Then, as if a professional, he steps back and hurls himself out of the window.

Centola gapes.

"That man just-!"

"Ignore him. He does that." The man hits an overhang outside and bounces a few times before sliding safely off onto the ground. "See?"

In a moment, Centola has the sense that she's going to meet some strange people. And those strange people are her family...By blood or not.

* * *

"La-dy Zeina, La-dy Centola," The captain, Henri, smiles with all his teeth, looking mischievously excited. "Welcome home to Isla Caverna."

Her heart pounds hard against her ribs. Khadeja's hand lingers briefly on her shoulder before leaving to pick up Centola's bag for her, an act that the self-proclaimed servant had claimed the moment Centola tried to pick it up herself. Zeina looks distracted as well, and for a brief second Centola notices her fingers twitching with anticipation before stilling. After all, Temptresses weren't allowed silly quirks. Zeina taught that to Centola.

As the ramp is set up, chatter from the marketplace across from them reaches Centola's ears.

"I haven't been home in a year and a half," Zeina whispers to Centola, as if sharing a secret. "My sister won't be happy with me."

"Auntie?" She asks, noting the strange darkness underlying the older Temptress's words. Zeina laughs suddenly, waving her hand in the air.

"It's nothing, really," She strides toward the ramp, her shoulders back and chin up high. _Confi__dent_. "Let's meet the family!"

That being said, Zeina practically burst into the line of vision of those gathered in front of the Kaguya, like a superstar. Centola suppresses a groan before a large wave of cheering starts. She makes a slower start towards the ramp, and the crowd comes into her view. It was much bigger than what she last saw, now containing practically the whole _very_ large village. Those cheering stand in front of the boat, their hands waving. Men wearing blue bandanas on their forearms move to the front to keep the crowd calm and make a pathway through the center of the market.

"Matriarch!" Comes a revering cry. "Matriarch, Matriarch, Matriarch!"

Soon the whole crowd is cheering it, pumping their fists in the air happily. Centola timidly follows her aunt down the ramp, whose smile changes from strained to genuinely happy. She takes her time visiting the crowd, stepping between the guards to greet and shake hands with old friends. She talks to them by first name, and they seem even brighter when they realize that their Matriarch remembers them.

Alexio appears by Centola's side, fiddling with his sword to properly arrange it.

"They all look happy," He comments, his blue eyes flickering across the crowd. "I wonder if Zeina made them happy."

She contemplates his words before following the boy's line of sight and realizing something she hadn't before.

The people there.

They aren't all the same.

For one thing, their clothing. The styles range from all across the globe: Roman togas, crisp business suits (she didn't think they had those yet), loose tunics, colorful skirts and dresses, sashes with specific designs…Even oriental clothing from Kou.

They remind her of the people at Sindria, who come from different descents. They vary ethnicities, filling the streets with mutual acceptance and mixed heritage. But instead of coming together to create a new culture like the Sindrians, the people of Isla Caverna, of the _De Coverna Clan_, bring their cultures with them. Those from Kou wear top-knots. Those from Reim have laurels. Those from the deserts wrap sashes around their heads. Yet, each one shares a characteristic: a bandana somewhere on their bodies. Different colored bandanas: blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, red, pink. Like the colors of the houses.

There was another thing about the people.

Some of them looked…

_Shady._

She hated herself for the thought. Having grown up in the Slums, she hardly cared about a person's physical features. But she knew when to spot someone up to know good, and as she inspected a few villagers, her radar went off. A man in a red shirt, for instance, has a long scar across his face. That doesn't make him a bad person, but there is a heaviness to his features. A heaviness that Hassan used to show whenever he got back from a dirty job and practically crashed onto a chair at Mrs. Gamela's bar.

A woman off to the side as well. She wears her kimono sleeves low on her shoulders, leaving it partially open for a nice view. She smokes a long, thin cigar pipe and grins at Zeina when the Matriarch turns to her, seductively leaning her weight on one hip. Centola really hates judging, but the action is familiar to her. She had seen many prostitutes in the slums do the exact same thing to lure in a man.

But-

_They're living here._

She finally understands what Alexio said.

"_I wonder if Zeina made them happy."_

Perhaps…

Zeina looks overjoyed, her smile wider than what Centola's seen before from her. Happy. Free. _Loving_.

Perhaps Zeina saved all these people from their lives. Maybe she built this village to mirror Sindria: as a refuge for the unwelcomed. Centola feels herself smiling. She goes to the gesturing Zeina, who raises a hand in the air. The crowd stops it's loud chattering, listening to the Matriarch.

"Now everyone!" Zeina projects, "Please, listen up! This is my niece, Centola De Coverna! She's a Temptress of the De Coverna clan!"

The cheers raise up again, a warm welcome.

"And," Zeina continues, "She's my heiress!"

The cheering intensifies by a thousand. Suddenly they're chanting _her _name, not Zeina's. They say, over and over, with affection,

"_Cen-to-la! _Heir-ess! _Cen-to-la! _Heir-ess!" Staccato on the 'Cen', 'to', and 'la', and then a burst air for the quarter note on 'heiress'.

"They love you already," Zeina squeezes her shoulder. "I knew they would."

"A-Auntie," The tears sting her eyes, so she lowers them until she can reign in her emotions. "_Thank you."_

* * *

"I-Is this our home?"

"Yeah." Zeina sighs, forlorn. "It's so _big._"

Centola nervously giggles.

The house is nowhere near the size of the Sindria palace, that's for sure. But it _is_ a mansion, and Centola has to bite her lip not to gape once she takes in it's enormity. She had not seen it from the ship because she was so distracted by the colors of the other houses. In addition, the De Coverna family's house sits on a slightly level patch of land toward the back and center of the village, which keeps it hidden from sight at first glance.

The entrance to the house is protected by an iron fence with beautifully designed craftsmanship. Once they enter through the gate protected by blue-bandana wearing men with kind smiles, Centola takes in the beautiful garden. Grass grows neatly in front of the house, cut by a pathway leading towards the steps in front of the main doors. Bushes are trimmed and artfully placed, flowers grown in clean lines with vibrant colors.

"It's beautiful, Auntie," She says, pointing to the landscape. Zeina shrugs elegantly.

"Not my work. Wait until you see the backyard."

"Sounds like a promise."

The house itself is another matter. It stands at three stories confidently behind the manicured landscape. There are columns in the architecture, roman-esque, and the trim of the house is delicately carved with swirls and curves. All the windows look washed and tended to, and the blue bandana-ed men- guards- standing around the sides straighten when they spot their Matriarch.

There isn't a hair out of place. Like a Temptress.

But Zeina doesn't seem happy with it. In fact, she frowns as they stroll toward their home, sighing slightly.

"I don't like over-dramatic," She explains. "I mean, socially, _yes_, but my home should be...Cozy. I've never cared for luxury."

"For someone who says that, you sure do indulge in it a lot."

"Partially out of necessity, partially out of pleasure," She shrugs. "But...When I was young, there was this little house I lived in with my sisters. It was in a desert city and was always dusty and dry. But my mother and I picked out tapestries and rugs to decorate the house with, and we pulled out lovely wooden furniture to furnish it. It was rustic and so homey...Lilliana and Nawfar had instruments and music sheets in the corner, I had a bookshelf overflowing with my favorite stories, and Maysun gave herself a corner to dedicate to her art. Mom and I spent hours in the small kitchen learning how to cook...Those were the days, hm?"

"That sounds wonderful," Centola dreamily smiles. "I used to wish Mom and I would live in a house like that."

"...Why didn't Lilliana leave the Slums?" Zeina asks quietly. "If it was a matter of money, I would've cared for her, she knew that...So why?"

If Centola doesn't know Zeina the way she does, she'd mistake the woman's voice as curious. But it isn't curious. It's pained. Pained because Lilliana's death might have been prevented had she gone to the older sister who loved her unconditionally, who would have spared no expense to make her sister and her niece happy.

"I…" A passage in her mother's diary comes to mind. "Mom...Didn't want to go because she was happy there. And she knew I was happy there. Or, maybe it was because she met my father there...We didn't have a lot of money, but we had a house, sort of, and we…"

Zeina seems very interested now, her maroon eyes glued to Centola's face. Centola knows what to say.

"We decorated it with fabric and dressed up our little cot. I had a corner to put my treasures, things I found on the street that fascinated me. We had a makeshift table where mom let me put the books I was loaned on, and she used to braid and un-braid my hair as I read aloud the texts. And we spent hours cooking together, she taught me how to make so many things…" A truthful answer mirroring Zeina's earlier words. The older Temptress seems so delighted by what Centola says, but also very sad, too. "We were so happy, doing what we loved."

"...I'm glad then."

* * *

The interior of the house mirrors the outside in it's grandness, which further and comically depresses Zeina. The grand staircase is made of dark stone and coated with a red rug. The high ceilings are detailed with masterfully crafted gold-colored chandeliers. There are large paintings and tapestries hung about, but it's all so carefully strung together that each detail is a subtle invitation to go deeper inside to see more of the grandness.

"Wow," Centola murmurs. "Fancy."

"Man," Zeina doesn't sulk, but certainly doesn't assume correct posture. "It's even more flashy than before...What did Maysun do…?"

"Oh, that reminds me," Centola blushes a bit. "When am I meeting Aunt Maysun?"

The idea of meeting another blood relative sends shivers through Centola's body. She can't wait, and her excitement is barely concealed even though she tries very hard. She wants Maysun to like her, and wants to talk to her about...Everything. Lilliana, Zeina, her life, being a De Coverna...She wants to know her clan's history. Centola loves Zeina, but her aunt can be very vague sometimes on certain subjects or even avoid them all together, which can be slightly frustrating to a curious teenager.

Zeina stares blankly at Centola.

"Well…"

"Sister." A woman appears at the top of the staircase, hand on the railing. "How nice of you to come home."

Zeina sighs, a sound that sends air out quickly and noticeably.

"Right now, apparently."

Maysun holds herself in the correct posture that Zeina quickly assumes: straightened spine, shoulders down and back, chin up to counterbalance the slight puff in the chest...A Lady's posture. She slowly descends down the staircase, giving time to Centola to study her. Her hair is long, longer than Centola's. It comes down in straight, white-blonde locks which mostly fall down her back except for a few strands hugging her shoulders and caressing her dress. No wonder Lilliana described Nawfar and Maysun as having "bright" hair, the strands practically glow in the light, alternating between silver and white. Her dress, which is a dark blue, hugs her figure nicely and compliments the paleness of her skin, a cut which dips low at her chest and cinches her waist, stopping at her ankles.

There's just one thing that distracts from the beauty of this woman.

Wrapped around her eyes, bandages tightly block her gaze from others. Though she's facing them, her head is tilted slightly as she tries to listen for sound to know where to position to. The bandages don't hinder sight of her pink lips or her un-wrinkled face, but it does take away sight of her eyes and nose.

And, for one thing, it's strangely unnerving.

"I hear you have guests, sister." Adding to the unnerving feeling, Maysun's voice is slightly cold and sarcastic, as if she knows the answer already. "Care to introduce them?"

"Maysun," Zeina greets, her voice loud enough to direct her sister towards them once she finishes her descent down the staircase. "It's good to see you."

"Yes, yes. The visitors?"

If Zeina is hurt by the blatant dismissal, she doesn't show it. Zeina's voice takes on a matching cold quality, almost as if to protect against the chilling words Maysun possesses. Considering the way Zeina had spoken about Maysun just a few minutes before shows a vastly contrasting tone.

"Our niece, Centola is here. She's Lilliana's daughter."

"Oh," Maysun says, slightly surprised, but also slightly fake. "My. Please speak, dear. I know I'm blind, but I'm not scary."

"Yes," Centola speaks up quickly, blushing. "I'm Centola. It's nice to meet you, Aunt Maysun."

"Good to meet you as well, Centola. The others?" Zeina continues on.

"There is also Khadeja, Centola's servant from Rayide. And also Alexio."

Maysun sniffs the air, and smiles- no, smirks.

"Ah, another orphan you adopted?" The insult causes Zeina's jaw to clench in anger, but she doesn't let it slip into her voice. Alexio stares at Maysun with a cool look, clearly understanding what the older woman had just done so disrespectfully.

"Yes. He accompanied me to Sindria." Maysun almost appears disappointed her sister didn't take the bait before catching onto what Zeina said.

"Sindria," She echoes, her own jaw tensing slightly. "Is that where you were?"

"Yes."

"Working?"

"I do dabble," Zeina says sarcastically, but doesn't actually answer the question. And the answer is no, she wasn't working...At least, not like she should've been by visiting De Coverna-owned establishments and regulating them.

"I see." Maysun pursues her lips before offering a truce-like smile. "Well, welcome home. I'm sure you'll all settle in quickly."

"Thank you, sister. I'm sure we will." Zeina starts toward the staircase. She pauses and touches Maysun's shoulder to offer to help the woman back up the stairs. She smiles again and declines, explaining she's going down a hallway to the side of the grand staircase. A servant- Centola jumps at realizing this mansion comes with _servants_\- appears in the in entryway to the hallway and, after giving an almost longing look at Zeina, helps Maysun walk down the corridor.

"...She seems nice," Centola offers.

Alexio huffs.

Khadeja snorts.

Zeina doesn't respond at all.

* * *

The scenery of her new home could not grow much better, and thus she's thankful when she enters her new bedroom. It's not as colorful as the town or as grand as the rest of the house, but rather elegant and soothing. It has a flow to it that instantly relaxes her. There's a balcony which doors are open, and a light breeze tussle the gauzy white curtains as it hums with the faraway sound of the ocean. There's a nice-sized bed with a pretty headboard, a vanity sitting across from it, and two chairs with a matching table in the corner. All of it was made from the same light-colored wood, smooth and uniform. A bookshelf is in another corner, a few books on the shelves but mostly not; giving her space to place her own things.

Centola strides in and relaxes, her nerves melting away. So far everything has gone perfectly with her new home. She remembers her first meeting with Maysun and winces. Near perfect.

Khadeja places Centola's bag on top of her vanity before instantly going to the closet. She throws it open with a scrutinizing gaze before whistling and motioning to her mistress. Centola smiles. She should've known there'd be a walk-in closet. So far the De Coverna home has perfectly represented the qualities of a Temptress; now it's reflecting the interests of one.

"Your home is extravagant," Khadeja bluntly tells her, smirking.

"You're right," Centola smiles a bit, crossing toward the balcony. "But I expected no less. My Aunt gripes about wanting modest lodgings, but always ends up in a palace of some sort."

"You deserve to live in a palace, Mistress." Khadeja sniffs in slight arrogance. The blind devotion sends ripples of delight and exasperation through Centola, before a memory slams into her hard. She's tried to block it out for a long time, but…

_Seere._

Now whenever Khadeja says something reflecting her loyalty, Centola feels a knife of shame slash down her back. Then she feels a knife plunging into Khadeja's stomach. Centola turns away so that her friend and servant can't see her face, replying in the same relaxed, soft tone,

"Well, I'm unsure about that. I've found it does not matter much what kind of home you have as long as it's a home."

"...Very wise." Centola knows Khadeja saw through her faux-response and understands that something is wrong, just as she has the last few times. But she says nothing because she knows that, deep inside, Centola just can't talk about it yet. Talking about Seere...It would hurt too bad, at least now. Perhaps in a while…

"Oh..." She turns to Khadeja, who stands in front of the bedside table. She's holding a note, an eyebrow raised. "Maysun left you flowers."

Centola goes to the black-haired woman, taking a moment to study the lilies at her bedside. Khadeja hands her the note and she reads it.

_Dear Centola, _

_Forgive me if I was rude when we first met. I'm afraid both my sister and I have frigid relations. But I do wish to get to know you better, as you are the child of my dear older sister. Please, join me for dinner tonight. I would love to speak with you. _

_Sincerely, _

_Maysun De Coverna._

_P.S. The lilies were your grandmother's favorite. That's why she named your mother Lilliana._

"When'd she do this?" Centola asks, turning the paper over to see the back to see if anything else was written. "I came here after the tour of the house."

"This house is huge," Khadeja remarks, but she's staring at the note. "She could've found a way."

"You're supposed be the one with all the answers."

Khadeja's gaze doesn't break away from the note.

"I guess not this time."

* * *

"Maysun?"

The light, once again, shines on her.

"She's back," Her own voice, so marvelously relaxed.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Many things," She quips lightly, lifting her leg in the air. She slowly moves it until she hits something, the soft flesh of a stomach. "I plan many things."

"But will you do them?"

"Are you doubting me?"

"I would never doubt you…" She can feel the grin the other wears. "_Matriarch."_

* * *

Alexio breathes in quickly and then lifts his chin.

The orphanage is not what he expected it to look like. The one he used to live in, what he can remember from shady, burnt memories, was ratty and beaten down. It's windows were either smashed or removed, leading to freezing winters, and the kitchen was covered in ten layers of dirt. He was not allowed inside for most of the day, since the inside was where the "good" kids got to be, and he used to spend a lot of time loitering with other children in the weeds that popped out on the sides of the street.

This orphanage looks like a genuine home. He can imagine a woman coming out to call a child in for supper. The house is large, though not the size of the De Coverna house, and is painted a nice mint green. Suddenly faces are pressed against the windows, and he can practically hear the squeals from inside. The door bursts open, and children come pouring out.

Half of them yell "mom" while the other half yells "auntie" or "Zeina". The few that come strolling out from the door after the mob of children, ones who are older and carrying young children, smile and say "Ma'am".

"Hey kiddos!" Zeina greets warmly, taking her time in saying hello to each child. It was like how she greeted her family in the street, but different. These children weren't rough or mature like the villagers. They were innocents whom she scooped into her arms and brought here to live good lives. Because of that, she's much kinder to them than she is to the adults. Her eyes turn motherly and loving as her words become sweeter than honey.

"Miko, Zeke, Ronan…" She lists off their names, kissing or petting each child, hugging some and squeezing the hands or shoulders of others. "How is everyone?"

A chorus of "we're good" greets their ears.

"Good!" She laughs slightly. "Has your big brother treated you well?"

"I've done my best, Ma'am." A man appears in the doorway, leaning on it. He smiles largely at Zeina, his eyes black. He has hair that is an interesting shade of green: it's lighter than Eren's and Henri's, both of whom have pine-colored hair, but this man's is a lighter, more vibrant shade. His skin is also unusual because of how pale it is, like Ja'far's.

"Ah, _Kil!_"

"Had a nice trip?"

"I worked hard."

The children invites them in, giving glowing smiles. The caretaker, Kil, ushers them in, his eyes following each of the children. Zeina and him are taken to a dining hall, where two long tables are set up for the kids. The entire house is very bright- homey and large. The decorations are distinctly _warm-_ a cupboard with drawings tacked on, a vase of fresh flowers, a room dedicated to art containing cups of paints.

It's exactly how it was built to be: a safe haven.

He finds himself wondering if Zeina took him here so that he could begin his life there. The thought brings a jolt of defiance and disapproval. He wants to stay by her side, to become what his name means: _defender_. But more than that, he feels like he's outgrown an orphanage. He might be thirteen now, but his time on the streets have taught him that living in a house with other children, no matter how nice it is and how responsible the caregiver appears, just won't work with him. The children here seem docile, he wants to learn to fight. He figures the sword at his waist proves that.

However he doesn't let himself assume anything yet, and tries to push down his suspicions. Sitting at the table, Kil goes around the other side to face Zeina, a small smile gracing his face.

"So, Ma'am," Kil starts, looking to Alexio. "Who's he?"

"Alexio," He speaks up for himself, eyes concentrated on Kil. "My name is Alexio."

"That's a nice name," The caretaker says, almost as if trying to sooth the blue-eyed boy. "I like your sword. Can you fight?"

"He's learning," Zeina says, looking proud. "My boy Sharrkan taught him! And Harun's son!"

Kil raises his eyebrows.

"You were in Sindria?" His voice is calmer than Maysun's had been, and that smile grows as his voice becomes warmer- like the house. He must've decorated it, made it look so nice and family-oriented. "How is everyone? I'm happy you finally went back."

"Everyone is doing well," She laughs. "I'm happy I went back as well. My niece encouraged me to do so."

"Good," Kil nods sagely. "It took me forever to find you after you left, you know."

"Uh-huh. Four months, _such_ a long time." Zeina's smile softens. "I wanted to talk to you about that. They asked me to go back."

Kil's smile falls, and he develops a deeply considerate expression.

"I...See. What are you thinking?"

"...I don't know." She rests her chin in her palm. As if suddenly noticing all the children trying to hide themselves in the entryway to the dining room, Zeina smiles at them and pushes Alexio's shoulder. The boy looks up in alarm. He had lost himself in the conversation to the point that he'd forgotten he was there. Usually other people forget as well. But apparently Zeina's conversation with Kil is off limits, and she points to the mob of kids.

"Go say hello to my other little ones," The Temptress laughs. "I'm sure they want to meet my new charge. Don't let them play with your sword, though."

After a moment, Alexio slowly nods and stands, going to the kids. They pull him away from the dining room and up a staircase, toward a long hallway with many doors.

"This is the nest!" One says, just a little younger than him. "We all live here."

"It's nice," He comments, and a little girl wanders up to him, taking his hand. She sucks her thumb, looking shy. He holds her hand as the other kids show him their rooms, pointing out certain treasures they have.

"So, where'd you go with Mom?" A boy off to his side asks. He has a big, nice smile.

"Sindria." Alexio replies, and the kids let out awed sounds.

"Really? I wanna go!" A girl pouts, fixing a ribbon in her hair. "What was it like?"

"Ah, it was nice," He looks around him, uncomfortable with all the attention. "Um, what's life here like?"

"It's great," The first boy responds, pulling him down the hallway. "We go to school five days a week at the academy down the street and live here with Kil and the other caretakers. When we are old enough we're allowed to apprentice if we want. My older brother came here with me and decided to continue studying at a university in Reim."

"Ma'am pays for everything?"

"Of course! Because Mom's an angel." The little girl holding his hand squeezes his hand as this is said, a silent agreement. "She takes care of us and asks for nothing in return. When I'm older enough I'm gonna become a Reim-based merchant. Then I can be with my brother! And the Merchant branch of the De Coverna company is very strong there."

"Merchant branch?"

"Man, you are new, huh? De Coverna clan's business is made up of several branches. Trade, entertainment, textiles, wine," A few other kids start pitching in other branches as well, a cascade of different areas the De Covernas work in. "The branches have bases in every country, but they go by different names. It keeps things on the down-low, you know?"

"That's smart," Alexio murmurs, interested now. The boy continues, the kids all prodding him to show more things to their new friend.

"Well, Mom _is_ a genius at this kind of stuff. Then there's also the seven area leaders. They're assigned to different countries and manage the branches there while Mom's away working in another place. We call them the Seven Heads. But unlike the Matriarch the position isn't hereditary. They need to be assigned there by the Matriarch- Mom was the one to implement that rule."

"Wow."

"We learned about it in school. Pretty cool, right? You'll love it here!" The boy takes his hand and pulls him down the hallway even more, until they get to the end. The other kids stop a few doors away, refusing to move toward the door the boy brings him to. "But if you're gonna stay here, you have to meet her first."

"Her?" The boy frowns a bit, whispering to Alexio,

"_Kalapini._ She's some special magician or whatever. Mom brought her here because she was an orphan on the streets, like a lot of us..."

"What is it?"

"She's..._Different_." The boy fidgets. "I'm not supposed to say anything, but when Mom's away she apprentices for Lady Maysun and isn't allowed to play with us. Plus she's a little creepy."

Alexio notes this before pushing open the door.

He's met with a normal room. But it's not like the other kids' rooms. Theirs' are accentuated with brightly-colored blankets, toys, drawings and trinkets. This room is stark and white. The walls aren't painted, the bed is made stiffly, a single pillow lays flat. There are no drawings nor dolls, not even a jacket thrown carelessly across the bed. At a desk in front of a window, a girl sits with her back to him, hunched over a book quietly. As he nears her, she hears his footsteps and stiffens. She has hair that's long and pitch-black in color, hanging to her waist. She curls into herself a bit.

"Kalapini, right?"

"D-Dream."

"Huh?"

"M-Mama calls me Dream. But you can call me Kalapini, if you want…" She looks up at him from behind a thick curtain of black hair. Her eyes are gray, a steel-color that doesn't hide their shiny nature. She's especially white, a color that mirrors the pure color of milk. It's paler than even Kil's, whom Alexio had likened to snow. "U-um, who are you…?"

"I'm Alexio," He says. "I'm new. Zeina brought me."

"E-eh? Mama's home?" Now Dream brightens, her face lightening. She is a bit odd-looking, but not in a bad way. It's more of a childish definition of "odd": her pale skin, black hair, gray eyes. She looks ghostly, as if she spends a lot of time indoors rather than out. The other children are all to various degrees tanned because of the sunny island. "C-can I talk to her?"

"Sure, in a minute or two. She's talking to Kil."

Dream nods, looking back at her book.

"Um…" She says, shyly kicking her feet back and forth. "Want to, um, read with me?"

Alexio blinks.

"I can't really read that well."

"Oh...I could read to you." The offer reminds him of Zeina's similar one she gives him whenever he's frustrated by his studies. That, coupled with Dream's hopeful look make him nod his head.

"Sure. What's the harm?"

The other kids watch from the hallway as the two take seats on her bed and start reading together.

* * *

After Zeina makes sure Alexio and the other children are all gone, she turns back to Kil.

"So you made up with Sinbad?" Zeina nods, smiling a bit. Kil smiles impishly. "Oh, so he's proposed, huh?"

"What? No!" Zeina rears back, surprised.

"Hm~? So you just want to up and go to Sindria~?"

"Ah, that's…" Zeina shakes her head. "I've decided it's a good idea. It's safe. There's a new barrier they've created, and a thriving economy."

"You don't have to explain it to me, Ma'am," Kil laughs a bit. "I understand. You saved me, and Sinbad saved me too...I guess. But the Heads might not like it."

"They're all my friends, they'll understand."

"The Hub Head may get jealous. He has a thing for you." Zeina laughs a bit. "Also...Weren't you guys in a relationship or something?"

_"Long story."_ She deadpans. Kil switches back to the situation at hand.

"I think it's a good idea. I know you'll be happier."

Zeina doesn't say anything to that, looking down at the table as a small smile plays on her lips.

"But…"

Zeina nods.

_Maysun._

* * *

_Maysun. _

Centola breathes in, and breathes out.

Dinner, apparently, is a one-on-one event. But that doesn't shrink the size of the table one bit. Centola tries not to think too much about the tense atmosphere surrounding them, but doesn't ignore it either. There were bound to be certain strange, awkward things when one meets their Aunt for the first time, but she doesn't believe it should be this…

_Ominous._

"So, Centola, you grew up in Balbadd?"

Centola nods and answers,

"Yes. With my mother." Maysun smiles a bit, her cheeks disappearing underneath the bandages wrapped around her face. Centola forces herself not to look too closely at her aunt's face, not wanting to be rude. "Where did you grow up, Aunt Maysun?"

"Please, just Maysun," The older woman says, bringing a cup of wine to her lips. "I grew up in many different places. Mother moved around a lot."

Centola forces a smile even though Maysun can't see it, somehow feeling as though she's being watched by two piercing eyes.

"I see. What did you think about the world?"

"I thought it was beautiful," Maysun replies, leaning back. "There was a lot of amazing places I went. But I chose to settle down in Kou with my sister."

"Ah, Aunt Nawfar?"

"Yes," Maysun's voice up until now was dark and probing, a silent reminder to her that things weren't as they seem. But now that Nawfar's in the picture, Maysun's tone becomes distinctly sunny. "Nawfar. We moved to this lovely patch of land in what was Gai, next to the water. We built a beautiful village…"

"That sounds wonderful," Centola leans forward, her eyes sparkling. The change in Maysun's demeanor is a welcome shift to her.

"Mhm. It was Nawfar and Haruto and I and sometimes Zeina...Not to mention all the other people 'Far and I met during our journeys."

"Wow. That's amazing."

"...It was." Her kind tone dies off, and she smiles once more at Centola. "But enough about that. How's Zeina been?"

"Well," Centola responds, suddenly sensing a touchy topic.

"And...Sinbad?" The pause Maysun takes makes Centola's smile waver, but not her voice.

"Are you and Sinbad acquainted?"

"Well enough," Her aunt lightly replies. "I take it Zeina and his spat is over?"

"A spat?"

"Of course. Zeina left him nine years ago."

"Left him?" The white-blonde haired woman shrugs elegantly, an action that reminds her alarmingly of Zeina.

"She didn't tell you? Well, I don't assume she will. She's not that kind of woman, you know. I suppose I'll spill the beans," Maysun says it like a joke, but that feelings back and suddenly it's like the whole room is closing in on her. "That man and Zeina used to be very close. They spent around four years together! She was one of his advisors, but I know...Hm. Well, anyway, she left him and he didn't forgive her for it...Until recently."

"I see. So that's the story…" Centola mulls this over. She studies Maysun, takes in the unchanging, stifling atmosphere. Then she straightens in her chair and switches the topic, and continues to switch the topic until the dinner ends.

* * *

**2nd Month**

"Auntie, please be diligent in your work-"

"I'll show you diligent!"

"Ah, these numbers are wrong."

"Khadeja! I'm doing my best!"

"Let me help-"

* * *

Aunt Maysun's not that bad, Centola thinks to herself. She's just intimidating with her bandaged eyes and strong personality.

When the topic's not revolving around Zeina or Sindria, Maysun is very pleasant. She can go on about something for as long as Centola's wants to, never commenting on topic changes nor being as rude as she was- and is- to Zeina. She'll use her hands when she talks, describing things in detail, a small smile gracing her face. She talks a lot about painting and literature, the two things that, Centola realizes with an aching heart, she can never do again. Centola wonders how her aunt could possibly stand spending so much time in her art studio when she's unable to work.

She hears whispers from servants that Maysun doesn't do anything but sit in the middle of the room, not able to see the masterpieces sitting around her. She listens intently to what the servants say about the paintings, watches how their eyes drift off just thinking about them. They can't completely describe them, but does what Maysun does: using their hands to describe things. They talk about soaring mountains and still ponds, a blonde child nursing a bird to health, stacks of books before a brunette with Centola's eyes. Then they say that there's also a vast sky above a meadow of red flowers, two white-blond girls holding hands and sharing secrets, a house spilling with light.

But those servants are only allowed peaks at the glory. Centola probably won't ever get a chance.

* * *

**3rd Month…**

"Nice job, Centola! I'm impressed."

"Ah, Auntie…"

"But...Maybe try the technique like _this _next time."

* * *

**4th Month…**

"You have a beautiful niece, Zeina," A woman with slightly aged skin tells the Matriarch of the clan, calmly inspecting the heiress.

Centola doesn't move a muscle, keeping her serene smile serene. She relaxes all her muscles and lets her shoulders drop down and back without pressing her chest out too much. She wears heels for the first time since she was Jane, and a dress that feels much tighter than her Balbaddian one. But three months of drilling what to say and do in order to meet the Heads made her shove such thoughts out of her head. She's worn little to nothing on stage, so what does a dress like this one matter?

"Head Livia Caeserte." Centola curtsies, lowering her eyelashes before meeting the older woman's gaze head on. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

The Head's lips turn upwards, and she nods.

"I feel the same, Heiress."

* * *

**5th Month…**

She does not notice the child at first.

The young girl is hidden in the mob of other children, ducking her head as the other kids squeal and introduce themselves to the Heiress. They call her a variety of names, including 'Heiress', 'sissy' and 'cousin'. She's enjoying the company of these wonderful children when something catches the corner of her eye. The girl drifts off the side, ready to bolt from the introduction line.

But before the child can, her hand is caught by a bigger one.

"Hm? I haven't met you." She says, smiling down at the girl. The child has big gray eyes and black hair which hangs pin-needle straight to her waist.

"U-um, hello…" The girl whispers, looking down. Her pale skin seemed sickly in the sunlight, but she doesn't mind it, patting the child's head.

"My name's Centola," She introduces herself.

"I-I'm Dream." The girl replies. "Oh, uh, that's my nickname."

"I see," Centola snaps her fingers. "Oh, Zeina told me about you."

"Sh-she did?"

"Yes, that's right, she said you were the pretty and hardworking little girl she admires." Dream looks dazed with the indirect praise, her little cheeks heating up.

"Really?"

"Yes." The other kids from the orphanage use Centola's conversation with Dream as reason to start playing amongst themselves and with a slightly reluctant Alexio. "Hey, I heard you have a mysterious power."

"Mhm," Dream fiddles with her dress. "I guess…"

"Could you...Maybe show me it?"

* * *

"_Hi, Bad."_

"_...What the hell?"_

_Then, matching grins._

"Awesome_."_

* * *

**7th Month…**

She stands at the docks, waiting patiently for the servants she sent out to find the captain of the ship to come back. She has been waiting a while now, but it doesn't bother her- this may be important, but there is time for everything. At least, at the moment.

"Mistress!"

"What is it?" Khadeja comes rushing up, her jaw clenched.

"That man you requested to see...He's injured!"

"Huh? How?"

"I don't know. But so is the two he brought with him." Centola's hands fist, and she quickly follows Khadeja. "He arrived in the harbor this morning on the boat. He's in bad shape, his wounds are infected."

"Did he say who attacked him?"

"No, but his companion knew."

"Who, then?"

The self-proclaimed servant sighs, her chest rattling with the force of it. She rakes a hand through her hair, looking unsettled.

"I was hoping this was incorrect, but…" They arrive at the entrance of the hospital, a large building she didn't know existed until she received the full tour of Isla Caverna. "She says it was Al Thamen."

Centola pauses, and then frowns deeply.

"I knew it. I _warned_ him."

"It was already too late."

"_Still_." Centola sighs with the weight of her burdens, before following a doctor down a series of hallways, looking more and more distraught with every step.

"He'll survive," Khadeja soothes her, gripping her hand. "You couldn't have stopped this."

"I just-" Centola shakes her head. "I want to save everyone."

"I know."

"For this to happen so close to Magnostadt, too…Is Al Thamen so cocky? No way..."

"What do you mean?" Centola jolts, as if realizing what she said, and shakes her head.

"Nevermind. I need to see Dream tonight."

"You have an important message to tell everyone?"

She nods.

"Yes. I need to tell them this didn't work out."

Her jaw locks painfully.

"I need to tell them Al Thamen tried to kill Asad."

* * *

**9th Month…**

_Bad sits calmly, watching Centola pace and murmur to herself._

"_I told you, Cent, you should take better care of yourself. You __hardly have to do anything for Magnostadt."_

"_I'm planning it," She says, distracted._

_Bad cracks a smile._

"_Yeah, you are, are__n't you? Listen, things will go fine-"_

"_Bad." Centola's vo__ice cracks, and a pained look develops across her face._

"_Cent? What's wron__g?" Bad quickly asks, standing. Centola shakes, making fists with her hands. "Hey, are you alright-?"_

"_You _lied _to me."_

"_...What?"_

_Centola's gaze bl__aze._

"_All this time...It's been sitting in front of me, but I was too stupid to connect the pieces-"_

* * *

Her hands skim lightly over the painting, unbelieving. She stares at it some more, her jaw dropped. Maysun is coming back any moment, and Centola worries about her reaction should she know her niece has been snooping around in here. But at the moment all the Temptress can think about is the painting in front of her.

She has been returning to this dangerous painting day after day, because she truly can't comprehend what's in front of her.

The portrait stares back at her with beautiful eyes.

* * *

"_...Cent?" Catrina grips her knees. "What do you mean? You're not going to participate in Magnostadt?"_

_Centola pauses, and nods._

"_I'm not. Our original plan__...I have to change everything."_

"_Why?" Eren asks, seemin__g genuinely confused. Centola's eyes feel heavy. She's been working- _maybe_\- too hard. But she knows...She knows that her plan needs to be perfect. Otherwise the world will burn like Bad showed her._

_So, Centola looks up at th__em with steely gazes._

"_Because...There are man__y traitors in our midst that we haven't caught yet. And at the time of the Magnostadt War, we need to seek them out and _destroy _them."_

* * *

**10th Month…**

"Sinbad, call me at a decent hour," Zeina groans, cupping the pearl in both hands. "I don't always have the 'Eye of the Rukh' with me, you know. Next time you'll have to deal with a sleep-deprived Khadeja."

"I'll tell her about all the lovely poems Ja'far has spun in her memory."

"Ha-ha. That'll make her more enamored." Sinbad smiles through the pearl.

"What'cha wearing?"

"Cute." She shuts down that game quickly. "Your girl for the evening gone yet?"

"I'll have you know that I've reduced the number of woman I spend the night with dramatically."

"Ah, my Prince charming." He laughs, laying back against his bed. Since he doesn't wear much of anything to bed, she can see the lines of his muscles clearly through the pearl. She shifts so that she's laying on her side and all _he_ can see is her face. Nightgown or not, she doesn't want to know any of Sinbad's potential fetishes.

"When are you coming back?" He asks. "I've already drafted proposals for a new area for your clan."

"My clan is very big, Sinbad. And I don't know if all of them will leave…"

"So you broke the news?"

"Obviously. A lot of support, but many don't want to go. My homeland is hella kick-ass, Sin."

"Let me come visit then," He wiggles his annoyingly thick eyebrows. "I'll even talk to your sister."

"No. And she hates you," Zeina deadpans.

"How? We've never met."

Zeina's face darkens.

"She...Hasn't taken the news very well," The Temptress changes the subject. "It hasn't gone the way I hoped with her."

"Is it really that bad?" Sinbad asks, propping his head up with a hand.

Zeina feigns sleepiness, snuggling into her pillow.

"Hm...I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Hey, Zein, come on," The King pouts, "Tell me."

"Tomorrow," She half-promises, half-lies.

Sinbad sighs, before smiling slightly at her.

"I wish I was that pillow."

"I'm telling Khadeja that Ja'far's getting married."

"Don't pretend like you don't wish the same."

"Goodnight, pervert."

"Goodnight, prude."

After the call ends, Zeina smiles a bit to herself, and at the pearl.

_Idiot guy._

* * *

"Goodnight pervert," Someone giggles, walking through the halls. "I don't always have the 'Eye of the Rukh' with me…"

More giggles.

"Matriarch, Matriarch…Laugh too much these final months. You'll need all the joy you can have."

_Then, they disappear into thin air._

* * *

**11th Month…**

"_It's happening soon, Catrina. Not just Magnostadt. But also whatever this is. This _Witch Hunt_. Which is why I'm telling you this now: stay with your father during the war, and follow the road map. If you're in the limelight, then they won't come for you." _

"_Then what about you, huh?! Am I supposed to just forget about you?!"_

"_I can handle it."_

"_Since when, Cen__tola?! Balbadd...Sindria...Everyone's always been by your side! Please, don't pretend you don't need my help-!"_

"_I'm not alone. A__nd this isn't arrogance. This is me finally putting my brain to work. I'm ready."_

"_...I can tell you'__re lying, you know."_

"_This is the last t__ime I can contact you. Be careful, Catrina."_

* * *

Khadeja could feel it from the moment she stepped onto this island.

_A curse._

Working it's way through the streets, wrapping itself in shadows. The people notice, but they keep their eyes down, blind themselves to the eyes of the snake sneaking through their home. But Khadeja can see it, and increasingly, so can Centola.

_A traitor._

And by the looks of it, multiple.

Khadeja tries so hard, concentrates so much to just _see _their faces. But she can't. Because they are protected by the forces of evil that shroud them in darkness and keep Khadeja from compelling them to show themselves. But when you seek evil, evil will find you.

It starts slowly, and then Khadeja begins to get nightmares.

_Bad ones. _

Ones with Centola being- _no_\- and Zeina- _stop_\- and Ja'far- _oh God, please-_

Ones where she's chained up and forced to watch things that hurt and hurt and _hurt and are so, so real. _Then vivid visions of men and women in black robes, doing terrible things. She tries to sort out this hallucinations, discarding the fake ones and the holding onto the real parts. If she can piece together enough truths, then perhaps-

_Too much pain._

She just can't, after a while. The snake keeps creeping closer and closer throughout the months, laughing when Khadeja stumbles to try and gather herself together. By the time she realizes that she should've told Centola everything, it's too late.

_She already knows._

So in the end, they hold one another's hands and cry together as they near catastrophe.

* * *

**12th Month.**

_"LET THE GAMES BEGIN, RIGHT?!"_

* * *

**GAME TIME~~~~~!** **(Forgot I said I'd do this)**

I'm including a game for this chapter because..._Tense_. Today's game:

_Character Test!_

Read the description and decide who it's meant for! Let's see how well you remember side characters...

1) A cranky person who owns a particular bar...

**Hint: **This woman dies in the early part of the story.

2) Someone who used to call Centola "birdie"

**Hint: **She's a dancer from the Balbadd Slums.

3) A man who captains a ship.

**Hint: **Has a "french" accent.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Maysun used to paint a lot of portraits of Zeina- her as a child, teen, and adult in many different situations.

**Fun Fact #2: **Nawfar had a husband named Haruto *ships casually*

**Fun Fact #3: **SPARROW-CHAN WROTE ANOTHER STORY PLZ READ *bows*

* * *

**Answers:**

1) Mrs. Gamela

2) Shana

3) Henri

* * *

**Isla Caverna (name): **I've mentioned the name "Caverna" before, in _Beneath the Stars. _It's spanish for "Cavern". The De Covernas are pretty much based off of Italian/Spanish culture; some of their names are Italian (I have an italian friend named Lilliana *WINK*).

**Isla Caverna (place): **I'm so happy we're finally here! Isla Caverna is based off of the beautiful Italian city Manarola. _It's so pretty._

**Kil: **The very same Kil from SnB. :) He's not dead! Hurray!

**OCs?: **Some are possible characters for the spin-off stories I'm thinking of doing. However, for now, you don't have to remember any of them. Just think of them as background characters for Isla Caverna. This is why I am giving background for Mystiana. Well, it's a setting I'm planning on using for a spin-off. There are currently two stories tied to win, after all... *WINK 2X*

**Maysun: ***Whistles* She has a ticket for the crazy train, folks. And she's planning on crashing it in the middle of the lives of all our favorite heroes. GO VILLIANS! (Also yes, she's actually blind and not faking it.)

**This chapter: **So it starts off with Centola going to the wonderful Isla Caverna! And ends with ominious descriptions of the future...Heh.

**Next Chapter: **As I previously said, this is Pt 1 of the De Coverna arc, meaning...THE FANALIS-AMALA ARC IS NEXT OMG. You know what that means, right? Yes. After 28 chapters of teasing y'all, we finally learn who Cat's dad is! Eep! The Fanalis-Amala arc is a few chapters long (3), and is the longest of all the arcs (but that's because I've been _dying _to elaborate on the Amala tribe!).

**POLL: **Okay guys, we're entering the last stages of the poll. I prolonged it because I felt a few of the options didn't get the same chance as the others, and as such I will keep the poll up until 2 weeks after I reveal Catrina's dad; then all the choices will have an equal chance IMO. Depending on the votes, I may create a new poll with the front runners. Please, choose your favorite option!

This chapter took forever because I couldn't think of good songs for the question above. Oops. ALSO ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE *Wild hand gestures*. Thanks!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	35. Chapter 34: Family Ties

Have y'all ever seen Cloverfield? Because the monster in that hella looks like the medium (#reallifenightmares).

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**ELEVENTH ARC: **Fanalis-Amala

CHAPTER 34: Family Ties

* * *

When Catrina leaves Sindria, she does it with some reluctance. Despite her excitement over the prospect of seeing her family in Reim again, she still doesn't want to leave her adopted family behind. Yamuraiha gives Catrina a bag full of clean clothes and a few sweets for the trip, standing beside Yunan who pats Catrina's head and smiles enigmatically. They have been incredibly kind the entire time she's lived with them, acting as surrogate parents for her. She's going to miss them, but she knows that they'll be rooting for her the whole time.

Morgiana is next to say goodbye, and they share a hug before she leaves, holding onto one another tightly. Catrina squeezes the other Fanalis's hands, eyes sparkling.

"Be safe, alright? The Fanalis aren't treated well down in Cathargo."

Morgiana nods seriously, her eyes glowing at the prospect of seeing their homeland.

"I'll do my best."

Someone taps her shoulder. She turns and meets Masrur's gaze. Her cheeks heat up drastically, and she nearly dies at the physical response her body makes at seeing him. She gripes internally about the struggles of romance, not quite understanding yet what exactly she's doing and feeling. She has an idea about how Masrur feels from his words at the Maharajan, but at the same time she also worries that he'll forget about her while she's gone despite his promise to her. His hand hovers over her head before it drops on her shoulder.

"Take your time," He tells her, eyes staring through hers. It's like he can tell exactly what's worrying her, and it causes a distinctly warm and buzzing feeling to rise up in her chest. She suddenly feels like bursting out into dance or running a few laps around Sindria. She settles instead for a bright smile.

"Thanks," She replies. "Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."

It's then that they both notice Sinbad, Zeina and 3/7ths of the Seven Generals watching them with what can only be described as "pervy" looks.

"Oh my God," She gasps, embarrassment flooding her. Masrur stares at his King and Generals for a moment before leaning down to peck Catrina's cheek. Before Catrina can react a serious of catcalls rises up from their peers along with a distinct "kyaa~~!" from Pisti.

Catrina almost faints, stumbling back into a pair of arms belonging to Centola.

"Oh my," Centola giggles a bit, wrapping her arms around Catrina in a hug. The Fanalis-Amala looks over her shoulder at the older girl, her face completely red. "I see you're trying to win sweet, naive Catrina's heart, huh Masrur?"

Masrur doesn't even blink.

"Yeah."

"That's brave! I...Just wouldn't mention that to her father. He's a bit…"

"Completely overprotective?" Eren supplies, strolling up.

"Exactly!"

"What're we talkin' about? I jus' heard ya mention Dad-of-the-year." Centola nods to Masrur.

"Catrina and Masrur are dating!"

"W-we aren't dating…" Catrina weakly protests, still unable to compute what's going around her. She feels very light headed, like all the air was sucked out of her.

Eren just about has an aneurysm.

"You're datin' my little sister?!"

"Yes."

"...You have balls," Eren's accent disappears entirely, replaced with a menacing voice. "The only way you're getting out of this relationship is if Catrina breaks up with you, understood?"

Masrur nods seriously.

"And you better not use the fact that your older to get her to do things she doesn't want to."

"Eren!" Catrina's going to die. She's literally going to die. "Stop it!"

Masrur nods again.

"Catrina's my little sister. She might be older than when I first met her, but I know her best, so know that she's terrible at romance. Do _not_ make me have to beat the shit out of you, Masrur. I actually like you."

"I won't."

"You better." A understanding is reached between the two men's eyes, and Eren nods slowly. "Good man."

Catrina covers her face with her hands, trying to disappear. Eren's warm hand wraps around her shoulders and he guides her into his hug. Catrina accepts it because she knows that Eren was thinking about her when he was grilling Masrur. He would've gone on longer, but he probably knew she'd resort to drastic measures to get him to stop…

_Or maybe he knows Masrur will treat me well._

"Aw, come on, Cat! Ya know I had to do it. You're my lil' sis." The Chandlen laughs, not sounding very repentant at all. He adds, "Wait until I do it to _Aladdin_. I'm going to make that boy _cry _before he gets to date Bad."

"You're evil…" Catrina giggles a bit, her emotions finally calming. Their mutual dislike of the brat that steals Bad's attention brings them ever closer. "I love you, bro."

"Me too, sis." The hug tightens before Eren lets go. He looks down at her with pride and worry and a faint pain. "Man, I didn't know letting you grow up was going to be so hard."

She feels like she's going to cry now, because she has grown up. She's aged, matured, changed…For better or for worse, together with Eren and Bad. A melancholy feeling attaches itself to her thoughts. Eren doesn't seem like he's changed, but he has: from a timid teen excited by his new world to an outgoing, confident adventurer.

Catrina supposes she's changed too, though only others can tell her how truly. If she could guess one thing Eren's thinking about, it's the new developments in her love life. They'd both assumed romance wasn't in the cards for Catrina- at least not yet. Then in Sindria it hit her over the head with a sledgehammer and apologized by suckerpunching her in the gut. Then again, that's probably how almost everyone here feels. The thought of Eren getting a girlfriend seems alien and unreal.

She nods her head and smiles at him.

"I didn't know I'd ever be able to accept it myself." She squeezes Eren's hand. "Thanks for everything. Please write me. It's stupid, but I don't wanna wait for the end of the year."

"Of course not!" A force hits her side, and Bad's there in her arms. "Do you _have_ to go?"

A look from Eren. Bad pouts and mends her statement.

"I mean, why so soon?" She stretches out the 'soon' in order to thoroughly express her childish displeasure in a whine. Most people would be exasperated by this; Catrina, instead, is pulled into the act with a startling force.

"Sorry!" She hugs the girl to her tighter. "This is the soonest available boat! It's going straight to Sicilii…"

"But I'll miss you…"

"Me too…" Catrina presses their cheeks together. "But we'll write all the time. And I'll tell you funny stories about the Fanalis Corps. It'll be like we're not even apart."

"But we are." Bad says somberly, looking depressed. Catrina kisses her forehead.

"We all have things to do."

"I know, but I don't like being apart from you guys. I don't wanna be."

Eren lays and hand on Bad's head.

"It'll be fine, Bad-gurl. We'll all be together again before ya know it."

"Yeah…" Catrina pulls away, her throat tensing up. She forces a bright smile and grabs her bag, looking to the ship. It's time to go. Catrina pads up the ramp to the deck, somehow feeling like she's going to start crying. It's a strange, jittery action. She takes a deep breath and turns around at the top, locking gazes with Bad and Eren. She waves to them and they wave back, saying nothing. She walks onto the ship, staring at Bad.

_Dear Eren, make sure to take care of Bad._

She stares even after the boat sets sail, and keeps staring until red and green are little specks on the far away dock.

_Dear Bad, I'll write every day from my father's._

Then her gaze turns to the sea, to the distant country of Reim she's heading to.

_Dear Father, I'm coming soon._

* * *

**1st Month…**

_Dear Father,_

_This is taking longer than I thought._

The ship takes her to the lovely sea port of Sicilii, where the waitresses can (and will) slip something into your drink for a price and the soldiers drunkenly sleep in the shade of tall, straight pillars. She does not notice the hidden animosity of the pretty little town until she becomes aware of the many stares and points directed to her crimson locks.

Then she gets into a just a dash of trouble. It really isn't her fault, but she does admit that she wishes she had been smart enough to cover herself with a rag or a scarf so that the many slave traders in Reim would leave her alone. While slave traders don't usually take slaves from the Empire they sell them to, being a Fanalis greatly increases the chances of a slaver deciding to break the rules- which, unfortunately, is happening.

"Hey there, miss."

_Dad, I promise I'm usually smarter than this._

"Hi." She chirps, discretely tightening her grip on her bag. She somehow was stupid enough to trap herself in an _alley _of all places. She's seen this sort of scenario going down a thousand times in books and T.V. (there was an amazing episode of _Amor de Los Ladrones _where the main character, José, was nearly killed in an alley by men sent mistakenly by his true love, Katalina), and as such is confused as to _why exactly she let it happen to herself. _

_But hey, at least I know I'm stronger than them!_

The three men all pull out an ominous metal contraption that give off seriously creepy vibes.

_...At least I know I'm stronger than them(?)_

"Hey, how much Fanalis blood is in ya?"

"..." She says nothing now, her smile gone as she studies each of the men. Two of them are tall and buff, the third shorter but with a small beer belly.

"Boss, I think she's angry." One of the buffer two say, his smirk wide and mischievous. Boss laughs, Goon #2 does not. They start to approach her slowly, like she's a wild animal that could lash out at any second.

"Tell me, hon, was your mom or dad the slave?"

Catrina stays calm, not allowing her inner anger show.

"Ah, the mom," Says Goon #1, narrowing his eyes. Catrina's eyes shoot to him as she begins to glare. "See? Look at 'er. You can tell she's a bastard with daddy issues."

"That's a lie." She instantly knows she shouldn't have spoken at all.

"Oh~? Listen, miss, you should know…" The man holds up a hand, where the metal contraption rests. "Once a slave, always a slave. You can't erase that blood in ya, know matter how much you deny what a slut your mom was-"

Catrina snaps in a second.

She's always known that her mother has been and is her weakness. Even when she was young she couldn't hold off her anger when someone insulted Aishia. After all, Aishia is the perfect mother who loved and raised her despite all the difficulties surrounding her birth. For Catrina, there's no other way to protect her than to resort to violence, even though she wishes that she could do something else, something more _beautiful_ for her mom.

Instead, she lunges with the intent to kick the teeth out of the smug prick's face.

That's when there's a loud _click_ and a sudden whirling sound, like something being sucked into a vacuum. A cold pressure latches onto her right leg, and soon after she notices Goon #2 rushing forward to attach matching pressure onto her left.

After that, she's whipping through the air.

She hits the building on her right first, and impact that's harsh and sudden and leaves her dazed. The adrenaline in her system numbs the pain at first, but as soon as she crashes into the building parallel to the previous one does that protection fade fast. She lets out an 'umpf' and a gasp at the pain, all the breath in her lungs being forcefully vacated from her chest. Finally whatever is throwing her around goes lax, causing her to fall to the ground.

Her vision becomes covered in thick black spots as something wet begins to seep through her hair, her back becoming aware of the many bursts of pain. She struggles to suck in a breath as she realizes what exactly happened, the chains on her legs tightening.

"Ryuji, you dumbass!" The voice is harsh and her suddenly sensitive ears bring the new sound straight into her cranium. A massive headache builds at the front of her head, spreading it's thick fingers over her brain. "The bitch can't be more than half Fanalis. Turning up the setting so high coulda killed her!"

"Sorry, Boss."

Boss doesn't seem to care, his footsteps taking him to Catrina's side. He parts her hair carefully, swearing the whole time.

"She's bleeding."

"We could take her to a doctor-" Ryuji, formly Goon #2, offers.

"And what? Reveal that we took a slave from _Reim_? Fanalis or not, the government would be up our ass in a second if they even _think _we took one of their citizens."

"Sicilii is hardly a proper city." Ryuji responds. One of his partners must've shut him up with a glare, because there's no more talking after that. The last thing Catrina remembers before blacking out is her arms being tugged behind her back and cold chains being clapped down on her wrists.

* * *

Catrina wakes up with a splitting headache.

"_**Jesus." **_She groans, moving carefully onto her side. The material of her pillow and blanket scratches her, and the skin on her wrists and ankles strain against the chains as she does so-

Her eyes fly open despite her pain as she registers the _chains_.

Very quickly she tugs against them, stretching the skin more, and tests out the strong metal she's bound with. It may take a bit of strength, but she can definitely break them-

"Oh, you're awake."

Catrina relaxes, not wanting to be caught, and stares up. Her eyes quickly adjust to the dark- thank God for bat-like Fanalis vision- and studies her captor. He's not a young guy, more middle-aged, but he's still strong looking and tall, sporting wide shoulders and well-defined muscles. She notices he kind of looks like Eren- granted, smaller, shorter and instead of short hair, his is long and black, his eyes a muddy-color. But they're kind like Eren's, something that surprises her.

"You're Ryuji." The man flinches back, those eyes widening.

"How'd you know my name?"

"That boss-guy said it," She says, still studying him. He pauses for a moment, having nothing to say. He kneels and sets a tray down before her. It contains rice and fish with a small cup of tea. Next to the food, there's a roll of bandages and a bowl of water.

"I came to clean your wounds and feed you," He informs her, not unkindly. He sounds rather professional, avoiding her gaze like it's too stern for him. Still, after a moment he adds, "It pleases me that you are alright."

"..." She slowly sits up, watching how his muscles tense. "Are you from Kou?"

His gaze snaps to hers.

"...I feel ashamed," Ryuji says. "You seem to know so much about me, but I know nothing about you."

"It was easy to piece together," She shrugs. "Your name, the meal you prepared, your stiff manner of speech...I have friends from Kou just like you."

Namely Hakuryuu, who never seems to feel as though his duties to be polite are over.

"...I see."

"...My name's Catrina," She tells him, slowly smiling a little. She feels calm inside for some reason, even though she shouldn't. The strangest feeling like she'll survive this settles in her stomach. Maybe it's because Ryuji doesn't seem to like how she's being treated either. "Your meal looks delicious. Thank you very much."

Ryuji gapes at her before sliding the tray forward and bowing.

"N-no, it was no trouble. Here," He pulls out a key and moves around her, freeing her from her wrist chains. She contemplates making an escape at that moment, but something tells her to stick around for a while, to watch the scenes around her unfold. Not to mention leaving means possibly being tracked down with that contraption again and- she thinks with a wince- that may not work out well for her. Ryuji motions to the food and she digs in. Once she starts eating, she realizes how _hungry _she really is. She ravenously tears through the fish similarly to how Masrur and Morgiana used to during dinners, and inhales the white rice (which is _divine_, somehow). The tea is similar to the kind she had in Kou once, almost a green but with a gentle, flower-like taste.

"Thank you very much!" She happily sighs, sitting cross legged. She inspects her chains once more as Ryuji begins to work on the wounds on her back and on her head. He explains it as he does so, saying that she had a minor cut on the back of her skull and that the rest of her injuries were just bruises and scrapes.

"You're very lucky," He says, smiling slightly at her. He almost seems very fatherly, the corners of his eyes wrinkling with crow's feet. "Fanalis are very tough! I'm impressed. "

"You've never seen a Fanalis before?"

"Once, actually," He admits. "In the coliseum."

_That's right._

Her eyes drop.

_Dad._

"Where am I, exactly?"

"...The Pits," Ryuji replies, his voice sounding like a depressed sigh. "Where slaves are held before auctions."

"...You plan to sell me?"

He does not answer, finishing up his work on her back.

"Your wounds are clean now," She watches him get back the handcuffs and snap them back over her wrists, not stopping him. He hesitates a moment, like he wants to say something, but stands and leaves. "You should rest some more."

* * *

The next morning, or what she assumes is morning, she's rudely awakened by Boss, who she finally gets a good look at. She had ignored his appearance beforehand on account of her steadfast belief she'd defeat them quickly, but now drinks in his looks with an attentive eye. He sports rust-colored hair and little black eyes, a beer belly weighing down his steps. He orders around Ryuji and Goon #2 with wide-arcing swings of his meaty arms, a scowl etched onto his face with a crooked knife.

"Boss," She greets him when he comes into her cell, frowning at his glare. "How's it going?"

"The hell'd told you you could talk?" He asks her, incredulous. "No, don't answer. Don't talk."

Boss rubs his temple, like he had one too many the night before.

Catrina keeps quiet, watching him.

"So your name is Catrina, huh? Nice name for a slave." He sits on a wooden box in the corner of the cell, looking winded from his journey here to see her. "But I'm jus' gonna call ya Slave. You know, so you'll understand the position you're in."

She doesn't respond, and he cracks a smile.

"You're too smart. Rule one is to speak only when _I say so_. Otherwise you'll get beaten. Rule two is to never leave this room unless _I say so. _Otherwise you'll get whipped. Rule three is to look as pretty as you can for buyers, because if you don't, _I _might choose the worst of all of them to sell you to." He smiles, revealing missing teeth. "Ryuji, the sonofabitch, has already been lenient on you- _too lenient. _I intend on being quite the opposite. Until auction time, you'll be working in the construction zone outside of Sicilii- where you won't say a damn word to anyone so help _me God._ Got that?"

She nods instead of saying yes.

He grins like he's just been awarded a new, obedient puppy.

* * *

Perhaps it's necessary that Catrina is, for a short duration of time, a slave.

After all, her kinsmen endured years of slavery, and her mother was one for a while, so it only seems right that she rolls up her sleeves and takes a share of the pain too. Masrur and Morgiana were slaves as well, now that she thinks of it.

She wonders what they had to do. For her, it's picking up heavy loads of brick and rock which would take several men to carry, and depositing it swiftly and easily in front of other slaves meant to be actually putting the houses together. They usually stop when they see her, though, watch the new girl with the nice skin and washed hair and clean fingernails pick up a few bundles of heavy materials and carry it to them, all the while smiling cheerfully.

She knows they think she's nuts.

From horror stories told by Morgiana, she knows why. A slave shouldn't smile. Morgiana doesn't like to talk much about her past, but once, when they had the day off from training, they had a conversation about it. They laid side by side on a small empty meadow in the forest, taking turns giggling over what they thought each of the Seven Generals were doing. Then the conversation shifted into something much more serious, and Morgiana was telling her about her experience as a slave.

She told her about the whips, the chains, the occasional knife. She described the ever-present fear and despair, wondering when they were going to die. After a few bated breaths of silence, Morgiana whispered to her that at that time, she would've liked to know when she'd die, so she wouldn't have felt so utterly afraid of her master every day.

Catrina had no idea what to say back, so she held Morgiana for a while instead.

Now Catrina's able to see people like Morgiana back then, their eyes dull and fearful. There's a power in despair that Catrina's very aware of. There's a power in being unable to understand what's coming except that it's going to _hurt_. Such knowledge is what propels so much angst and pain and terror among the less fortunate. It's the springboard to crime and the slide of a downward spiral all in one.

But she keeps smiling. Eren had told her that she had a wonderful smile. Bad said the same. However, it was when her smile could become a shield that she started wearing it daily. She realized that, by just _grinning_, she's able to protect herself from everything that's ever scared her through a projection of friendliness.

So maybe, she thinks, she can give these people hope if she smiles just a _smidge _wider. If she carries a few extra bricks. If she cheerfully says hello to those she passes, even as they frown at her.

Her smile never fades, though over the course of the day her spirit dampens.

That night, sitting on her cot and looking up at the ceiling in her dark cell, she begins to wonder why any thinks there is productivity in slavery. She begins to close her eyes, and her consciousness fades.

* * *

**2nd Month…**

A slave is not a person.

Which explains why the masters treat them with little consideration. If Catrina was to compare their treatment of their slaves to something, it would be how a homeless beggar might treat an animal.

Sometimes the master is good. They care for their slaves to an extent that, in the eyes of many, it virtuous and kind. They provide regular meals, check up on them often, praise them when they are good and scold them when they are not. But there is no mistaking the hierarchy; there is no way to pretend that when they look into their merchandises' eyes, they don't see the intelligence of a human being. They see the mindlessness of a dog.

Other times, the master is bad. They give scraps to their slaves. They whip them, chain them, beat them, belittle the men and..._Touch _the women. They shout and spit and leer, with repressed anger and hatred towards some cosmic being directed at the slaves. They give into an inhuman mentality that because they're slaves, they're not _people_. They're things. They're beasts. They're _rodents_ to be bought and sold.

Catrina's master treads the line between good and bad. So far he has provided her with food and clothing and checked up on her, but often scowls at her and attacks her with biting insults. He's never touched her, with she's thankful for...Of course, his reason for that (which he decided to tell her all about) is because he doesn't believe in continuing his bloodline if it's through a "dirty-blooded slave-race".

Her clothes are no longer clean. Her fingernails are brown, with dirt trapped underneath. Her body bears no scars nor bruises, but the materials she lugs around all day at construction sites and the other chores she's been made to do have created a scrapes and bruises here and there. She's allowed to wash once a week in cold water, but her hair is matted and distinctly gross.

Her meals, though thankfully regular, provide no substanance. Her master had seen Ryuji's cooking and decided it was too good for her, and now she eats a disgusting, discolored slop which has the unique ability to change from a liquid to a solid based on the temperature. Never has "eat it while it's hot" been such a game-changing sentence.

She's talked to most of the other slaves in the Pit now, has learned their stories. There are day-laborers, house-workers, cooks, maids, _bed-slaves_. The children sit in her lap and stare up at her with wide eyes, some bearing resemblance to their masters, others with fathers sold away or dead or occasionally just a customer for a night. She feels as though she needs to talk to them, needs to understand them. A few have begun to smile at her, others seem eager now to start up a lively conversation.

Ryuji is among these people.

"So...Your friend broke into a woman's house...To steal back a watermelon…?"

Catrina giggles hysterically, energetically nodding her head. They walk through the market, Catrina carrying a wide basket of in-season oranges on her head and Ryuji a bag of coins on his belt to pay for them. Her master finally let her out with a strict warning and that strange metal device clapped onto her ankles. She's learned, through talking to the fellow slaves, that it's a "_metal beast"_. Or, in simpler, more distressing terms, _a magic tool. _

_Isn't awesome that my master has _such _a great weapon?_

(Sarcasm at it's best.)

(And also, _fuck you Magomett._)

However, the only one seemingly capable of using the tool _alone_ is Ryuji; a fact that alerts Catrina that he must have a higher magoi level than his boss and Goon #2 (whose name is Jus or something, but honestly she doesn't care about him very much). Everyone else needs a partner or two to pilot the contraption.

"Eren wanted that watermelon."

"Why?"

"That's the point! He literally had no valid reason." She reaches up and picks an orange out of the basket, throwing it to a beggar on the side of the street. The dirty man begins to smile at her before confusedly staring at the chains on her legs. Ryuji frowns at her disapprovingly.

"Boss won't like you doing that. He'll be angry."

"He won't unless you tell, tattle-tale." Ryuji's cheeks go crimson.

"I-I'm not a tattle-tale!"

"Yes you are. You tattler." Catrina laughs a bit, her eyes twinkling. "Hey, I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Ryuji asks, sighing. He rubs his temple like a tired old father.

"Why're you working for Boss? He's not a nice guy, you know." Ryuji becomes quiet.

"...Boss has a name, you know. And you should probably call him Master."

"Don't avoid the question, tattler."

"Well...He's promised to take me back to Kou if I work for him for a few years. On my own I don't have the resources to make money and then purchase a trip back, so...I just have to be patient, I guess."

"You must be very patient, if you can sit still while he steals other people's lives." She tells him quite plainly, her lips tipped downwards. "Are you really alright with that, Ryuji?"

"..." His gaze drops, as if ashamed. "What about you, Catrina? Why haven't you tried to escape?"

"I don't really know," She looks up at the sky. She knows a little. She wants to understand her friends better, her _mother _better. She wants to experience what it's like to fail every now and then, so that her sympathies will grow. And she also understands escape will be difficult if they still have the magic tool on them. Jokingly she adds, "I'll leave when you do."

Ryuji looks shocked.

"I-I cannot do that," He quickly says. "Do not base your life on mine-"

"It'll be fine," Catrina laughs him off. "I'm _patient _too."

* * *

"Okay, so you can jump in a pit of snakes or a pit of sharks. What do you choose?" Catrina tickles the boy's stomach as she talks, smiling as he squeals happily.

"Umm...The sharks!"

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, cuz I can out-swim 'em!" Catrina giggles along with the child, bouncing him on her leg. "Hey, sis, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"What's mom doing right now?" The Fanalis-Amala's smile fades. The boy looks up at her with two baby-blue eyes, his golden hair shining. Suddenly she's taken back, back, back, to Alice's time. She sees her little brother in her arms, the same boy who used to smile dorkily and tell her about his recent football game.

Alice had loved him. She had loved him so much more than anyone else, and yet barely saw him. What was he doing now? How much had time progressed in that other world? Did he become the highschool football star? Did he graduate college and become a doctor like he promised her he would? Did he finally find a cure for the disease that had eaten his sister, a cure he used to cry about by her side?

"Catrina?"

That reality shatters. She's Catrina, a Fanalis and a Amala. She's a sister and a friend and a daughter, and she's not dying of cancer, she's not in anyway like desperate, pitiable girl who was too weak to escape the flames consuming her.

She's _stronger_ than that. She has _more to do_ than that.

The boy in her lap is not her brother. He's the son of his master's bedslave.

"Hm? Oh, your mother…" A few of the adults nearby wince at Catrina, pitying her for being placed in that situation by the boy. "Well...She's, ah, serving the Master right now…"

"But why?" The boy asks, his eyes shiny and naive. "She always has to leave at night. Why's that?"

It's right in front of you, she wants to tell him, her heart breaking. It's clear to everyone. You have all the pieces and yet you can't put them together.

"I don't know, sweetness," Catrina murmurs, unable to find the strength to put it together for him. "I think this is a conversation that you should wait to have with your mother when you're older, alright?"

The boy frowns, but nods slowly.

"Okay...Oh, hey, sis, what do you prefer: to run aallllll the way to the docks and back or have to rub master's feet?"

_I'd love to leave this place._

Instead, she musters up a smile and jokingly tells him she'd never touch his master's feet.

* * *

"Oh yeah, Slave, I got some news."

"...? Yes, sir?"

Master's lips part to reveal his yellowed teeth.

"_You're going to auction tomorrow."_

* * *

Enough.

She's had enough.

Her month in the Pits has cemented something in her, something fiery and harsh. Frustration builds in her chest as she surveys the other slaves, an unusual frown on her face. She's endured this past month because she knew she could handle it. But she never thought it would continue on after a month until news of the auction hit her. There was too much to do: she promised her father she'd visit him (he must be worried- she was scheduled to arrive three weeks ago), she promised Bad she'd play a part in Magnostadt, she promised Eren she'd be careful, she promised Masrur to return to Sindria, she promised her mother, five long years ago, to come back home. How can she come back if she's still- still _here?_

A growl rises up from her throat.

A few of the adults see her and confusedly stare until they recognize the anger and the pure _fire _in her face. Then they take measured steps away, shrinking into the walls as if they can escape from her eventual explosion. But they're all chained to this dark, lonely place, and there's no escape.

Escape.

She needs to escape. She can't buy her own freedom- her possessions were all taken from her except for her laurel and her arm-sleeve (to hide the ugly scar which her master deemed unattractive). There's also no one she can get to come save her- except for her father, but the thought of asking him sends thick waves of shame rolling through her body. The guilt of being taken and the intense, harsh shame of being unable to get herself out brings her pride to it's knees. Besides, there's no way to contact anyone, which is almost a relief. If she could get a message to her father, she'd feel obliged to do so, and while she's sure he wouldn't blame her for being taken…

Well, Eren was telling the truth: her dad's overprotective of his only child. He may make her stay in Reim for an indefinite amount of time, or stop her from leaving Remano to eventually see her mother. Both would be very inconvenient, and, once more, her pride would take a very crippling blow.

Catrina takes a deep breath. She needs to be calm. Escaping is the only option, which means if she's reckless she could hurt the other slaves or herself. Not to mention if she's not methodical and organized, she could fail and be whipped- or worse. So far her master has been fairly lenient and hasn't even hit her, but she's seen how he treats his less obedient slaves. Catrina's sure it's only her happy-go-lucky attitude and go-with-the-flow vibe that's helped her escape from that so far. But now…

The guards are on the other side of the Pit, reprimanding a slave for spilling his slop on their boots. No one stands around the cage she's in. She licks her lips.

"Hey," She says, gaining attention. The slaves go silent as they stare at her, all used to her habit of starting group-wide conversations. It's different, this time. "I have something to talk to you all about."

Her seriousness catches their interest and raises their level of fear. They still listen though, knowing that they can't leave the cage and that Catrina is, compared to all the others, the most reasonable.

She squats down, rubbing her eyes.

"Do you all think that...Free people should be free and slaves should be enslaved?" A moment of shocked silence. No one responds, their lips sealed shut after years of mind-numbing servitude. "Do you think that if a person is born in the outside world to a family who loves them, and lives the same as anybody else, and _enjoys_ their life...Should have that taken from them? Is that alright?"

Looks are exchanged.

"That's just…" A man says, and balks when the others look at him. "That's just h-how it is…"

"..." Catrina raises her eyes to look into that man's, looking deep into his soul. She can read him easily. She can see all of his painful, heart-wrenching memories. "No. That's not how it is. Because every person on this planet was _born equal. _We were all shaped by a God to be _unique_ and _new_. We might have had our freedom taken from us by our masters, but we are not any less human because of these chains!"

Catrina stands, feeling her conviction rise.

"I refuse to be bought and sold! I'm a person. I'm _human_. They cannot treat me like trash because it's _convenient._"

"Sis…"

"...Cat…"

"Miss Catrina…"

Little murmurs, whispers of soft praise. They shake with fear, but look at her with awe. Like she's something divine and _new_. With an aching heart, she realizes that in this world, she actually _is. _

"I'm human. They can say I'm not, they can make excuses for what they've done, but _I'm human. _And they had to _kidnap me _in order to force me into becoming a slave, like they did to most of you." Catrina looks to the children, who stare at her with watery eyes. Softly she adds, "_Just because you were born here means you have to die here."_

* * *

Catrina licks her lips, watching the guards stalking through the Pit. Through her time here, she's become aware of the patterns and behaviors of the hired guards. Though it's their job to look after all the slaves, it's known to Catrina that they actually _don't_. It's not as though they're doing it purposefully, it's just that they developed a sense of ease and comfort through the repetition of their rounds.

If a slave is known to be aggressive, the guards treat them with caution. They take in all movement, slowing their steps as they go past, never moving their eyes from the slave's cage. Sometimes they linger for a while in front of the cage, hands drifting over their swords as they bark out insults to the enslaved person. They eagerly wait for a response in order to get a chance to pounce; but those are rare. Even the stupidest and most violent of slaves know when to duck their heads.

The slaves who never say a word and blend into the background are written off as unnoteworthy, non-threatening. Thus, the guards relax as they pass those cages, their conversation becoming more loud as they become less alert. That's often how news is brought to the Pit, and how gossip circulates. Gossip, surprisingly, is incredibly valued by the slaves.

Catrina's found that during "down" time, the many slaves will ask for her opinion on the newest story that's made it's way down to the dark, dank Pit. It's the best pass time considering all else someone can do is sleep, stare at the wall or imagine life if one wasn't bound to a rodent-infested sewer-based hell hole.

The guards go past her cage. She closes her eyes, pretending to be asleep. While this particular set of men don't bother her anymore, she remembers that they used to be very interested in her at first. They didn't say it aloud, but it was the first time they've ever seen a Fanalis, and openly stared at her to process her 'exotic' features. In Catrina's opinion, the only thing 'exotic' about her is her eye-shape. All the other tell-tale Fanalis aspects are actually quite normal- if not common. Tanned skin, crimson hair, an inclination towards frowning.

She supposes it's just the combination of all those things that create a Fanalis, in addition to their incredible strength. It hits Catrina then. There's nothing really exotic about a Fanalis. Hell, there's nothing _special_.

Except for their strength.

_If we weren't as strong as we are, would we still be slaves?_

The answer that comes to her is a surprising, resounding no.

Of course, she has to consider other factors in that statement in order to know for sure, but her head starts aching and she's not sure she really cares.

She opens her eyes as the men pass, and creeps to the barred wall between her and the group of 'normal' slaves. She was placed in her own cage because of, frankly, _obvious _reasons.

"Hey," She whispers to the woman, closest to her- who happens to be the mother of that boy from before. Mina. "Did you hear anything?"

A bit of hesitation before her nods.

"I talked to Apollo at the main house. He said that you and a few of the others are getting sold tomorrow."

"To who?"

"I'm not sure," She confesses. "It's not a closed auction, so people from all over are coming to see a Fanalis."

Her heart skips a beat.

"People from Remano?"

"Probably."

She nearly curses. How could news of a Fanalis travel that far? Was she really so noteworthy? Hopefully her father hasn't heard...But the Fanalis Corps are always searching for new recruits. Could it be possible…?

She shakes her head, reaffirming her resolve. There are no reassurances, not while she's in this position. If she wants to escape, then she needs to be smart about it; like she said. She doesn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not those who've agreed to help her leave.

"I see...Has anyone changed their minds?" The bedslave bites her lip, looking at the others. A few look away once their gazes land on them. "But why?"

"...Fear?" Mina suggests, her gaze downcast. "I think it's fear."

"I promised to protect you all."

"..." Fragilely, Mina reaches through the bars to rest a motherly hand on Catrina's. "You are a kind girl, Cat. But for us...Being free is a foreign word. So, if we can help you escape, then perhaps we can win some freedom. After all, if you take us with you, it'll be that much harder to go see your father, right?"

Catrina's face flushes. In the depressing, long hours in the cages she had filled the air with stories of her adventures and detailed explanations of her desires to see her parents again. She spoke to such a length about it that many started using phrases from her tales in their speech. She hears many say "literally" and "Yolo" and "awesome" now.

"And please, if I see you again, introduce me to your dad," Mina mimics being hot, waving her hand towards her face. She gives a saucy grin. "I would _love _to meet a rugged gladiator Fanalis someday."

"W-what?!" Mina giggles, clapping a hand over her mouth.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I can tell you want your parents to get back together."

"Wh-what?"

"_Daddy told me a lot about Mama!" _Horrified, Catrina watches Mina mimic her. "_Their love story is so romantic~!"_

"I don't sound like that."

"Oh, but you do."

Catrina pauses, her cheeks still flushed. It had been a long month, filled with hungry, cold days and warm, fun ones, but it was coming to an end now. She makes a vow then and there: when she gets to Remano, she's going to come back and free everyone here. It's the least she can do for these people, who've guided her and taught her for so long.

Hell, maybe she'll even buy Ryuji a ticket back to Kou.

But for now, she solemnly squeezes Mina's hand and smiles at her, offering a smile of hope and strength.

Slowly, shyly, Mina gives her one back.

* * *

Ryuji wakes her up the next morning.

His eyes seem tired, his frown too deep.

"Is all well, my friend?" Catrina asks, sitting cross legged like the day they first talked. Ryuji doesn't respond until he's kneeling before her, his back ramrod straight.

"Catrina...You are being sold today."

"I'm aware."

Ryuji frowns deeper and a painful emotion- worry?- fill his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

The Fanalis-Amala thinks for a moment on his words.

"...Ryuji…"

"Yes?"

"Were...Were you a slave?" Ryuji flinches back like she whipped him, making an expression she's gotten used to seeing. The slaves here make that same wide-eyed, frightened look all the time.

"H-how'd you know?"

"..." Catrina reaches up to push back a handful of red hair, pulling the locks back into her usual bun. "I could tell. Boss doesn't treat you the way he treats his other goons. He seems to hate you more."

Ryuji's gaze drops.

"Is he even going to help you go back?"

"He is," Ryuji earnestly tells her, hands fisting on his knees. "I mean...He has to. He _owes_ me for what he did."

"What did he do?"

Ryuji smiles ruefully.

"You've been here long enough to know all the punishments. Name a few...I'm sure you'll hit the mark."

The solemn, dark sentence is not something she connects to polite Kouenese male she's gotten used to bugging.

"Ryuji…" Catrina says, almost worried for him. "You're above this. All this twisted darkness. You don't have to work for him, even if the alternative seems scary."

"But he's…"

"_A monster,__"_ She finishes for him. A guard comes by and tells Ryuji that the auction is waiting for Catrina. The Fanalis-Amala stands first, staring into Ryuji's face. The man lowers his gaze, shamefully, and takes ahold of her chains.

"I'm sorry," He repeats.

"You should _leave_."

There are tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

A slave auction is an unfamiliar place to Catrina, but rumors have made their way into her ears, and fulfil themselves before her.

"And this lovely thing," The auctioneer cooes. _Thing_. Not girl, not woman. _Thing_. It holds so much more _meaning _than if it was said anywhere else. Said girl beside him shrinks in on herself. "Has just started her moon-cycles! A mature, beautiful virgin!"

The prices start rising. The girl, not any more than fifteen_, _starts crying. Catrina has the sudden burst of desire to sock the bastard in the throat, take the girl into her arms and bring her to safety. She moves to do so, but shocks of pain race up and down her spine. She gasps, staring back with wide eyes at Ryuji.

His gaze is on the cuffs on her ankles, his grip tight over the chains.

"Ryuji…" She says, hurt filling her gaze. He looks off to the side now, ashamed.

"Sold!"

Catrina's head snaps back to the stage, where an obese nobleman waltzes on to claim his prize. Catrina tugs on her chains, now desperate to save that girl, to _help _her. She's crying and crying, begging for a superman, and yet, and still…

A hand claps down on the slaves wrist, and she's dragged away.

It's the first time in many, many years that Catrina actually feels..._Helpless_. Sometimes she gets inklings of that feeling, like when she's pressing her hands down over Eren's bleeding wounds or has to sit by as Bad does all of the scheming by herself. But at those times she's _doing _something. She's bandaging Eren while he looks so unfamiliarly weak, she's holding Bad when the demons are particularly rough.

Now…

_Now._

Now she's just...Standing there as the woman, the girl, the _child, _is dragged off.

(She's Catrina's age.)

Then, repulsively, Catrina starts thinking about herself.

_What am I going to do? What if that happens to me? What if I can never do th__e things I promised?!_

Lower, deeper, a whisper summarizing her whirlwind of thoughts,

_(What if I can't live anymore?)_

"I...Don't want that." She doesn't realize she's spoken aloud until Ryuji's gaze turns to her. She vaguely feels her knees clapping together. "No...Please, don't do this…"

Begging like a weak willed soul. _Begging _like Alice would've.

She has never hated herself the way she does in that moment. Because now, that hatred's not a filter between her and Alice, forcing her anger and frustrations toward an unknown, nonexistent persona in the heavens. That's how she's always controlled herself, her hate.

Now, though, the reality crashes into her.

_I hate myself so much._

She always had, a little.

_Why me?_

Such a selfish thing to think. Why _not _her?

_No, no, no._

But she's Alice. She's Alice and Alice is her and if she doesn't like that, well, that's her own problem, isn't it? Catrina sobs, the tears coming down. That's right. She's Alice. She's tried to pretend differently, but she can't anymore, because all that hatred for her situation and her life and all the terrible things that have happened to her come whipping down across her shoulders. There are burdens even a Fanalis cannot bear.

"I don't want…" She whispers, "_To be alone." _

She looks around her dazedly, at the audience bidding on the next slave, at the guards lazing around in the shade of the pillar. Her plan is still _there_. The slaves promised to create a fight down below in the Pits to draw the guards, giving her a chance to break her chains once she's sold and escape to the outskirts of the city, where a change of clothes and a few coins are waiting for her. The clothes and coins were produced by her fellow slaves, who hoarded their best treasures and now give them up to her. The very fact all of them banded together to help her was not just extraordinary...It was too _kind_ for a selfish, worthless person like her.

She feels her head drop down as her neck collapses.

Yes...What's the point of leaving if she's going to be taken from her friends? What's the point of escaping, if all she's good for is being…Being...

_Being a slave?_

* * *

"_To be alone."_

The moment he hears her whisper those words in a broken, terrified voice, Ryuji feels an overwhelming sensation in his stomach.

His organs churn and his belly constricted, air leaves his lungs in long waves. It's torturous feeling, like he can't breath as shaky twitches climb between his ribs and find their way up to his jugular. A sharp pain in his jaw alerts to him that he's tensed his entire face, and a similar burn spreads across his wide, unblinking eyes.

He's heard those words before.

"_I don't wanna - alone, Daddy-! Please, - Mommy go, don't -!"_

Ryuji is not egotistical, that he is sure of. But he knows he's a good man. He knows he did all he could for his family back in Kou, knows he treated his wife and his child _right_. He also knows his Boss (Master) is the cruelest, most despicable man in the entire world for doing what he did to Ryuji.

But there are aspects to good men that most people don't know. Being a good man doesn't mean he's always made the right decision, always stuck up for the underdog. Because sometimes, often times, he bows his head and lets fate's course flow. Yet Ryuji is also hopeful, optimistic, _kind_. He bandages wounds and sympathizes with the slaves, treating them all with, he hopes at least, a genuinity that makes them feel _slightly _better.

Just slightly.

Always slightly.

His hands shake on his hold of the magic tool. The stupid thing was created to capture strong people (like Fanalis) and enslave them. It's a cool metal band that he slips his fingers into and holds as it drains away his magoi in order to keep up it's stupendous strength and flexibility. Attached to it is a single chain that splits into two with cuffs at the end. Currently they sit clapped on Catrina's ankles, keeping her from moving.

Then he drops it.

The hushed sound of metal against dirt doesn't draw any attention other than the flicker of Catrina's gaze as her hyperactive hearing picks it up. Ryuji kneels down and takes off Catrina's ankle braces, depositing them atop of the handle of the tool before kicking it into the corner. He quickly turns around and claps thinner chains onto Catrina's ankles, standing quickly but casually scanning the area to make sure he wasn't caught.

The Fanalis is still staring at him.

He looks down, shame filling him, before looking straight into her eyes.

"I don't want you...To be _alone…_" He says softly, his throat tensing half-way through. He hangs his head, memories of his child rushing through his head. "I don't want you...To think you're _worthless_. I want you to...To find your family, and _live, _and not have to smile any less because of this situation. Because you're not hopeless, Catrina. You have so much _potential_."

"R-Ryuji…?" A few more tears trail down Catrina's cheeks. Her lower lip wobbles unsteadily before she's quickly throwing her arms around his chest and hugging him. "_Thank you." _

They both know what he did.

And they both know that the time to leave is now.

* * *

_Thunk, thunk, thunk._

The wooden stage makes hollow noises as Catrina wanders on stage. Her wears a dirty dress, her hair is disgustingly greasy, she hasn't washed her face in days and she's certain she smells like sh- ah, something _unpleasant_.

And yet, she doesn't care and neither do the bidders.

"I don't think I have to explain to any of you experienced gentleman the value and rarity of a Fanalis, so I think I'll just quickly note that this beauty here is the _first _Fanalis to be sold at Sicilii!"

A round of applause. She nearly pukes. All that's left is for the auctioneer to throw his arms out and scream, 'we did it, guys!'.

"I'll start the bidding at 50 gold coins!"

While certainly high, Catrina inwardly pouts that she wasn't started at at least 100.

"100!"

"250!"

"350!" The bids raise higher and higher, and Catrina's eyebrows disappear from under her bangs.

_Wow. I'm valuable._

(Well...That's one way to look at it.)

"500!"

_I don't __think I've ever made that kind of money!_

_**You don't work.**_

_I don't __think I've ever _stolen _that kind of money!_

A pause as the bidding slows, each buyer sizing one another up with scowls and nervous glances. Such a high price is highly unusual, but apparently common for a Fanalis.

"Going once! Going twice! So-"

"_1000 gold coins!"_

_WHAT?__!_

"_WHAT?!"_

The auctioneer, the nobles, the guards, Ryuji, everyone looks at the source. Catrina feels her heart warm, her cheeks flush red.

Because the man standing there, surrounded by his subordinates is-

"_No wa__y."_

"H-holy shit."

"Dammit...They always show up at the worst time…"

The man raises an eyebrow, looking feral and pissed beyond belief.

"_Well?" _He hisses at the auctioneer, a rough, angry sound. "_Any other bidders?"_

"A-ah, going once...Going twice…" The auctioneer holds out the final words with shifting eyes, looking helplessly at the other bidders as if to find someone who could save their auction.

"Any day!" Her savior yells. The auctioneer flinches and quickly blurts,

"_Sold!"_

Catrina's knees feel weak. Tears fill her eyes as the men and his two companions quickly make their way to the stage, springing up the stairs easily. The main man, her buyer, pushes a large bag of coins into the auctioneer's arms, making the man stumble back and fall on his bottom. The whole time his eyes never leave hers.

"H-here's the keys," The auctioneer offers him the key, knowing full well that there's no way that a _Fanalis _would buy a _Fanalis _for any other reason.

"Gah...The Fanalis Corps." A nobleman bemoans his loss of merchandize. "Dammit."

"For the captain to come himself…"

"And to bring along his second in commands..."

Muu, Myron, Lo'lo.

All of them before her.

Lo'lo and Myron growl at the man who still holds out the key while Muu steps on the chains, holding them down. Catrina swiftly kicks upwards, breaking her bonds and freeing herself. There is a single second of hesitation before tears are slipping down Catrina's cheeks and she's barreling into Muu's chest and waiting arms.

"Daddy!" She cries loudly, uncaring of the listeners.

"_DADDY?!" _Half the crowd shouts, their eyes huge. The implications of such a statement bring horror down on their shoulders.

"Yeah, Daddy," Lo'lo snickers, picking up the auctioneer and forcing him to face a _very, very furious _Muu Alexius.

"I suggest," Muu says, with the kind of calm composure only an intensely livid person can pull off. His eyes become two crimson bullets, ready to be fired into the man's heart. "That you tell me exactly who kidnapped my daughter,_ Catrina Alexius of the Alexius family_, and tried to sell her. Otherwise I may just do something _very horrible to you._"

Myron snickers when she smells the distinct scent of urine radiating off of the auctioneer.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Catrina used to secretly dream about becoming a housewife. She has never told anyone this because of how strangely it conflicts with her personality.

**Fun Fact #2: **Muu is very overprotective of his daughter and will take offense to even mistaken slights towards her.

* * *

Done!

Okay so I was literally so excited to write this chapter and then I KEPT FUCKING UP. Uuuughh I literally hated the way I arranged everything and asldkjgosubojwr. SO I CHANGED IT ALL ANd now I like it mucho.

**ATTENTION: **Okay, I already know y'all are prob annoyed, but I have _redone the poll_ with the choices that got the most votes! The three finalists are waiting for you to vote, so please, do so! I have also added brief summaries for each of them on my profile, so be sure to read that before voting :)

**The Auction: **I dunno currency. I made that ish up.

**Cat's Dad: ***smirks* So yeah, Cat's dad is Muu (and yes, those who guessed that get gold stars). Goddamn do I ship MuuXAishia hard. _SO HARD_. This also makes Catrina a quarter Fanalis, btw. I dunno if you guys noticed but whenever someone incorrectly called Catrina "half-Fanalis" someone would always try to correct them (only to be stopped conveniently).

**Muu: **So, 'cause this is my story, Muu's older than he actually is and that's why he was eighteen when Catrina was born- as such, Muu is currently 33! But he still looks the same! Yay for anime aging!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	36. Chapter 35: A Quarter Second

I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER. Jeez, this took wwaaaaayyyy too long. But I was double-hit in the face and the stomach by AP testing, writers block, and mega-doses of tiredness. But hey, this chapter is over 20,000 words so...Your patience will be rewarded.

ALSO: Please vote on my poll please please please! It's on my profile!

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold sparrow**

**ELEVENTH ARC: **Fanalis-Amala

CHAPTER 35: A Quarter Second

* * *

**2nd Month, Continued...**

Muu remembers when he fell in love with the slave-girl Aishia. It was when he was a stupid aristocrat who was only just realizing how dirty-blooded other people thought of him, even his own family. He met her when he was taking a group of slaves to Remano, only to get attacked by bandits; he was preparing to kick ass until Aishia easily broke her chains and crushed her opponents without breaking a sweat.

He remembers how shocked he had been.

He remembers how shocked her _master _had been.

From then on, Aishia was a gladiatrix in the coliseum. The spectators dubbed her the "black bird" for her swift style of martial arts. They called her secretly ferocious, highly trained, _unbeatable_. They also praised her scarless skin, her rare beauty among slaves, and calm attitude during matches. Even now, Muu remembers his fascination with her and- he bemoans it still- the stupid persona he used when talking to her at first.

There was a certain _something _about Aishia Exsos. There was a purity, or perhaps naivete. Ai championed justice like it was second-nature, and she never seemed to be bothered by the fact that, by doing the right thing, she often condemned herself to hardships. She held a gentleness in her palm and a fire in her eye. But that didn't mean she make mistakes, and once or twice he had to watch as she burned down in flames. The way she lived made the way he lived change, and he grew to truly love that wonderful, irritating woman.

He did know, actually, that she was pregnant. Aishia had told him two weeks before that _incident_, her eyes shining. He had been so happy at the time- after he got over the panic that set in once learning he, an eighteen year old, was going to be a _daddy_ of all things.

For twelve years, he had to give up any hope that she and their child would be coming back. For the longest time he convinced himself that their baby had died- it _must've_\- and that Aishia was dead too. It was easier thinking that than his own inabilities to protect them...It was much easier to believe than the irrational certainty that they were being sold between different slave traders.

Which is why, when he met Catrina, he passed out.

_Fainted._

The thirty-three year old Captain of the Fanalis Corps, decorated war hero, and nobleman of the Alexius house...Unconscious on the floor next to a crying Fanalis girl in a _barrel_.

(It's a long story.)

Lo'lo has _never_ gotten over that.

Explaining to Catrina who he was was hard enough without stuttering, but trying to tell her that he was her father? It was a _total_ disaster. All that kept happening was Catrina adorably tilting her head to the side and saying 'huh? Mama and you were friends, Mr. Muu?'. It got to the point where they couldn't say anything without Myron squealing and trying to strangle the girl in a hug.

In the end, Muu stopped trying to formulate a good way to say it. Instead, he took Catrina aside in private and showed her the last possession he had of Aishia: the laurel he bought her for her birthday one year. It was a small thing, with green leaves and little blue orbs strung in between them, but Catrina practically fell over herself admiring it. So, Muu fastened it around the bun she wore.

Then he took both the girl's shoulders, kneeled, and told her the truth. At first she appeared completely shocked, but then her lower lip trembled and she threw her arms around Muu as she started crying. Which made him tear up too, not that he'd admit it. It felt like he was finally regaining his footing after losing his precious child. Granted, he knew nothing about parenting and was bound to screw up at one point, but it was nice having his daughter hug him and call him 'daddy'.

Of course, he didn't get to spend much time with his little girl. After a few lovely months with Catrina, her companions (Bad and Eren, he remembers,) decided they were moving on to Partevia. They told Catrina she could stay with her father, but Catrina decided she wanted to go with her friends. Muu objected, of course, but his daughter was so _sure_. And Eren, who was probably around nineteen or so, promised him he would be strong enough to protect. So, with reluctance, he let his only child go after making her promise to come back as soon as possible.

Three years and a few sporadic letters later, Catrina finally returns home.

Now she's not the tiny, adorable thing who he plopped on his lap and spoiled, but rather an older, taller, _beautiful _young woman. Muu hates himself for passing on his genetic perfection to his daughter.

But she also looks so familiar. She looks like her mother.

It's hard to fully accept, that she's like her mother so much. Muu has thought a lot about Aishia ever since finding out that Catrina was alive and well. He's thought about where she is, how she is, why she left...He's thought about what he'd do if he sees her again, which honestly doesn't seem possible; granted, he thought it was impossible to ever meet Catrina.

For now, however, he's just going to concentrate on spoiling his little girl and destroying the bastards who tried to chain her.

* * *

Catrina sighs, the sound echoing around her in the bath. The day had been very _eventful_ to say the least. Just that morning she was planning a daring escape from slavery, and now she's taking a long, wonderful bath at the public bathhouse in Sicilii. She remembers watching her father barely keep himself from killing her former master. It was terrifying and very (strangely) sweet.

After Muu essentially promised to "harass, beat and maim" the slaver, he wrapped an arm around his daughter protectively and took her back to the inn he often used when visiting Sicilii. While they went, Myron clucked over her and frowned at her dirt-covered self, declaring that she was going to take her niece to the bathes while the boys bought her clothes.

Neither her father nor Lo'lo seemed excited by this task, but once Catrina smiled and thanked them, Muu perked up especially and informed her that there was nothing he wouldn't do for his _precious, darling, only_ daughter.

She admits that Muu over does it with the coddling sometimes.

Catrina sinks lower in the water, her red hair flowing out around her. Layer by layer, she scrubs the dirt out of her skin, thankful for the heat of the water and sweet smelling oils provided for her. She runs her fingers through her hair and dunks below the surface, washing out the grease before applying oils on her skin and hair.

_I _will _smell good after this._

Her determination to wipe away the traces of the past month manifests in the form of self-maintenance. She dunks again, holding her breath underwater as she furiously tugs knots out of her hair and digs the dirt out from under her nails. She repeats the process over and over until she finally pops out of the bath gasping for air. The heat eventually hits her hard, and she struggles to get out of the in-ground bath, sitting at the edge and heaving in deep breathes.

**Knock, knock, knock.**

Catrina quickly grabs a towel and wraps it around herself, calling,

"Come in!"

Myron peaks her head in, small ponytail bobbing as she does so.

"Oh, I was going to help you with your bath, but you're already clean, huh?" Myron pads in, holding clothes in her arms. She sets them down on a bench and sits beside her niece, dipping her legs in the water. "Hmm? Now you're all red, Cat."

"O-oh? Is it noticeable?"

A small smile spreads across Myron's face.

"You're so like your mother."

"Huh?"

"Aishia also scrubbed herself raw after she was freed from slavery."

"She did?!"

"Yeah. God...I was such a kid then, but I thought she was the coolest." Excitedly, Myron leans in like she's telling a secret, her eyes glittering. "She was so _refined_ but _strong_! She never gave up, not once, and never said no to a fight! Even though she was an ex-slave, people respected her, and she raised my brother's reputation! But she was also kind and lady-like and...Well, she was truthful, too…"

"...Aunt Myron?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, nothing…" But her eyes are a little glassy now. Catrina knows that look. Muu uses it when he's talking about Aishia. "Oh, well, I was a kid. But it's nice that you're just like your mother, Catrina."

"What? No, I'm really not." Myron tilts her head to the side.

"Well, of course you'd think that, but you are. I admit, there are certain aspects that you don't share with her, but mostly...You have her optimism. It's nice."

Catrina lowers her gaze, smiling slightly.

"You think…? No...I got so scared so quickly…"

Myron says nothing.

Then Catrina is falling into the water towel and all. When she resurfaces after her quick dive, she sees Myron standing above her in the baths, her eyes narrowed.

"Oi, kid, a month is nothing to be ashamed about!"

"W-what?"

"A month...A month of slavery isn't long compared to a lot of other people's experiences…" Myron admits, closing her eyes. "But a month of slavery without being scared...That's something to be proud of!"

"A-Auntie…"

"When you were in here I met this guy outside who was looking for you," Myron mentions.

_A guy?_

Catrina's eyes widen.

_Ryuji._

"And you know what he told me? He told me that you were the kindest person he'd ever met. He told me you won over every slave in those cages. He told me you tossed oranges to the homeless when you passed by."

Catrina climbs out again, and Myron squats down, her crimson gaze never lifting.

"That's just…"

Two warm, strong hands fall onto her shoulders. Hands that have manicured nails and the appearance of delicacy, but are calloused on the palm. Her aunt's gaze gets just a tiny bit more kind, more warm. It still drills holes in her, yet there is an unspoken admiration, a familial love.

"Catrina. That's not just something that everyone does."

A jolt of shock races through her.

She wasn't doing those things to seem like she's a good person. She wasn't intentionally trying to do the right thing.

It just felt...Correct. Natural.

_Normal_.

Catrina's jaw clenches tight as the tears start to fall.

"A-auntie…!"

"I think you're a wonderful, brave person, Catrina."

She hiccups, falling into Myron's open arms.

"T-thank you!"

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Cat. We're here for you. We'll protect you now. We're family, after all."

After a few minutes Catrina's tears turn to sniffles.

"Wanna try on the clothes? Lo'lo was a fashion designer in his past life."

"And I was a paraplegic."

"Hah! A little dark, but I like it, Cat."

A small smile.

"Haha, sorry..."

* * *

Lo'lo, apparently, _was_ a fashion designer in his past life. The clothing he and her father picked out is, strangely, perfectly measured to her exact measurements, a fact that she points out to Myron. Myron quickly assured her that she had given the boys the measures and that the men hadn't guessed so accurately.

Other than that, Catrina thinks they did very well. Looking at the outfit in the mirror, she admires the colors and style. She wears now a white dress that ends at her knees with red x-shaped stitches along the hem, neckline and sleeves. Apparently Lo'lo was able to find some armor for her, though it's only a gold chest plate. She takes a minute to cherish the style and beauty of the outfit, giggling about how wonderful shopping is.*

"Oh, Cat, that arm sleeve…"

"Hm?" Catrina pauses as she slides the pink sleeve up her arm, looking to her aunt. She stares in the mirror and notices the problem. "Oh. The colors don't match…"

"Sorry, it doesn't really matter, but it's pretty noticeable…"

"Oh yeah, it's just…" Catrina slowly takes off the sleeve, staring at her arm. Myron looks on with her, at the nasty burn scar trailing over her skin. "It just feels weird without it on, you know? Haha...And it was a present from my friends…"

"Ah, here!" Myron shoves something into her hands, and Catrina looks down.

"Arm sleeves?"

"Y-yeah, I noticed the problem, so I made Muu go buy them…" Myron twirls her hair around her finger, looking shyly away. "Do you like them?"

Catrina sets down the pink sleeve, pulling on the new ones on each arm. They are a black color, and just like her old one they slide up over her elbows. They don't tie at the top with ribbons, but at her index fingers she uses two gold rings to keep the sleeves on.

"...I feel balanced," Catrina laughs, fisting her hands. "Thanks, Auntie! They're great!"

* * *

"Wow!" Muu exclaims, pulling his daughter into a tight "father-daughter" hug. "My little girl's so beautiful!"

"D-Daddy, you're shouting…" Catrina shyly tells him.

"I can't help it~ my precious little Cat~" Muu fondly pats her head, tucking her under his arm. "Boys must think you're beaut-"

A deep silence as Muu stops cold.

"Daddy?"

"...You don't have a boyfriend, right?" The atmosphere drops about ten degrees. Sweat forms on Cat's forehead, and she quickly shakes her head.

"N-no, I don't!"

"You promise?"

"Well, I mean, yeah, I don't." Technically she and Masrur aren't dating. Although the thought is nice. Really nice. And he kissed her cheek in Sindria and it was _wonderful-_

"If you lie you'll break your father's heart!"

"_Daddy!" _

"Brother, you shouldn't harass her. Teenage girls have volatile feelings. She may run away and get married to a bum."

"_What?! I won'__t allow it!"_

"Daddy, she's kidding…"

"I'm not."

A hand drops upon Muu's shoulder, calming him. At his side, Lo'lo gives a feral smirk.

"Don't worry, Muu. Anyone who goes near Catrina will have to answer to us."

Catrina sends out a sincere mental apology to Masrur and a prayer that he still fights for her.

* * *

"_Achoo!"_

"Masrur, are you sick?" Ja'far asks worriedly, passing a hand over the younger general's forehead.

"No, I'm fine." Masrur says. "But I have a feeling something ominous just happened…"

* * *

"A-Anyway, are we spending the night in Sicilii?"

"Yeah." Muu tells her. "Then we'll be going to Remano. And after that, I'll make sure to send some people out to continuously harass that idiot slaver who kidnapped you."

"Oh yeah, that sucked." Catrina sighs. "Sorry, Daddy. I should've been more careful."

"It's not your fault." Muu grasps her shoulder, squeezing it. "I'm the one who told you to take the fastest route here, through Sicilii. Even though I know this city is notoriously corrupt…"

"Daddy…"

"Oh, but the lawsuits I'm going to drag that guy through…" Muu smiles viciously. "Kidnapping a citizen of Reim was a stupid, _stupid _move."

"But I wasn't born in Reim…"

"You're the daughter of Muu Alexius," Lo'lo reminds her. "A high-ranking nobleman from a powerful and well-known family. Not to mention once you took the Alexius name you became a citizen."

"Oh…Wait, when did I take the name Alexius?"

"Remember those papers I made you sign?"

"Huh…?" The memory comes back to her. She blushes. "Oh. I wasn't really listening back then...I kept on getting distracted because the shock of having a father…"

"You should always listen before signing papers…" Muu laughs a bit, patting her head. "Silly Cat. Well, it's a good thing you did anyway. Otherwise I wouldn't have a way to _legally decimate that foolish, foolish man._"

"...Hahaha…" Catrina sheepishly laughs, feeling like she shouldn't interrupt her father's intense look of malicious concentration. "...Yeah…"

"Are you hungry?" Muu shifts gears quickly, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "I bet so. Let's go back to the inn!"

* * *

Food.

Warm, delicious, wonderful food.

"So good!" Catrina practically has tears streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you!"

"Haha, come on Cat, you're family," Myron reminds her, delicately eating in a proper manner.

"Yes, you can have whatever you want!" Muu capitalizes on Myron's words, offering more food to his daughter. Shyly, Catrina plucks a chicken breast and some broccoli off of the platter and onto her plate, before quickly gobbling it up.

"Nice appetite," Lo'lo teases, smirking at the youngest. Catrina blushes, once again muttering out her sincere thanks.

"Lo'lo!" Muu reprimands, "Don't make my Catrina blush, you pervert!"

"Daddy!"

"_I'm protecting your honor!" _

"Brother, that's not cool."

"Captain, there is no way I'm interested in Catrina." Muu turns a cold glare to Lo'lo, his right eye twitching.

"Are you saying my beautiful daughter isn't good enough, you bastard?"

"Brother!" Catrina's jaw drops.

_So overprotective._

It was amazing how, just by being in the presence of Catrina, Muu's whole personality takes a three-sixty degree turn. It's not that he sheds his usual cheerful, friendly attitude, but he'll turn into a demon the moment he even believes someone is targeting his daughter. It's sweet sometimes, but other times it makes Catrina feel like it's her fault. Of course, she always realizes that his attitude isn't because she's his only daughter or because he feels she's weak, but because he wants what's best for her.

_And_ he doesn't know everything there is to know about parenting, so that desire often manifests itself into an extremely defensive/offensive personality.

Catrina laughs as she watches Lo'lo and Muu start up a arm-wrestling match, finishing her food.

"Whoa, this is sooo great!"

"You already said that," Myron laughs, patting her niece's head. "Silly Cat."

"Ah, sorry, it's just I haven't eaten something this good since-"

She stops.

"Hm? Cat?"

"Since…"

"Is something wrong?"

_Since Ryuji cooked for me._

Catrina stands up suddenly, the realization hitting her fast over the head. The sudden action catches the attention of everyone at the table, but she doesn't mind that much.

"Cat-?"

"Ah, sorry! I just remembered, I have something to do!" Catrina steps away from the table, taking a single step to get to the door.

"Hey, wait a sec-" Muu tries to stop her, but apparently his daughter is too fast. Over her shoulder the Fanalis-Amala yells,

"Be right back!"

* * *

She exited the inn within seconds, eyes quickly scanning the streets. She sniffs the air, growling when she doesn't smell him. Almost instantaneously she shrugs off the annoyance and starts running. The only place she can think to go in order to find that guy is the Pits...Going back there sends shivers down her spine, but this means much more than her own feelings. After all, just because she was saved doesn't mean that everything instantly became better for everyone. Just because she freed doesn't mean she wasn't trapped. It doesn't mean those trapped with her aren't currently caged up like animals.

She grits her teeth.

_It's not fair._

The feeling of guilt that punches her in the gut makes her want to vomit and forces her legs to pump faster.

When she arrives back at the hellhole, the moon peers down at her with a watchful, attentive gaze. She had never tried to memorize what the place looked like, but now studies it with pursed lips. The outside building is nothing special, an ordinary structure standing ominously still in the night air, no movement in the house.

_Ryuji…_

Where could he be? Now that she thinks about it, she never asked him where he stayed. Of course he'd after to live _somewhere_, but she always assumed it was in the "main house". She shivers as she looks at the stage in the wide yard of the house, left abandoned after the auction that afternoon.

"_...Ah…"_

Catrina jolts, her head snapping toward a doorway on the side of the house. She recognizes it now as the door she went up to go to the auction. It was her first time going up that particular stairway; labor slaves were required to go through a series of underground tunnels leading to the construction zones. Now she hears a tired, pained moan drifting up the stairs. She tries the door and finds it unlocked, letting herself in. A shiver crawls up her back at the vivid memories of being here. Suddenly she feels covered in dirt again, as if the bath never did anything to cure her of the filth of the place. Still, she presses forward, stealthily jogging down the stairs.

The moan becomes louder and louder, harsh echoes of pain echoing off the walls and pinching her ears. She peers around the corner. The Pits come into view, the stench of it creeping toward her like mud-covered spiders. An intense desire to burn the place to the ground hits her. She sends a dark look to the nearest torch, lips curling.

_If only my friends aren't trapped down here…_

Instead she peers closer, the moans turning into cries of pain-

_My friends._

Catrina's chest constricts tightly, her breathing stops. Before her, all the masters housing slaves in the Pits stand in front of an assembled group of slaves. The slaves are on their knees, head bowed to the masters like dying, grey sunflowers. Their shoulders flinch with each yell, not daring to look up from the ground they focus so intently on.

Apart from the group, yet another of her friends kneels on the ground, forehead pressed into the muddy stone. Blood dribbles from his destroyed back, deep gashes tearing the muscular skin into ribbons. To his right, other men are just as destroyed, and to his left, more are lined up awaiting their turn for torture. Behind him, a man holding a bloody whip sighs dramatically and spits to the side.

"That's enough," It's her master, scowling harshly. "Next!"

The man struggles to crawl off to the side, letting out animalistic moans. His sentiment is echoed by his fellow victims, each letting out hisses as they move to the side to accommodate the new addition to their line. Behind them, looking nervous yet controlled, Ryuji kneels before the torturer.

Catrina sucks in a breath of surprise.

_Ryuji's not a slave._

And yet, shackles are clamped onto his ankles. Her hands fist tightly as anger bubbles in her stomach, an acidic feeling of rage. Almost as if compelled by a creed of justice, Catrina shifts her gaze to the whip-holder. The man raises his weapon into the air, intent on bringing the harsh leather strands down upon Ryuji's back. The eastern slave closes his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose in order to quell the panic he feels.

_**Squelch**_

_I didn't know a nose could make that sound. _

The goon goes flying back, his whip falling out of his hands and clattering to the floor. A splatter of blood sprays from his nose, splattering across the ground as a sickening crack announces the destruction of his cartilage. Occupying the place he was before, now the center of attention, Catrina stands. The masters stumble back, the slaves raising their eyes from the dirty floor to the figure of their savior.

Ryuji looks upon the nobleman's daughter, who is kind and gentle and didn't forget about the little people.

"Catrina," He gasps. "You...Came back…"

"What's the meaning of this?" Catrina demands of the masters. They stumble back, their eyes widening. Her ex-master's jaw drops as anger floods his gaze.

"This is none of your business, Lady Alexius," He growls. "We're merely doling out punishments to our slaves."

Catrina narrows her eyes.

"No crime merits this torture," She hisses back, pointing to the punished slaves. A few look at the masters, tired and in pain but still livid from the misjustice that she speaks of.

Her master narrows his eyes.

"You say that, but isn't it your fault in the first place?" Catrina blinks along with the rest of the slaves. Master reveals his yellowed teeth. "After all, they're being punished for trying to stage an escape."

Catrina's eyes widen.

_She looks around her daz__edly, at the audience bidding on the next slave, at the guards lazing around in the shade of the pillar. Her plan is still there. The slaves promised to create a fight down below in the Pits to draw the guards, giving her a chance to break her chains once she's sold and escape to the outskirts of the city, where a change of clothes and a few coins are waiting for her. The clothes and coins were produced by her fellow slaves, who hoarded their best treasures and now give them up to her. The very fact all of them banded together to help her was not just extraordinary...It was too kind for a selfish, worthless person like her._

"The boys were fighting...And the women were being secretive...It was obvious what they were trying to do- for you, right? But in the end it was all for nothing. You let them do something so destructive and careless knowing that you would be saved by your father."

Catrina takes this in, biting the inside of her cheek. She knows why he's saying this, trying to spur her friends into blaming her for their situation. She wouldn't blame _them _if they did; having to endure harsh pain for no reason will drive a man mad. But if you can blame someone else, if you can place your burden onto the shoulders of another person...The pain, if only for a moment, becomes tolerable.

_But that's…_

Catrina closes her eyes.

_Necessary._

"You're right. This is my fault." If she has to accept the burden, then she will. If it will give purpose to those who have suffered, then taking this humiliation is honorable. "I was the one who-"

"You're wrong!" Catrina jolts, looking to her side. Teeth grated, Ryuji glares holes into their master. "Catrina hasn't done anything wrong! I wanted to help her escape out of my own free will! The reason you're punishing us isn't because we fought, or because we wanted to escape, it's because we _dared _to have a will to go against you. A will that Catrina gave us after years of abuse and human _injustice_."

"Y-yeah," An injured slave speaks up, breathing heavily. He shakily gets to his knees, lifting himself up. "Y-you...Bastard…"

"Everyone…" Her heart grows warm, as if wrapped up in a loving embrace.

"I won't let you…" Ryuji gets to his feet, standing on equal ground with the masters. "I won't let you justify your actions by blaming Catrina!"

"Ryuji…" Tears well up in her eyes.

_When's the last time...Someone's done something so kind for me, without knowing me?_

(A very, very long time.)

The slavers stumble back as the slaves raise to their feet, each one motioning to the guards. Instantly, the slaves are surrounded by spears, the gleaming blades waiting to bite into skin. Catrina's insides boil as her eyes dart across the room, assessing the number of enemies surrounding her allies.

_I won't let a single one of my friends get hurt. _

But there are so many people in _general_. It's not as if Catrina couldn't fight, but she'd be impaired by the sheer number of civilians in the way. That means…

"Wait," Catrina calls, stepping out in front of the slaves. She meets the gazes of the guards. "Tell your soldiers to stand down."

Her demand resonates through the Pits. The guards raise their spears higher, their teeth bared, while the slavers narrow their eyes.

"What _insolence_." Her master growls, his teeth pulling back. "Why in the world would we do such a thing? Will you call upon your aristocrat father?"

Catrina feels a flicker of anger, but ignores it, remaining as calm as she can be.

"I will not allow you to raise another hand against innocent people," Catrina responds, raising her chin. "As despicable and abhorable your decisions are to me, I'm willing to compromise with you."

"Or what?"

"Or I will," A phrase from her father comes to mind, "_Legally decimate you." _

Her ex-master chokes. Ryuji stifles a short chuckle. Catrina continues on.

"I'm a legal citizen of Reim; not only that, I'm a daughter of the Alexius family, otherwise known as one of the central families of Remano. We are governers of the southern territories and descendent of Pernadius Alexius, _the _greatest general of the Reim Imperial Army who, together with my family's benefactor High Priestess Scheherazade, brought the Empire to it's golden age. _All of Reim owes my family thanks for it's current state._ To kidnap someone with Alexius blood and place them under bondage is not only a dishonor to me and my family, but grounds for execution."

That final phrase hangs in the air.

_Grounds for execution._

All the masters shake in their boots, staring at one another with wide eyes.

"Dear master," Catrina continues, giving a feral smirk, "You and your accomplices will all be put to death if this goes to courts. Don't doubt that."

"...What do you want?" Her ex-master asks suspiciously, sweat dribbling down the side of his face. She pauses, whatever semblance of a smile she wears dying.

"I will drop all charges." She announces. The masters break into gasps of relief, their shoulders sagging with released tension. "However, you must release all of the slaves in your possession."

Dead silence.

_Ah, to be caught between a rock and a hard place. This is probably the first time in which it hasn't been me in that situation, huh?_

"You can't be serious."

"Does it look like I'm joking? Release all of your slaves- all of the slaves in the Pits. Otherwise I will go ahead with my plans and have you all executed for your criminal activity."

"That's- this is- that-!" One master spews, his face turning apple red. Another goes pale, his lips tightly drawn and puckered.

"This should be a simple choice, good sirs. I will claim every freedman as a part of my household, and will bring them with me to Remano- should that be their wish. Don't your lives mean more to you than your silly prides? Or…" She glares harshly at some of more reluctant-looking ones. "I could deliver you to the God of Death tonight, if you're so eager."

The guards, unsure, look back and forth between their masters and the slaves. They await orders, but this new development on Catrina's part brings even them to a stand-still in their duties. In response to Catrina's declaration, the masters huddle together, sharing whispered arguments. They are all included in this scandal, and quite possibly, will be killed for it. Catrina's not speaking nonsense; her words and her prediction of the future rings true- not even the most stubborn of masters could ignore that fact. By allowing Catrina to remain a slave and work her in joint construction zones, they've all implicated themselves as co-conspirators.

_Come on, you stubborn mules. Make a decision!_

Her ex-master, the leader, steps forward as the party's representative. He grits his teeth and glares at her with eyes that will remember what she's done, before he nods.

It's small and weak, but it's a nod.

A grin breaks out over Catrina's face.

"We…" He starts, before coughing and starting over. "We agree to this deal, Lady Alexius."

Catrina grins widely before turning to the slaves. All of them look up at her, dumbstruck, before scrambling to their feet.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

* * *

Muu always assumed that, when he became a father someday, he'd be the cool dad. The one that lets their child go on adventures, make their own decisions and see the world with their own two eyes. He's tried to do that, to be that dad. But now he's made the official decision to lock Catrina up in her bedroom in Remano and never let her leave.

Because Muu is not the cool dad.

He's the overprotective/whiny father with abandonment issues.

"Where's my baby?!"

"Captain, you sound like a woman." Lo'lo sighs. Muu glares at him, but it's weak due to the tears in his eyes.

"Shut up! You don't understand this pain!"

"Uh-huh."

"We were having such a lovely dinner! And my Cat- my Cat looked so happy and Gods, she's so _adorable_."

"...Go on…"

"Oh yeah, and then she runs out! Out of _nowhere_!"

"Just like Ai," Lo'lo chuckles, a grin splitting his face. "Remember that time she made you pass out when she popped out of that barrel? Holy crap, remember when _Catrina _made you pass out when she popped out of a barrel?"

Muu frowns.

"That's not the conversation at hand."

"Shouldn't we be looking for 'your baby'?"

The overprotective/whiny father stops and curses himself for being careless, before lifting his nose in the air. The night chill comes in droves from the sea, freezing all the scents in the air and making it even _more _difficult to pinpoint where his angelic daughter is.

**Sniff, sniff.**

The smells that assault him frustrate his already tested patience. The old scents of old ladies and fruits and cigars hang in the air, stale and cold.

"There's no-"

_The scent of wildflowers._

"_My baby!" _Muu is off in a second, Lo'lo at his side. Overwhelming joy fills his heart at the prospect of finding his daughter (again), but his spirits dampen as he realizes just where his feet and nose are taking him.

"Captain…" Lo'lo frowns deeply. "Don't tell me we're tracking an old scent?"

"No, this is too fresh," The half-Fanalis responds, one of his upper canines piercing his lip. "Don't tell me she went back there?"

Lo'lo makes a disapproving grunt, but is silent as they continue on their trip. Myron appears by their side, her face pinched as they near the auction grounds. According to the rumors he's picked up, there is an underground dungeon beside the auction grounds called the Pits. It's used to house the slaves of multiple masters, and is, as expressed to him by a disgusted nobleman, a filthy place riddled with horrors.

His hands fist as he thinks about it.

_Catrina was stuck there for a whole month. _

He growls.

_I should've...I should've protected her from this! Just like I should've saved Aishia so long ago._

"You don't think she went back to kill them, do you?" Myron voices their collective thoughts, frowning. Muu doesn't look back at his sister, slowing as they near the front gates.

"If she didn't, I sure as hell will." He hisses, anger getting the best of him. His sister says nothing, but Muu can practically _feel_ Lo'lo's supportive grin.

"Sound's delightful," The full-Fanalis cooes, snickering darkly.

Myron sighs laboriously.

"You guys are _totally _going to wreck your reputations."

Once at the front gates, Muu prepares to-

**Clang!**

His eyes widen. In the yard where the auction was held, next to the deserted stage, Catrina stands with a group of slaves. She holds up a key and inserts in in a lock, successfully taking the chains from a woman's wrists. The woman rubs her wrist, looking awed, and then steps back with her eyes trained on Catrina, as if worshiping her. In contrast, Catrina is smiley and joyful, turning to the next slave to free.

Muu stumbles into the yard, jaw dropped.

"C-Cat!" He calls, looking back and forth between his daughter and the surrounding group. Scenarios rush through his head, different situations in which his daughter may have taken part in.

_Slave rebellion, murder, kidnapping…_

He forces himself to push down terror and horror in order to focus on Catrina, who looks up to meet his gaze. A grin spreads across her face, and she waves her father over.

"Hey, everyone! Sorry I made you worry." She lets loose a giggle, carefree. It's a sound from long ago, a sound ever so similar to Aishia's strangely relaxed laugh. "But everything's alright!"

"Cat, what'd you do?" Myron asks, raising an eyebrow. She, like Muu, studies the situation. The slaves all look at Catrina like she's a goddess in disguise, their eyes hopeful.

"Hm? Oh, that's right." Catrina blinks, as if forgetting to mention something. "Daddy, you know how you want to sue the crap out of the slavers?"

"Of course," Muu's lips curl into a feral smirk. "_Of cour__se_."

"We can't anymore."

Stillness.

"W-what do you mean?!"

"I've traded it in a deal." Catrina shrugs, as if it's nothing.

"What deal could you have possibly made?" Lo'lo asks, knitting his eyebrows together. "No, scratch that, _why _would you have made such a deal? I'd kill the bastards with lawsuits- or an _actual _fuckin' execution."

"I'm not interested in that," Catrina shrugs. A small smile blooms across her face, and, almost lovingly, she looks to the slaves surrounding her. "Revenge isn't important to me. But making sure that none of my friends have to suffer anymore...That's what matters, you know?"

"_Catrina," _One of the slaves- ex-slaves- sobs, pressing forward. Suddenly there is no holding back in their emotions, women dropping to their knees and men hanging their heads, little children rushing forward to grasp onto Catrina's skirt. The ones closest to her take pieces of her- her offered hand, her open shoulder, a place under her arm- and hold on tightly, as if she's the last lifeboat during a storm.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Lady Alexius!"

"I'll never forget this kindness!"

"I love you, sissy!"

An endless parade of kind words and eternal thanks and pledges of loyalty, coming from sobbing, joyful people. All the while Muu stands at the edge, staring on with pure shock. Then, slowly, a warm pride blossoms in his chest, filling his heart with wonder.

_That's my girl. _

Slave rebellion, murder, kidnapping...Catrina'd never, ever do any of those things he had hastily thought she might've. The very reason he even _assumed _that she would is because Muu is an overprotective/whiny father, and often forgets a simple fact:

His daughter is a good person.

_My daughter is a good person._

* * *

"Ah...That's right…"

"Hm? What is it, Cat?"

A small, bashful smile.

"Um, Daddy, can I ask a favor?"

"Always, sweetie!"

"...C…"

"Hm?"

"Canyoumaybehelpmefindawaytofinanciallysupportallthesepeople?"

"...Wha...t…?"

A wince.

"Sorry, Daddy."

* * *

**3rd Month…**

Catrina's first impression of Remano after the overseas trip, month-long stay at her own personal hell and a bumpy carriage ride is, after drinking in the sights,

_It's hot._

It _is_ hot. Despite still being spring, Remano basks in sunshine and warmth. The air is clear and, after breathing it in, pure. She follows a path into the city, loosening the scarf around her head. She had worn the scarf over her hair throughout the trip through Reim to protect herself, her father fussing over her to make sure that every strand was hidden away- all the while ignoring his own open-to-the-world hair.

Behind her, her father chatters with Ryuji about political happenings in Kou, while Myron and Lo'lo have a silent glaring match. Catrina smiles to herself and wraps the scarf around her shoulders, staring up at the crystal blue sky. After she freed the slaves in Sicilii, she arranged for many of them to receive financial support. Her father provided a certain amount himself, but she luckily remembered her coin bag from Sinbad; she promptly forced her ex-master to compensate.

Using that money she was able to create an equal distribution of wealth among her ex-slave friends. A few decided to stay in Sicilii, finding work as paid construction workers in the very zones they had worked in as slaves, while others decided to return to their homelands in search of family and stability. Others decided to stay with her for the trip to Remano, being dropped off along the way in major cities they passed. Because of this, the group had thinned down to just the Fanalis Corps and Ryuji.

She lets a smile tug at her lips. Now that she's here, there are two choices: go to her father's house, or go to the Fanalis Corps headquarters. She wants to go instantly to her dad's- she admits it's partially because she wants a bath- but the group chooses instead to head to the base. There's work probably waiting for her father anyway, and she wants to see the Corps as soon as possible. Myron and Lo'lo have told her all about how it's grown in size, new members being picked out of the cracks everywhere. When Catrina mentions Morgiana and Masrur, they urge her to invite them to come visit while Muu pouts and suspiciously asks about this "Masrur" character. She doesn't bring up Masrur again.

They doesn't spend too much time taking in the city as they goes through the streets, knowing that Catrina will see it in detail later. Soon a building is before her, one that's tall and official. Catrina hops from foot to foot, excited. Muu plops a hand on her head and smiles down at her, motioning to the door. Without further ado, she enters.

* * *

"Hey, who's the newbie?"

"Aw, look at her! She's so cute!"

"Lo'lo, what's her name?" Lo'lo grins a big grin and laughs. Muu, by his side, just smiles wider. The rest of the Corps stands in front of them, staring at the girl in between the two men. Myron had rounded up the whole crew to meet Catrina, and now proudly beams at her niece. Shyly the 'newbie' tucks a stray piece of crimson hair behind her ear and smiles at the other Fanalis- a bright and _familiar_ smile.

"Everyone," Lo'lo pats the top of Catrina's hair before stepping to the side and motioning to Muu and her. "Meet Catrina Alexius. She's Muu's daughter."

"_WHAT?"_

* * *

The _Domus _of the Alexius family is, without a doubt, a work of art. The building, made for the upper classes of Reim, stands at two stories with windowless walls and square layout. At the moment, Catrina sits in a wide dinning room with the rest of the Fanalis, sitting cross-legged before a low table. Sitting beside her brethren feels warm and good, the laughter surrounding her.

The party was set up after introductions in order to celebrate Catrina's return to Reim, and so far it's gone splendidly. She's been able to introduce herself to all the other new members of the Fanalis corps whom arrived after her three years ago, and reconnect with those whom were there before her. For instance, a just _slightly _tipsy Razol.

"Wow, Catrina, you're *hiccup* just like your mother!"

"You knew my mother?" Across from Catrina at the table, Razol rocks back and forth like a child and nods her head. Her smile hasn't waned, and instead grows- like thinking about Aishia makes her feel warm and fuzzy.

"I knew her very well!" Razol proudly proclaims. "She and I were *hiccup* best friends! She even freed me from slavery, you know."

"I thought Dad did that."

"Hm, well, Captain tried…*Hiccup* My slaver was a stick-in-the-mud, though. It was Aishia who freed me, 'cause we were in the same boat. I promised her I'd become strong and save other people like how she saved me."

"Wow...That's wonderful, Razol." Catrina smiles widely, happy to hear about her mother's adventures. "Mom didn't talk about her time in Reim a lot. It made her sad, I think."

"Eh? Why? We had the best times! She used to scare Muu half to death with all the crazy things she did!"

"I can't see Dad being scared."

"Oh trust me, he was. And he always got so worked up whenever he couldn't find her- because she used to pop out of _really_ strange places- and he'd look so silly." Razol giggles like a child. "I was only twelve then, but I thought it was the greatest time of my life."

Catrina looks down slightly at the warm cider in her hands, nostalgic for the time she spend with Aishia as well. There was something wonderful about her mother that she had always taken for granted; something different and special. It was one of the main reasons Catrina loved her so much. Perhaps that was the reason Muu loved her as well.

"Which is why I'm happy you're here, Catrina," Razol reaches across the table, her hands encasing the younger girl's. "You remind me so much of Aishia that I want to get to know you. And I know that Captain Muu feels the same."

"Even though I've been gone so much?"

"He's been acting crazy waiting for you to come!" The older Fanalis laughs, finding the younger to be hilarious. She hiccups once more, taking a swig of wine in order to sooth her throat. "Really, I bet he's gonna spoil the hell out of you to make up for lost time. It helps that you call him 'Daddy', he must love that you're a daddy's girl!"

Catrina goes red.

"I-I dunno why, it just comes out…"

"Kya~ so cuuute~"

"Ah, Cat!" Muu stands from the end of the table and goes over to his daughter, muscling his way in to get a seat beside her. Yaqut grumbles at being shoved aside, crawling into the man beside him's lap. Said man promptly throws Yaqut aside like a rag doll. "Myron just had a lovely suggestion."

"Oh yeah? What is it?"

Muu beams.

"We should go to the coliseum tomorrow!"

Catrina lights up. Muu beams even brighter, adding,

"And introduce you to Lady Scheherazade!"

Catrina's smile freezes.

_...Crap. A Magi._

* * *

Scheherazade is unmistakingly beautiful, but in an ethereal way. Her hair is a light colored blond, shiny and well taken care of. And yet, it is also excessive and thick, falling in long waves to her ankles. Catrina finds herself thinking that the girl- _woman_, she corrects herself- must be weighed down by the weight of her mane. It seems like it must, considering that she's also very short; a little taller than Bad. Scheherazade looks up at her with large, dewy eyes painted a crystal blue, and faintly smiles, like she's a tired old mother who does not grace people with a grin very often.

"Catrina, this is Lady Scheherazade, the High Priestess of Reim." Muu introduces them, looking back and forth between them, as if praying that the two most important women in his life will get along well.

"It's nice to meet you, Milady." Catrina smiles at her before kneeling and lowering her head. "My father speaks highly of you. I'm humbled to be introduced to such an important and respected woman."

"So, this is your daughter, Muu…" Scheherazade smile fades as she studies the air around Catrina, her eyelids slowly falling over her pearl-like eyes. "She's a beauty like her mother."

"Ahaha, no, I'm no where near as pretty as mom," Catrina laughs, waving her hand in the air. She stops. "You knew my mother?"

The magi gives a wry smile.

"I suppose you could say I owe her a favor or two." Catrina doesn't think much on that comment, and cracks a grin.

"Well then, on my mother's behalf, I give you her regards."

"Mine as well." Scheherazade purses her lips, motioning to the garden outside of the villa. "Would you like to go on a walk with me before the match? I have many stories about your mother."

"I would love to," Catrina agrees energetically, moving to stand beside the shorter woman. Muu moves to walk behind them, but Scherezade uses her hand in a slight "shoo"ing motion.

"Please, Muu, prepare the carriage to go to the coliseum. Catrina and I will be fine on our own."

Muu looks understandably confused by Scheherazade's words, looking between them with concern. But he nods once he sees Catrina's reassuring smile, letting the magi take his daughter to the garden alone. After a few minutes of walking down the stone path, Scheherazade takes Catrina's arm with her small hand, gently pulling the girl onto a bench underneath a tree with fully bloomed orange flowers.

"So…" Scheherazade eyes Catrina. "Who are you?"

Catrina blinks.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Scheherazade gestures to the air around her. "_What_ are you, exactly?"

_She's asking about the Rukh. Gah, this is why I didn't want to meet Scheherazade._

"I suppose the simplest explanation is that I am someone who should not be."

"…You are the source of all the impossibilities, then."

"No," Catrina shakes her head. She finally understands what Scheherazade is asking about: why she exists and how. Bad explained it years ago when they first met, about how she pulled Catrina and the others' souls into this world. She also explained the effects of that, the births of many "new" people who fit into the empty holes created by them. People like Zeina, Khadeja, and Alexio were born. Yunan also spoke on it a little, telling her once that those born from these rifts in the world have 'different' Rukh. Rukh that is somehow connected to the source of their creation: meaning one of the four souls brought here by Bad. "I am _a _cause of it, but I am not the source of every impossibility in the world...I didn't know there was a name for us."

Catrina says it with genuine amusement, a smile lighting up her face.

"Your mother was an Impossibility. I admit I wrongly accused her of being a source because her Rukh was particularly resonant...I see now that it was you who caused that, right?"

A pause, and then Catrina nods.

"You are a magi, yes?"

"How did you know?" Scheherazade narrows her eyes.

"The only people who can tell that I am what I am are magi." Catrina waves her hand around her, as if to show her the orange Rukh fluttering around her. "I am not dangerous, if that is what you are thinking."

"You are," Scheherazade firmly tells her. "You don't even know how dangerous you and all those spawned from you are."

"…I apologize if you think that my existence is wrong. I sometimes feel the same. But I will not give up this life for anything."

Scheherazade watches her wearily.

"You misunderstand." She murmurs. "I've made mistakes concerning the Impossibilites. I will not make another."

Catrina stands, thinking that their meeting is over. She feels for her poor father, so desperately wanting them to get along.

"I made such a mistake with your mother." Scheherazade says, stopping her. "I…Made a mistake with you, too. Which is why I must say this."

Reim's magi rises, looking deep into her eyes with the wisdom of two centuries.

"I truly regret my mistakes, Catrina Exsos Alexius. I owe you a favor for my prejudice and foolishness." A pause. "I also deeply owe your father...I can never express my apologizes to him for what I did."

"…What did you do?"

Scheherazade hangs her head.

"…I did not think of him. I thought solely of Reim."

She doesn't say anymore, so Catrina nods slowly.

"Lady Scheherazade...If possible, I want to become allies." Scherezade raises her gaze. "I want us to be friends too. My father would like that very much, and I think that it'd be good for the both of us."

"How so?"

"I dunno yet. Might as well, right?" Catrina smiles a bit. "Now, may I escort you to the carriage, Milady?"

* * *

Scheherazade cannot trust Catrina.

Though the girl is Muu's and appears harmless, Scheherazade can see that she's hiding something. Two hundred years can teach a person to fully understand another; though it can also blind a woman with obsession. Scheherazade sighs. She should accept the child. Even though her existence is more dangerous than her mother's, Scheherazade owes Aishia for how she treated her.

But Aishia and Catrina are both impossible, special people. Catrina admits to being a cause of this impossibility- and by the color and _feel _of her Rukh, Scheherazade knows she's telling the truth. The only others like Catrina _that she knows of _are Yunan, with his gray Rukh, and that girl apprentice of his who sports blue Rukh. According to Catrina, there are others like her out there; people who bring new, powerful souls into this world without realizing it.

All she knows is that they're dangers as long as they are in Reim. She will not be cruel to those born impossible- she _has_ learned from her mistakes- but she watches them closely and sometimes confronts them. The less people who know what they are the better, but the intensity of their existence poses a threat to her country.

Their Rukh, which feels and looks _different_, their abilities that range from useless to powerful, their importance to the stability of the world…

Catrina truly had misunderstood Scheherazade. She doesn't want the impossibilities to die. No, quite the opposite.

_She's afraid of what will happen if they're erased._

* * *

"When's the match gonna start?"

"Soon, Cat." Muu's hand drops on his daughter's head, his smile wide. "Are you excited?"

Catrina shrugs a bit but smiles.

"The coliseum's amazing, Dad." It is an amazing place, with hundreds of people packed in to watch the next match under the bright sun. Luckily she and her father stand with Lady Scheherazade in her private box, watching the latest battle with attentive eyes.

"I hear there's a newbie fighting. He's Shambal's, apparently." Muu mentions to Catrina. "Who do you think'll win?"

"A newbie or a Maurenia Baboon?" Catrina frowns at her father and raises an eyebrow. "I'll bet my money on the ape."

Muu just laughs. He pauses once he sees said newbie enter the arena, and points to show her the new gladiator.

"There he is." Then, after a moment, "He's a bit scrawny, huh?"

Catrina peaks over the railing and stops cold.

"Hm? Something wrong, Cat?"

"...Heh."

"What was that-?"

Catrina burst out into laughter, dropping to her knees. Muu steps back in a alarm whereas behind them, Scheherazade stares at the girl with a slightly open mouth.

"Is something wrong, Catrina?"

"N-no, Lady Scheherazade…" She bites her lip, answering, "I just know that guy..._Hah_!"

"I see...So he's your friend?"

"Yeah, he's kind of stupid," Catrina pulls herself together, smiling happily. "But now that I know it's him, I'm sure he'll win."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"He's got…"

_Plot armor._

"...Skills."

* * *

Catrina forgot how _bloody_ Alibaba's fight was.

Watching how the boy holds himself through the painful-looking mess impresses Catrina, it really does. She hadn't truly tried to connect with Alibaba during her time together in Sindria. It was mostly because he's Aladdin's friend and she dislikes that little brat because of her jealousy over Bad. Yet, he regarded her with a friendly, open attitude: in part because that's just his nature and because she helped him in Balbadd and is close to Morgiana.

Still, thinking back, maybe she should've spent some more time with him. He is, after all, someone close to Centola's heart and is a dear friend to Mor, people whom she regards as family. Not getting along with him and, god forbid, having to go against him would bring her to conflict with her dearest people. Of course, she's already dedicated herself to Bad; becoming a vassal of Reim or Sindria are things that she doesn't even consider a possibility...Though she knows Bad barely has any interest in becoming enemies with Reim- in fact, she hardly considers Reim a threat due to the Empire's peaceful nature. For Sindria...

(It hurts, but if it comes down to it, she'd choose Bad over even you, Masrur.)

She watches Alibaba calmly inspect Garda the ape's broken form, looking almost peaceful and dazed. From the stands, a man with white, thick hair followed by a dark-haired girl rush to the floor of the arena to help their new student.

_So...Shambal and __Toto._

She lights up, now leaning over the railing to watch more closely. It's easy to watch far away events as a Fanalis, and with vivid detail she sees Shambal grasp onto Alibaba, one hand spreading over his boy chest. The barest hint of yellow-white light coats his palm…

"Ah, Dad, what's he doing?" She asks, pointing. She knows. Hakuryuu and Sinbad both wield magoi-control, and Asad too. For a moment Catrina wonders if Asad knows Shambal or was trained by another Yambala warrior. Muu blinks and squints hard, before cocking an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Magoi-control," They look back to Scheherazade, who opens her delicate eyes slowly, like freshly bloomed flowers. "I'm surprised you can see that far, Catrina. Your eyesight and hearing is incredible, even for a Fanalis."

Catrina's cheeks color.

"Actually...I'm not sure why. I met a pure-blooded Fanalis in Sindria, and he mistook me for a half-blood. He said it should be impossible for me to keep up with him, but…" Catrina scratches the back of her head, deep in thought. She's always known there is something strange about her; she's a magician with Fanalis blood. Two incompatible things in one body...It really should be impossible- or she should lean more heavily towards one than the other. But there has to be an explanation. There needs to be at least one reason causing this phenomenal coexistence of magoi and Fanalis blood in her body.

Scheherazade is still staring at her, lips pursed.

"Perhaps, Catrina," The high priestess rises from her chair, pointing to the exiting forms of Alibaba and Shambal. "You should go see that man."

"Shambal?" Muu asks, confused. "Why?"

"He's an expert at magoi-control," Scheherazade explains, coming to the railing beside the two Fanalis. Simultaneously, father and daughter drop to their knees, staring up at the Lady they serve. "He can explain to you what's going on in your body...And help you learn to manage whatever it is."

_Manage whatever it is._

_Does that mean…?_

Catrina purses her lips, determination filling up her gut.

"Yes, Ma'am. I will arrange a meeting and do my best!"

* * *

**4th Month…**

"Catrina, I want you to meet Master Shambal Ramal."

Shambal Ramal, Catrina remembers, is supposed to be a master gladiator and an expert in the tricky art of acupuncture.

"100 dinar on five black!"

...He's also a gambling addict.

Muu had decided that, in order to sooth his daughter's persistence and Scheherazade's gentle nagging, he'd introduce Catrina to Shambal and have the man do one of his famous acupuncture sessions on her. Not that Catrina is anywhere _near _excited about being prodded with needles (her memories as Alice do quite the opposite, really), but Scheherazade's words and suggestion have stuck to her.

But, even though _she _was eager to talk to Shambal, _he _most certainly wasn't. She tried hard to set up a meeting by herself, mainly to spare her father the burden, but Shambal was always busy. Her polite letters were responded to with rejections, and when she went to his school herself to see if he was there, Toto had turned her away.

It got to the point where she began to wonder if he was intentionally blowing her off. Yaqut and Razol had comforted her downtrodden spirits by explaining that the master swordsman just didn't have space in his gladiator school and was probably assuming that her letters were asking for access in.

"_So...He's not reading my letter at all?"_

"_..."_

"_Um...I think he's looking at the front to see w__ho wrote it…"_

"_...So...Because I'm a girl...He rejected me?"_

"_...I-I think that he just didn't see a last nam__e he recognized! Yeah, that's it!"_

The fifth time Catrina wrote a letter, she made sure to write in bold letters, _Catrina Exsos Alexius _across the front. Then she imagined shoving her family name down the swordsman's throat.

(She didn't send the letter, after all.)

When another letter came stating that she had a meeting with him on the third day of the coming month, she was elated. She was convinced that her hard work had finally paid off, and that being a persistent brat was the key to acceptance. That is, until she re-read the letter and saw, "_I'll be pleased to meet with you, Miss Exsos Alexius"_. Catrina had missed that part.

And then she was _livid._

"_Daddy! I told you I'd do it myself!"_

"_I'm sorry sweetie, but you were try__ing so hard and-"_

"_No one will respect me if I fling aro__und the Alexius name willy-nilly. I need prove myself in my own way, even if it takes years!"_

"_But...Catrina…"_

"_That's the way __I want to live my life, Dad."_

"_...You just...Are so like your mother…"_

"_...Dad…"_

"_She said that same thing to me...She told me that _I _needed to stop using the Alexius name. But you know, back then, no one respected me without that name. I had to carve out my own path, on my free__will. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just want you to get this done with so you can spend more time with the Fanalis Corps."_

"_I spend every day here, Daddy."_

"_It's still not enough, you know. I'm a lonely father without his princess!" _

Catrina sighs at the memory before smiling at the gambler. He has his eyes glued to the cards and the spinning wheel, but throws out a casual,

"Nice to meet you, Miss Exsos Alexius. I'm Shambal Ramal."

"A pleasure." She responds tuts, staring at the marble. "It's already slowing. It's not gonna land on five black, sorry."

Muu, beside her, winces at his daughter's words. Shambal rips his gaze from the wheel to her, alarmed, as the dealer calls,

"Three red!"

"No!" Shambal cries, watching as the last of his money is dragged away from him by the cruel hands of (the dealer) fate. Catrina stifles her smug smirk and awaits for Shambal to pick himself out of his slump, turning his eyes to her. He studies her a moment, before commenting to Muu,

"She's like Ai, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"And all these years I thought you were a virgin." The elderly Yambala laughs, and Muu starts to join in good-naturedly before realizing what was said and quickly covering Catrina's ears.

"Don't speak of such lewd things in front of my daughter!"

"Ah…" Catrina speaks up, smiling brightly at Shambal. "I suppose you knew my mother as well?"

"Yes. She was a dear student and rival of mine." That doesn't make much sense, but Catrina smiles all the same.

"Man, everyone I've met so far has known Mom," The Fanalis-Amala muses. "It's almost like fate, huh?"

"Half of Reim must know your mother," Shambal responds, giving one of those 'grandfather' smiles. The slight uptilt of his lips, coupled with the friendly softening of his eyes. He really does seem like a kindly old grandpa if you ignore the sword at his hip and gambling addiction. He leads her away from the card tables and toward the exit, heading back toward his school. "Ai was a popular gal, you know? She used to go on wild adventures with Muu here."

"Those were the days," Muu agrees, smiling for old times' sake.

"Now your damn father competes with me in the coliseum!" Shambal turns back on Muu, glaring. "Him and his meddling Fanalis Corps."

"They are annoying, aren't they?" Catrina giggles, and Shambal laughs.

"The worst!"

"Hey!" Muu complains, but lightheartedly.

"You know, Catrina, if you had mentioned your mother's last name I would've let you into my school no problem."

"If you had read my letters you'd know I only wished for a meeting," She responds, jabbing back at him. He puts his hands up, caught, and nods his head.

"That is true, dear. But I am a busy man."

_Busy gambling._

She doesn't voice that sentiment, instead shrugging. It takes a while, but they eventually come to the Shambal Gladiator School, running across Toto along the way. The older teen nods to Catrina and mentions that she didn't know the girl was the daughter of the 'legendary Aishia Exsos and Muu Alexius', which prompts another round of 'you-knew-my-mom?' questioning from Catrina. Catrina asks Toto if Alibaba is around, which causes the older girl to frown deeply and respond that the blonde is probably out drinking. Catrina mentions it's early in the afternoon, Toto grunts that the bar is the only place Alibaba can escape Garda.

"That's too bad," Catrina shrugs. "I haven't seen him since I left Sindria."

"Sindria?" Shambal questions, whereas Muu scowls behind them.

"She went to Sindria..." Muu responds, crossing his arms. "...In order to escape Balbadd."

"You were in Balbadd during the rebellion?" Shambal changes his question, looking impressed. Catrina laughs a bit.

"Ah, well, a lot of things happened and I ended up there…"

As Catrina recounts the tale of her journey to Balbadd and the adventure she had there, they enter a scented, small room with a long, flat and cushioned table. Shambal instructs Catrina to lay flat on the table with her shirt off. Muu vehemently objects to such an action before Catrina can calm him down.

The first needle, though similar to one used in sewing, brings back harsh memories. She closes her eyes against it, fisting her hands as Alice cries out within her. Being poked and prodded and _Alice, you may feel a pinch_ overwhelms her. She sighs once he pulls back for the next needle, relaxing her muscles the best she can. After all, there is worse pain than acupuncture, and she's sure as hell has felt it.

Shambal hums as he continues his session, and though she cannot see him, she can feel the frown his face adopts as time passes. Toto, sitting beside her and handing her master the needles, senses this change and frowns as well.

"Toto," Shambal calls, just a few more needles left for him to poke into her back. "Do you sense this?"

"Hmm…" Toto leans forward and passes her hand over Catrina's back, avoiding the needles as she does. The swordswoman follows the line of Cartoon's spine, hesitantly leaning one way and another, before hitting Catrina's neck and decisively shifting to the left. "Oh. Wow, yes, I feel it."

"Feel what?" Muu asks, eyebrows furrowing. Toto and Shambal exchange glances, though Catrina can only guess that since the master is on her right and Toto on her left. Shambal takes out the needles and tells Catrina to redress before he explains it. Once dressed, Shambal, Toto and Muu re-enter the room and converge in a semi-circle around Catrina. Shambal takes a deep breath, looking significantly more weary and serious than before the session.

"Catrina has a large concentration of magoi in her left arm," Shambal informs them, motion to Catrina's scarred arm. The Fanalis-Amala jolts before looking down at it, tracing the line of her scar with delicate fingers.

"A large concentration of magoi? What does that mean?"

"Ah, well…It's a very complicated matter." Shambal taps his foot, eyes narrowing at the window behind Catrina. "Catrina, you are a Necromancer like your mother, correct?"

"Yes."

"See, you shouldn't be."

"E-eh?" Shambal looks into her eyes now, confronting her.

"In other words, you shouldn't exist."

"Oi, what the hell does that mean?" Muu asks, jumping into the conversation again. He sits beside his daughter, protectively wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I mean that Catrina shouldn't exist as a Necromancer and a Fanalis." Shambal explains, lifting his hands soothingly. "It is my belief that Fanalis are as strong as they are _because _they have low levels of magoi- nearly none. To compensate, their bodies develop heightened strength and speed- along with incredible hearing and vision. In other words, they are the farthest things from magicians as possible."

"The farthest as possible…" Catrina repeats, almost awed. Shock is also a definite feeling in her system at the moment, and she focuses her entire attention on Shambal.

"That's not to say that a magician and a Fanalis can't have a child- at least, I think...Catrina's the first case- but that child should exist as one or the other; not both...Most likely as a Fanalis- no matter if it's half or quarter or less." Toto raises her hand obediently, and Shambal motions to her to speak.

"But Master, that doesn't explain Catrina's abilities."

"That's my next topic," Shambal nods sagely. "Catrina takes that rule and breaks it with her bare fists."

_Well, that's one way to put it._

Shambal continues.

"But this causes a strain on Catrina's body. Catrina, after using your magic for a time, do you ever feel weak or drained?"

"Huh? Yes, actually...Compared to how long my mother used to perform her magic, very quickly."

"That's the effect. It's because, in order to use Necromancer magic, you're placing nearly all of your available magoi into your arm."

Catrina's eyes widen.

"Almost...All?"

"Do you see the seriousness of this?"

"You mean," Muu tightens his grip around Catrina's shoulders. "That when Catrina uses her magic, she's nearly using up all of her magoi?"

"_Available_ magoi. I'm guessing that all of Catrina's opponents thus far have been weaker than her and she hasn't had to push herself that far...But if you overdo it, Catrina, you could suffer from magoi-overuse and die." A silence as each of the four take this in. Toto looks to Catrina quickly, almost appearing worried for the younger. "And, unfortunately, that's not all."

"...There's _more_?"

"Uh-huh." For this news, Shambal sits in a chair, sighing out a breath. "Your father explained to me your enhanced strength and speed. He says you're stronger than him."

Catrina blushes, quickly refuting the claim.

"In terms of brute strength, yes. But my father is much more skilled."

"Don't be so humble, sweetie," Muu lovingly and proudly smiles at her. "You're strong."

Catrina blushes harder. Shambal chuckles a bit before continuing.

"Catrina, usually I would have to see this first hand and study your magoi but...I believe I already know what your body is doing...Or what you're doing to yourself."

"What? I don't know what you mean. I'm not doing anything."

"Not consciously." Shambal corrects her statement. "Catrina, I think that you have the body of a Fanalis and the magoi of a magician. But because these two things are incompatible, you've been unconsciously absorbing your own magoi since the day you were born."

Toto's, Muu's and Catrina's jaws all drop at once.

"What?!" Catrina exclaims, completely thrown off. "I thought I was channeling my magoi into my left arm!"

"Once more, _available magoi_. Fanalis counteract their lack of magoi by becoming strong; you counteract your immense magoi by absorbing it. By doing so, the Amala magic flowing through your veins enhances your Fanalis blood to the point where you gain the abilities of a pure-blood."

"..." Catrina absorbs this. Then, she has an epiphany.

_Ho. Ly. Shit._

Shambal _is_ right.

But not completely.

Catrina does have the magoi of a magician- and she _is _translating that magoi into life magic to artificially recreate a pure-blood's strength. But not since the day she was born. Because, while she has a Fanalis body, she was born situated already toward one side: _a magician, not a Fanalis._

How may this change come about? Because of Bad. Because her soul and Bad's are connected, and Bad gave her a "gift". Catrina pieces it all together, time standing still as all the puzzle pieces fit snugly together to show her the whole picture.

The day that Bad was born, she was born with too much Rukh. Because of that, she sent out parts of her soul to seven people- people who took in her Rukh and had their Rukh 'change'. But a part of this change was that it 'unlocked' or 'blessed' the person with new abilities.

_For Eren, he explained it's his ability to change the nature of his Rukh. For Asad, he can form shadows into physical entities. For Centola, she has incredible magoi storage (it explains why Cat has never seen her tire from using her magic). For Catrina, she can exist as a Fanalis and a Necromancer. _

Bad was the one who allowed Catrina to use her Amala blood _and _her Fanalis blood. She enabled Catrina to absorb her magoi in order to enhance her strength. _She made Catrina strong._

"Whoa." Catrina murmurs, caught up in what she just realized. Shambal, however, doesn't understand what she just realized and takes the credit for her amazement.

"It is very cool." Shambal smiles gently, before it becomes more solemn. "But what I told you hasn't changed. You've lived thus far on luck. If you continue to use your magoi in such a way, then someday, in the midst of battle, your body itself may break apart."

Catrina snaps back to reality, biting down on her lip. Muu tenses, pursing his lips.

"What can we do to fix it?"

Shambal sighs through his nose, lifting his eyes to the ceiling.

"Well," He starts, tilting his head side to side. "Catrina could stop fighting completely. If she doesn't use Necromancy magic, then she should be fine."

"..." Muu looks into his lap, before nodding his head. "That may be for the best-"

"No."

Those in the room look to her, and she realizes that she had spoke.

"Why?" Shambal and Muu say at once.

"Why?" Questions Toto, half a second after her master.

_**Why?**_

_Why…_

Catrina's eyes blaze when she looks up.

"Because I made a promise."

_I was born to fight for this world, for Bad. If I can'__t fight, then what's the point of my existence anymore?_

"Catrina, you don't even have an opponent-"

"I do." She cuts off Muu, looking down at her map. "I have an enemy I must defeat...Together with that person."

_Bad and I must defeat Al Thamen, no matter what. For the sake of the world. For the sake of those in Sindria and Kou and Reim and every other country. For the sake of my mother and my father. _

"I…" She fists her hands tightly. "Even if you say 'stop', I can't. I may die, but...I already owe this life to that person. Without them, I surely would've died alone back then."

_Trudging through the desert, barely awake with half my blood on my dress...It was Bad who saved my life._

_It was Bad who taught me to smile. Who showed me this world. Who gave me adventure and magic and brilliant things that I have never deserved. Yes. this life belongs to you, Badroulbadour. _

"That's not an option for me, Master Shambal, Dad. I'm sorry."

"...I thought you'd say that." Shambal laughs. "There is a second option."

"There is?!" Catrina snaps her gaze up.

"Yes. You can come to my school and study under me. Alone trying to tame your magoi will likely disable or kill you. But with me, I can teach you how to manage your magoi in a fight."

"Really?!" Catrina jumps off of the table, quickly crossing to Shambal. She throws her hands around his neck, yelling, "You're the best!"

"Haha, anything for the daughter of my old friend." The elderly Yambala pats Catrina's back.

"...I suppose I can allow it," Muu concedes. "But Catrina will continue to live on the Alexius estate. And if _any _man even _looks _at her, you have to tell me, Shambal. My girl is not going to marry a gladiator."

"_Daddy!" _Catrina gapes in horror. Shambal takes the comment good-naturedly, snorting with laughter.

"I'll only accept a King's proposal!" Muu responds to his daughter. Then, a thought strikes him and he corrects himself, "Actually, no. I see how Nerva looks at you."

"He's not a King…"

"Yeah, but he's a Prince. And- oh God- you spent a year in Sinbad's Kingdom...I've heard the stories about him...No, I won't let you marry a King!"

* * *

"_Alibaba!" _

Alibaba's arms stop in a downward slashing movement, his ears perking up at the sound of an old friend's voice reaches him.

"Catr-"

A flash of red, and Catrina appears before him. He stumbles back, fumbling with Amon's sword. Catrina eagerly bounces up and down, hair swishing back and forth as she awaits Alibaba to process her arrival and stop gawking.

"I-I thought you were visiting your father!"

"In Remano," She reminds him, smiling a bit. "Besides, I'm going to start studying here under Shambal!"

"E-eh?!" Catrina directs him to a bench, where they sit together. She recounts her talk with Shambal to him, about the problems with her magoi. She also tells him about her father, Muu Alexius, and how _batcrap obsessed he is with her._

"He's just being a good dad."

"He's so overprotective," Catrina sighs. "Yunan was never this way to Bad. And he wanted me to stop fighting! Can you believe that?"

"Of course I can. If I was him, I'd want you to stop fighting. I mean...Doesn't that scare you a little bit?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, not being able to control your magoi and dying."

"Oh…" Catrina looks contemplative, looking out to the sky. Alibaba amusedly watches her emotions play across her face, realizing that he had never noticed how expressive she was. Well, he always felt like she didn't spend much time with him, and he himself didn't try to reach out to her. But he did feel like there was something off about Catrina- about most of those around Bad, actually. Like she held the weight of the world on her shoulders, but didn't mind it...Or that she had some secret that she was flawlessly keeping under everyone's noses.

Even Centola, sometimes, seems that way...Though she tells him all her secrets; she said so herself. They don't keep things from one another, a part of their relationship that Alibaba is enormously proud of and, sometimes, a little giggly about. But it's _Cent_. She couldn't possibly even consider him as-

"I guess I'm not afraid of that anymore."

"...Huh?" Alibaba blinks at Catrina, wondering where that statement came out of. Come to think of it, he had asked her a question, didn't he? What was it again…?

"_Doesn't that scare-"_

"What about you, Alibaba? How's your stay at Reim been?" Alibaba shakes off his thoughts and smiles at Catrina, narrating to her his trip from Sindria to Remano. He includes Umm's pirates and his unfortunate mix-up with thieves on the way to Remano (he keeps out how that event was probably karma for ignoring Centola's earlier warning to him to stay away from alcohol). He then tells her about coming to Shambal's school and battling with Toto at the SML Nando's new casino, before laughing about the fact that the SML Nando brothers _own a casino._

"Haha! That's great!" Catrina giggles, clapping her hands together. "Hey, now that I think of it, I saw you at the coliseum last month. You got beat real bad by Garda, huh?"

"Hey, I won the fight!" Alibaba laughs, before remembering that fight. Slowly he melts back into the memory, recalling how the sun beat down on him and Garda's teeth piercing his skin. But beyond that, there was the strange hallucination that he had. When Garda was cracking down on him and it seemed like he was going to die, he remembered the Slums.

He brought himself back to his childhood, where the world was dirty but sunny, and his mother worked a job no one bothered to tell him about. Suddenly it was Kassim and him running together, their feet slamming against the ground as they're chased by adults. Centola appeared behind a corner and motioned to them, leading the way to safety through the tight alleyways. When they were safe, the children collapsed onto the ground, giggling at their success.

Centola stood and offered a hand.

Both Kassim and Alibaba reached for it at once.

It's stupid, but during that hallucination, Alibaba swears he could hear someone talking to him.

"_**Why do you get her?"**_

The scene paused, the world stilled. There was reality, with Garda paused above him with beady, brown eyes, and there was the memory, with the three children together in the summer sun. He could not speak, he could only hear the person talk to him. The person sounded so familiar, but the pain that flooded through him blocked out any way for him to identify who it was.

"_**You know why I really hate you, Alibaba?"**_

He couldn't even think of a response.

"_**It's because I want to **_**be **_**you. You make me want to be you. And I hate that. It's not "why can't I be like you?" that I think. It's "why can't I be happy being myself?"." **_

_...I never intended that…_

"_**I still feel that way. The other me doesn't. Why does he keep getting to exist? Why do you get Centola over us?"**_

In a rush of clarity, Alibaba understood what was happening. Not truly, and not completely, but he knew who he was talking with and why.

_Did you ever ask Centola what she wanted?_

The man he was talking to had reared back.

_You're Kassim, right?_

There was no response.

_I don't know if this helps, but I know...Th__at she loved you. And, had things been different, she would have stayed with you for the rest of your life, regardless to how my own life panned out. Do you know how jealous I've been because of that? Do you know how much I've wondered what it would be like to be looked at with those eyes?_

"_**You idiot. She's looked at you like tha**__**t for years."**_

_Why are you so angry?_

The Kassim who spoke to him drew in a breath.

"_**Because I don't want to be forgotten."**_

Alibaba understood that as well. Those emotions, the hatred and the love and the anger and sadness and joy, all the things that make up a person, threatened to be gone forever. All the things that Kassim forgot, all the memories that were whitewashed so he wouldn't feel their warmth anymore encased Alibaba.

The living Kassim wouldn't ever be able to have these emotions again. He would not remember the wonder of loving Centola; in exchange for his life, he had to give up core pieces of his life. He had to forget.

But that Kassim, the one who was speaking to him, hadn't. And he didn't want to.

_I will not forget you._

He mixed his own feelings with those of the Kassim's, embracing the darkness dwelling within him.

_I will never forget how much she loved you and how much you loved her. I will not forget your tragedy. Your sacrifice will remain with me for the rest of time._

The memory started again. Instead of the boys fighting for Centola's hand, they grasped it together and pulled her down with them. She laughed and, together, they rolled around in the dust.

"Alibaba?"

Alibaba snaps to attention. Catrina, next to him, smiles a bit at his daydreaming.

"Hey, were you listening?"

"Ah-haha, sorry." He rubs the back of his head. "I was thinking about something."

Catrina watches him, before she nods in understanding.

"I thought so."

* * *

Catrina has a tiny problem.

And that is determining the gender of cute people. Kouha Ren is a famous example of her inability to determine gender, as when she mistakenly called him a girl upon their first meeting.

And, at the moment, she just _cannot understand this person's gender._

They look like a girl, with shiny blonde hair that's just a tad short, and big blue eyes lined with black lashes. But they're also very flat chested and the robes they wear aren't generally suited to women- quite the opposite.

_But they're so cute! Can they really be a boy?_

The answer doesn't even come when they smile- oh God _so_ cute- and introduce themselves. Their voice is light and gentle, barely bordering on deep. At least Kouha's voice revealed to her that he was a boy. This person is just giving her a tough time. But it wasn't as though she could duck out on them- Scheherazade had left Catrina in this person's care while she had a meeting with Muu, despite her father's sour look.

_Dad probably doesn't like me staying alone with a boy...If they are a boy. _

"It's nice to meet you, Lady Alexius."

"Oh no, the pleasure's all mine!" Catrina laughs, waving her hand. "Um, what's your name?"

"My name is Titus Alexius. I'm a, uh, relative of Lady Scheherazade."

_Titus. _

_So...A boy!_

"Titus! I like that name!" She laughs before something strikes her in the chest.

_Titus. TITUS. TITUS AKA SCHEHERAZADE'S CLONE WHO IS IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT._

"Thank you, Lady Alexius."

"Hey, you don't have to call me that. Call me Catrina." She puts away her inner turmoil for the moment, offering a wide smile at the boy. Titus frowns.

"Lady Scheherazade told me to treat you with respect…"

"Hey, you bear the surname Alexius, like me. That means you're family. Don't be shy." Catrina reaches over and pats Titus's shoulder. "So, what do you think Sche-chan and my father are talking about?"

"War." Titus smiles, before freezing once he realized what he had revealed. Catrina reals back before bursting into laughter.

"You know, you're probably right, Titus! Oh my Gosh, can I call you brother? I always wanted a younger sibling!"

* * *

**5th Month…**

After spending five months in Reim and four on Remano, Catrina has finally developed a schedule. In the mornings she travels across the beautiful, vibrant city to Shambal's gladiator school, where she studies in the mornings with Toto and Shambal. Then, around noon, she fights with Alibaba and tries to be gentle as she totally kicks his ass. Afterwords she heads back for lunch with her family and the corps and then trains as a Fanalis with them. Thus, after much fighting and training done for the day, she has free time before dinner that she spends with either Scheherazade or Titus.

Spending time with Titus is especially fun, although her father disapproves. At first she didn't understand why he was so displeased with her spending time with him, until she remembered how disgusted Muu was by Titus from the manga. The thought made her purse her lips and wonder _why_. Muu loves Scheherazade, shouldn't he love the person so like her that they share literally all the same genes?

There is nothing wrong with Titus. He shifts his personality sometimes- from polite and distant to over confident and snobby- but deep down he's much different from that. It generally takes some prompting on Catrina's part, but each time they are together he eventually sheds these personas. He becomes a teen(, well, more of a boy,) who gets excited easily and looks at the world with shiny eyes. He says some really naive things- so naive that even Catrina is shocked by them- but those moments of purity bring her a lot of joy as well.

One of her highlights in Reim really is Titus shoving an apple in her face and vividly describing the texture and flavor while admiring the shiny outside. She smiles, preparing to go meet with the younger blonde. He really is fun to be around, and she no longer feels shame for calling him 'brother'.

"Cat? Where are you going?" Catrina pauses, turning back to face her father.

"Oh, sorry Dad, I promised to go see Titus today."

"..." Muu studies her for a moment, before looking down at the floor. He seems to gather his resolve before he looks back up at her, expression hard. He orders, "I don't want you seeing him anymore."

Catrina pauses to consider this.

"Why?" Of course she knows why. But she still wants to hear it from her father. Give him a chance to explain himself.

"...Catrina, Titus is not a real person." Muu looks sad for her, almost depressed that he has to explain this aspect to his daughter. "He's nothing more than Scheherazade's clone."

"...Clone, huh…" Catrina looks down, unable to force herself into pretending to be shocked. If Muu notices, he doesn't say anything, and continues on.

"He was born for the sole purpose of defending and supporting Reim. He'll die in just a matter of months. To be honest…" The half-Fanalis crosses his arms. "...He's just _wrong_. He shouldn't exist at all. The fact that he does is unnerving."

Catrina stills. Then she turns to the door, feeling somehow like her entire insides have been scooped out. Something whines in her heart as she absorbs her father's blows, a pained howl of _is that how he really feels?_

_If he were to know what I am...Would he…?_

"_The fact that he does is unnerving."_

Catrina smiles over her shoulder at her father.

"Catrina, I really don't want you to see him again." But because she's angry, and because _how could he?, _she responds in a light, chipper tone,

"I think I'm going to anyway."

"Catrina! You don't get it. He's unnatural."

In a quarter-second, Catrina processes what her father says, and she breaks the door.

It was lightning fast, but instantly her mind made a connection between what her father said and something much more darker.

"_You don't get it, sweetie. She's unnatural."_

"_Tch. I'm not selling shit to an half-breed br__at."_

"_Gah, why aren't you dying?! You _unnatural shit_!"_

In a quick, harsh jolt, the memories snapback at her. She barely has time to register the pain, it's so fast, and without any choice, her fingers involuntarily dig into the door. Like it's mere jelly, her fingers sink into the wood with such force that the entire door cracks, emitting a sound like wet, snapping bone.

_**CRACK.**_

A full second pases. Then another. Muu flinches back, gasping. Time resumes at it's normal pace, and Catrina peaks at the side only to study the web-like cracks crisscrossing the wood. It's not pretty like a spider web. It's ugly and disjointed and _unnatural._

She looks back at the open staircase waiting for her, the path she chose to take to get to Titus. Catrina does not look back at Muu again, knowing that the look on her face must be too terrible to imagine. Too _ugly_.

She does not even have the strength to summon her shield of a smile that she always wears. She does not have the strength to explain her reaction.

_Maybe...Maybe this is why I feel so connected to Titus._

_We're both unnatural beings, right…? And people...Wouldn't care if we died…_

**…**

_Right...Alice?_

_**...Who knows.**_

Six seconds have passed. She must say something before her father regains his bearings and questions her...Or becomes angry with her.

_I don't want him to hate me._

It's such a desperate, needy feeling that rises up in her chest. A fearful feeling that adds to the pain she already feels. Even as tears spring to her eyes, she is able to keep her voice upbeat.

It's good ol' Catrina's voice. She can never feel anything but happy.

_I don't like feeling this way._

Smiles and tones are easy to fake. Words are easy to piece together. But one can never manipulate memories, and that is what breaks even the best.

"Sorry, Daddy. I'll fix it later, okay? I have to go now!"

Her fingers slip out of the wood, and she hurriedly scampers out the door and down the stairs. She doesn't stop even when, behind her, Muu calls her name.

* * *

"Hey, Sche-chan?"

"Yes, Catrina?"

"I don't want my father to hate me."

Scheherazade stops turning the pages of the book she scans. She looks up slowly at Catrina, who stares out the window.

"...So this is why you canceled you plans with Titus, is it?" The Priestess hums softly as she closes the book, leaning back. "You have a knack for saying very surprising things, little Catrina. But I understand what you're saying."

"...Can I still explain it?"

"What else is a granny for than to listen?" Catrina laughs a bit, a weak sound.

"You know...I've always known that I wasn't meant to exist in this world. Even from the day I was born...For reasons you'd never understand, not truly. But that didn't matter to me. I loved this world. But no one felt the same towards me. They called me things...Terrible things. The older children often bullied me. The baker refused to sell us bread. I forced my mother to work so hard for me, even though she must've known that getting rid of me before I was born or abandoning me somewhere would've guaranteed her a fruitful life…"

"Your mother would have never done those things, Catrina." Scheherazade says solemnly, gently laying her hands in her lap. "She loved you from the minute she realized you were tucked away in her belly."

"...You're right. But...If I had never insisted on existing...She would've been happy, right?" Catrina's smiling, using her facade of happiness as a shield once again. But for some reason, she can't stop the tears from leaving her eyes, even as she wills herself to be calm and collected. "I...Ruined her life...Right?"

Scheherazade watches her, her blue eyes- so pretty and pale- softening in such a way that makes her look old and sad.

"Catrina, if you hadn't insisted on existing, your mother wouldn't have existed in the first place."

Catrina's smile stills.

"...What…?"

"We've talked about this, no? Your existence brought many others' existence into this world. Without you, your mother wouldn't have had "life" at all. Don't think that you're a burden, Catrina." Scheherazade reaches across the table, taking Catrina's hands into her own. "You've made your father and your mother so happy."

"B-but…" Catrina sobs, hanging her head. "But Dad said…"

Catrina tells the Priestess the story of what happened between her and her father, of what he said about Titus and how Catrina reacted.

"I'm so embarrassed." Catrina murmurs, not meeting the magi's gaze. "I was like a spoiled child. How could I do something so disrespectful? I...I only wish to be a good daughter to him…"

"...Even if your father knew about your impossiblity," Scheherazade says quietly. "He would never think of you as anything else but a miracle."

"Titus he looks down upon because I had to grow him. Muu does not think it wise that I use so much magoi developing clones...He worries for my health, which...To be truthful, is on the decline...That's why he hates Titus so. I've long since understood his feelings." The magi slips away her hands to delicately touch her temples. "But you, Catrina, were not grown. You were created by your mother and your father out of love, not magic, and you were born as a baby. Even if you are different from everyone else in the world, you are Muu Alexius's daughter, and he loves you."

"..." More tears slip down her cheeks. "I know that. I know that...It's just...I don't want him to think of Titus that way...Life is life. Being born is such a blessing...I'm happy every day to be alive."

"Catrina…" Scheherazade stands, gently patting down her crimson hair. "I was wrong to be weary of you. You are a wonderful child. If possible...Would it be wrong of me to ask you to watch over Titus?"

"...?" The quarter-Fanalis looks up at Scheherazade, blinking away her tears. "I was planning on doing that anyway. Titus is like a brother to me."

A small smile of tenderness.

"You are a good child."

* * *

When Catrina sees Muu again, it's everything in her not to cry once more.

Muu, however, does not have that strength.

"_Catrina!" _The Captain wails, rushing across the training grounds. He runs straight through swordfights and wrestling matches, knocking people to the ground with the force of his strength.

"D-Daddy-!" Muu is there by the time she finishes calling his name, arms wrapping around her in a tight hug. He picks her up as he straightens, and her legs flail as he spins her around.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart! I'm sorry! Don't be mad at your Daddy!" He cries, and once he sets her down he still holds her to his chest.

"N-no, I'm sorry...A-about the d-door…" Catrina holds onto Muu tightly, biting her lip to keep herself from joining her father in tears.

"About time you came back, Cat!" Lo'lo appears in front of the hugging daughter and father, smiling. "You're dad's been a pain in the ass ever since you left."

"Try not to fight with my big brother too much, Catrina," Mryon cautions wisely. "He's been moping for the past few hours."

"..." Catrina buries her face into her father's chest, not wanting anyone to see her.

"It's a good thing you're not like that, Catrina!" Lo'lo barks out a laugh, hands on hips. Given no response, he looks at her, blinking slowly. "Hey, Cat...You alright?"

All the adults look down at her, worried. Even Muu stops with his sobbing, patting his daughter's head.

"Catrina?"

Her shoulders shake. She sniffles.

"S-sorry…" She pulls back, wiping at her face. "I-I didn't mean to *hic* cry…"

At once, all the adults freeze.

"C-cute…"Lo'lo's eye twitches.

"Angelic…" Myron melts.

"My baby!" Muu sobs, picking her up once more. "Never grow up! Gah, you're so cute, Catrinaaaaaaa!"

* * *

"Catrina, how do you feel about your magoi training?" Shambal sits cross legged before his pupil, watching how she straightens.

"Good!" Catrina nods her head, eyes bright. "It's been awesome. Toto-nee has helped me a lot, and I feel so confident in my skills!"

"Good!" Shambal laughs. "But you have a long way to go. You can't really manifest magoi on a sword yet, huh?"

"...No…" Catrina sighs. "I think it may be impossible. I mean, you were right. My magoi is being consumed by my body to enhance my Fanalis blood. The extra in my left arm goes toward Amala magic...But when I fix that error to balance it throughout my body, I have none left to use on a sword. It's irritating."

"It's true that you may not be able to use magoi with a sword," Shambal agrees. "But you're abilities are just starting to show. By learning to move the magoi in your body, you're getting even more strong! You just need practice."

"Mhm. I'll do my best, Master!" The quarter-Fanalis jumps up, excited

"Wait, Catrina…" Catrina pauses, sitting back down. "I have a few theories I'd like you to try...About your magoi."

"Huh? What is it?"

Shambal's eyes gleam the same way they do when he's watching a dealer shuffle cards.

"_Things that may change your life."_

* * *

_The sky is an inky __black that lightens to a cool gray, the moon shifting between red and blue. There are no stars, but floating orbs of light move about in the air, illuminating the cool, red grass under her feet and the tall, silver trees growing around the meadow._

_Catrina had woken up in this strange world a few minutes ago, laying curled up in the center of the meadow just as she had been in her bed previously. She scans her surroundings, frowning, before pausing to admire a light. It's like the inside of a lava lamp, moving lazily through the air without constraint but stretching and splitting once she touches it. _

"_Hey there, stranger." Catrina twirls around. Stan__ding at the edge of the meadow is Centola. "Been a while, huh?"_

"_Cent?" Catrina blinks, before smiling brightly. "Is __this a dream?"_

"_Well, yes. I am communicating with you right now__." Catrina nods, before running across the field to tackle the older girl in a hug. Centola gasps before giggling, hugging the Fanalis-Amala back._

"_I've miss you!" The redhead sits up, eyes bright. "__Gosh, how long has it been?"_

"_Five months."_

"_Only five?!" C__entola laughs some more._

"_I have someo__ne you may want to see~"_

"_Hm? Who?" _

"_Sis~! Pay att__ention to me~!" It's a loving whine that Catrina instantly recognizes. She perks up, like she's scanning for her prey, before spotting the source. Instantly she's holding the whiner, standing up with the girl firmly in her arms._

"_Bad." Catrina __murmurs, like a prayer. "Bad. I've missed you."_

"_Cat…" Bad sniffles, before burying her face in Catrina's shoulder. "Sissy! I've missed you too. Hakuei has been so annnnnnooooooyiiiiiiiiing." _

"_You should've come to Reim with me. I would've taken care of you."_

"_I know. But this is necessary."_

_Centola smiles softly at the scene before her, sister reunited. _

_Soon all three girls are sitting together, Bad plopped in Catrina's lap. _

"_I see...So that girl, Kalapini, is __the one who organized this meeting."_

"_Yes. She's a gifted child." Cento__la nods. "Though I feel bad for using her like this...Perhaps I'll buy her treats tomorrow."_

"_Hehe, you're so motherly, Cent,__" Bad snickers._

"_I'm glad you think so," Centola __smiles. Soon, however, her smile fades, and likewise the atmosphere grows serious. "But reuniting isn't the only reason I've contacted you all. Truth be told, we have much to discuss."_

"_About Magnostadt?" Centola nods. Catrina purses her lips. "I see…Well, I suppose I will fight with Reim. Though I'm planning on seeing my mother soon, I can find a way to get back into the war if you want."_

"_It's not as though I _want _you to fight in a war. But this one is special, and it can't be helped. Though your powers in Reim's hands will be an advanta__ge to Scheherazade, I still believe that Magnostadt will end in a draw."_

"_True," Bad pipes up. "I'm planning on enrolling in Magnostadt soon anyway." _

_Centola raises an eyebrow._

"_Truly? Your brothers and Hakuei aren't going to stop you?" _

"_Oh, don't worry about tha__t," Bad waves her hand casually. "My specialty is manipulation, remember? I'll have _them _asking _me _to go to Magnostadt before they realize just how deeply I've gotten into their heads."_

"_Thank you for that dark c__omment," The Temptress responds wryly, but she's smiling softly._

"_All in a day's work."_

"_So are we going to __be fighting? Everyone?"_

_Centola nods. _

"_Everyone. Only you __and Bad in the Magnostadt war, but when the Medium shows up we're all going to fight."_

"_I don't understand, it's not like they need us to fight. They won in the manga, and in the Other...Right, Bad?" Catrina scratches the back of her head. Bad nods along, raising an eyebrow at the Temptress. _

"_Unless…" Bad tilts her head. "You know something we don't?"_

_Centola purses her lips, quieting for a minute. _

"_It's not that, but...I've been hearing stirrings in the network. Strange stories...And rumors- not just about Magnostadt, but about Al Thamen itself. They're preparing something. Which is why...I'm...Not sure you're right about that, Catrina." _

_Catrina's eyes widen._

"_What? They're...Going off book?" The line is a refe__rence to plays, when actors improvise during a scene. It's befitting here...Mainly because, if they're right, then Al Thamen is defying the scripted lines of fate._

"_I've only just realized why." Centola reveals, leani__ng forward intently. "We've changed fate. Just an inch or two, but we've done it. And, in response, fate is snapping back at us."_

"_Fate?!"_

"_More li__ke Karma." Bad quips, sighing. "I see what you mean. Because we've changed fate, we've allowed Al Thamen leeway to change their plans. They're no longer focusing on just the Magnostadt war and the Medium."_

"_Yeah. T__hey've realized that we're their enemies and are preparing to deal with us accordingly." Catrina watches how Centola's gaze drops. "I don't know how or when, but I feel that they're going to be striking at us specifically when the time comes. We need to be prepared!"_

_Centola makes a soft sound of disappointment._

"_Why'd t__hey decide to launch a counter-attack when we're all separated?"_

"_Probabl__y because we _are _separated. Together we're strong. Apart our flaws are easier to see. We were defeated quickly outside of Zagan's Dungeon, remember?" Bad bites on her thumb nail. "In confusion our strengths become scattered...I trust in all your strengths, but...Currently, we're too weak to face Al Thamen head on, no matter what airs or displays we put on."_

_Catrina looks down, understanding Bad. She's strong, yes, but...Al Thamen is still stronger. How can she expect to defeat them if she couldn't even escape from slavery on her own? How can she protect Bad if she doesn't even notice the darkness wrapping around the world like Centola does?_

_She fists her hands. _

Right now, I'm not worthy. This life...Is useless to Bad if it can't even fight!

"_Then w__e'll get stronger!" She announces. The two other girls look up at her. Air wells up in her chest, filling her with confidence. "It's true that this is inoppertune. And we're not ready. But this year is meant for us all to become stronger! I doubt that Magnostadt will strike so quickly- even they need time to work things out. Why else did it take them so long to try and capture Zagan's Dungeon? All we need to do is to organize ourselves quicker than them. Then we can take them on for sure!"_

"_Catrina__…"_

"_So let's__not give up. We can do it!"_

_Bad look__s up at her before wrapping her little arms around Catrina's neck. Then she presses her lips to the older girl's cheek, pulling away with a cheeky smile._

"_I think__you've already grown stronger, Cat. Let's give it our all!"_

_Centola __pauses, before nodding and smiling. She looks relieved now, and Catrina inwardly warms to see that she's back to using her soft, gentle smile again. It suits her so much better than a serious expression does, though Centola is beautiful no matter what._

"_That's t__rue. Let's do our best! I've already informed the boys about it. I would talk about all of this at once, but Dream has trouble holding more than four consciences together, and I don't want to stress the poor dear."_

"_...The b__oy_s_?"_

_Centola blinks._

"_Yes. Ere__n and Asad."_

"_Asad? W__ait, he's _in _Al Thamen. Why would we tell him about this."_

"_It's alrig__ht, Catrina," Bad perks up, smirking. "Asad has finally seen the light."_

"_What do __you mean?"_

"_I mean…" Bad snickers. "He's now our precious mole."_

* * *

**6th Month…**

"Father…"

"...Cat, I understand, but...Do you really have to go?" Catrina looks down, fisting her hands in her lap.

"Yes. I have to. I've put off seeing Mom for years...But I'm strong enough now."

"...Catrina…I never asked, but why did you leave in the first place?" Muu frowns, leaning forward. His elbows sit on his knees as he does so, his eyes serious and contemplative. Catrina lifts her eyes to the ceiling. She had never told her father about the abuse she suffered from her family.

"The Amala tribe…" Might as well start with the basics. "The Amala tribe has been shut off for centuries now. They reside inside of a barrier, protected inside of invisible walls no one can see. Because of that, for centuries, they've never seen people of other cultures nor appearances. So when a girl with crimson hair and a strange eyeshape was born among them…"

Muu 'ahh's, like he understands. Catrina laughs softly.

"You know, it wasn't so bad at first. I mean, they certainly didn't approve of me. They saw my 'bloody' hair as bad luck. But they never bother Mom and I. We lived happily together, in the farmlands of the Western Omega village. But when I started showing off my Fanalis strength, then...Well, they feared me. I understand it completely. I would've felt the same, if I was them...I feel bad, really, that they were so scared of me. Perhaps I should've done more to show that I was harmless...No, it doesn't matter."

"Catrina, that's not your fault. They're the ones who were narrow minded."

"True, but they were also just scared. Fear makes people do irrational things." Catrina smiles kindly, to show her father that she does not mind the actions of her kinsmen. "Then...When I as ten...Ah, there were these people, you see. Mom's old friends. One was her dearest friend, the other was her ex-rival, and the third was her ex-fiancee."

Muu rears back before blinking, as if remembering something.

"Oh, yes, that's right…" His cheeks color. "Ai _did_ say that she broke off her engagement when she left the tribe."

"Haha, yeah...Their names were Faraji, Dalila, and Jabari. Jabari and Dalila were married, and had a son named Tendaji. Faraji had no children, but Mom said he did have a nephew. I didn't know them...At least, I never met with them face-to-face, until…" Catrina lowers her gaze. "Until the night they tried to kill me."

Now Muu rears back for real. Then he stands, as if doing such an action would prevent the rest of her story from being reality. His whole body is tense, coiled as if preparing to rip the throats out of men and women long dead. Catrina watches him do so.

"They tried to _kill_ you? A _child_?" Muu growls it, his hands fisting.

"Yes. I was sleeping soundly in my room that night. They had snuck in somehow without me realizing it and bound Mom with rope, before taking her outside of the house. I suppose they still felt some sort of twisted comradery with her. When I awoke, the whole house was burning." Catrina shivers at her own words. She _hates_ fire. She's _hated _fire ever since Alice burned in the hospital. The pain was- no. No need to revisit that horrible memory. "I was able to escape, but when I got outside, they were waiting with me with some others."

"..." Muu makes a hard expression, his lips curling back to reveal his teeth. Still, he remains silent, sitting back down.

"...I…"

"Is that where you got your scar from?" Catrina gently touches her left arm, still covered by the black sleeve. She nods. "That's horrible. They- those _bastards_ deserve to die for what they did-"

"I killed them." She whispers it, but he hears. Because they're Fanalis, and can hear a pin drop. He stops talking, off guard, and stares at her with shock. She does not look up at him, a lump heavy in her throat. "That's why I never told you. Because I killed all of them. And then, when I finally won, I looked up and met Tendaji's gaze. And I saw Mom. And I felt like the whole world was against me."

Her hair falls in a crimson curtain from her shoulders, blocking her peripheral vision as she quakes with the memory.

"I've never, ever been able to forgive myself for that. Why'd I have to kill them? Why could they just _stop_? And Tendaji saw it all. He shouldn't have seen _any _of it." Catrina's crying now. Her chest caves in as she sobs, not wanting to have to be stuck with the memory of ten year old Tendaji's wide eyes and quivering lips. "And Mama too. I didn't want her to have to see all that, unable to get out of her bindings."

There is a brief flicker of movement, and then her father is sitting beside her. He wraps his arms tight around her, pulling her into his chest. She cries against his armor, fitting her head under his chin.

"Cat, you did what you had to do to survive. Can't you see that? You don't need to be haunted by them anymore." She can't connect to anything he says, but is comforted nonetheless.

"They were family," She sniffles. "They were my family, but I killed them. How is that excusable?"

"You weren't wrong, to do what you did. If they were truly family, they wouldn't have hurt you. If they tried to know you, they'd realize that you're nothing less than amazing. But they didn't try, even though you did." The Fanalis-Amala shakes her head. "You weren't wrong at all, Catrina."

"...Maybe, maybe not." She wipes her face, pulling away. "But either way, I have to go back to see Mom. I've missed her so much. And I need to…"

_Seere._

Carina closes her eyes.

"I need to apologize to Tendaji." Muu stares down at her, eyes full of worry.

"..." He nods in understanding. "Just promise you'll be safe. And if possible…"

He smirks a bit, almost jokingly. His words are meant to lighten the atmosphere, and raise her spirits. They do, however, hold a tinge of seriousness.

"Make your mother write me, okay?"

* * *

Catrina waits to board the ship, bouncing from foot to foot. Before her a ship awaits, its wooden hull looming high above her. Despite this, she knows that with just a lovetap it would splinter and break under the force of a Fanalis's punch. She turns around, hands clasping together behind her back. She shifts the bag slung across her shoulders, and then presents herself.

"Everyone," She says, lifting her chin. "Thank you very much!"

She bows, smiling widely. In front of her, the Fanalis Corps stand, their smiles large and shiny. Yaqut and Razol wave to her as Myron twirls her hair around her finger and pouts. Lo'lo stands with an arm slung around Muu's shoulders, comforting the captain who stands teary eyed but smiling as he watches his daughter prepare to depart. Of to the side, watching the Corps, Ryuji waves to her and Titus smiles a little, digging his heel into the dirt shyly next to Scheherazade.

"Come home soon," Muu says.

"I will. I'll be back home in five months or so."

"We'll be waiting!"

Catrina giggles and turns back to the ship.

"_Bye, everyone!"_

* * *

Catrina first takes the ship to Mystania, the country bordering Magnostadt. She would've gone straight to Magnostadt, but they don't allow ships carrying Goi into their ports unless you're specially approved- and, being a noble from the famously militaristic Alexius family, Catrina was denied access.

Then she took a carriage to the outskirts of the, ah, _vibrant_ country before taking a trek south. From there she had to really on the little signs to find a way home. It wasn't like she was all there when she left the Amala homeland; in fact, she was mostly in hysterics. But she had somehow managed to, after exiting the barrier, run in a circle- therefor coming upon Bad and the others in the desert.

Finding the Amala tribe, however, is extremely hard if you don't know where to look. Certainly it would be impossible for someone who doesn't know the tribe exists nor the markers showing the way. But Aishia had taught Catrina how to see the ancient trails in case she ever left, taught her the way. Find the three mountain peaks sitting together against the sun's shine, and find and cross the thick river leading toward it. Travel southwest until you find the an ancient stone marker, then travel north, following the trail of pine trees. At yet another small Amala statue, turn sharply left, and then..._Keep walking._

Catrina follows these instructions to a tee, though, as she goes along, other things begin to pop up.

Like…

_This smell._

Ah, the wonderful smell. It drifts to her after she crosses the river, awakening her senses. She wishes to stray from the beaten path to follow the scent, go directly to the source. But her mother's directions told her how to get to the Western Omega villages, and the scent will probably end up taking her in the Northern or Eastern villages.

So she continues on, even as her eyes lovingly remember the pine trees that grow in the East standing in her way, and recognizes the exact way that the sunlight used to hit her when she was standing in front of the barrier.

She balks.

_The exact way that the sunlight used to hit me when I was standing in front of the barrier. _

She turns, nerves shaking her insides.

_Home._

A lump lodges in her throat. She has to swallow deep and hard in order to push it down.

_Is this really…?_

She coats her hand with the orange glow of Amala magic, slowly reaching out. She takes one step, and another…

_Am I…?_

A third step. Her hand unfurls like a flower, her fingers blooming outward as every part of her searches for the key to entering the barrier.

_Please._

Her hand makes contact with an invisible wall. She sucks in a breath as her hand enters, gaping as it disappears into thin air. There is nothing in front of her, just vast forest. But as she takes more steps, she feels herself encased by the barrier, absorbed by it. She keeps her eyes closed, unbelieving.

_God, don't let this be a dream._

She opens her eyes.

Before nearly bursting into tears.

Laying before her is her village. _Her _village. Of course, there is the firm twenty yards laid out between barrier and the village pathway, which is connected to the barrier trail, a long track that encircles the entire territory. She walks forward until she is before the barrier trail, leaning down to lovingly touch the dirt. She had run that very track day after day when she was a child, contenting herself by enjoying the thrill of the run. By following that path, she had seen her entire territory- at least, the Omega villages and the outskirts.

She stands, looking back behind her. As it turns out, the forest had been an illusion, and the trees she had been shaded by ended just a bit before the barrier, leaving the hilly western territory open to farming. In front of her, the beginnings of the farms lay before her in wide, neat patches. They cover the hills and flatter plains, beautiful little cottages set up at the bases of hills. From their front doors lay little paths, that connect like small streams into the main road, which winds around hills and splits off to visit other houses. If she were to follow it, she'd eventually come across the Western Omega Village, which was made up of the general 'middle-class workers': merchants from other villages and the capital, bakers, carpenters, blacksmiths, locksmiths, seamstresses and others of the like.

But she has no plans to be going there so soon, and out from her bag pulls out a cloak. Despite the late summer heat, she knows that showing her hair or, to a lesser extent, her eyes, could get her caught by her kinsmen. Who knows, they may not even remember her...Or worse yet, remember the night she killed members of their tribe in cold blood.

And off she goes. Her feet eagerly eat up the dirt path, her hands shaking with anticipation. Despite her mixed feelings of nervousness, excitement and fear, a shaky smile grows across her face as she searches for her house. She walks faster and faster, thankful no one else walks the road.

Then…

Her house.

Catrina gulps once more, heading up the path. Her legs shake, but she refuses to back down, squeezing her eyes shut as she nears the door.

_I'm home. Beyond this door...Is my mother!_

She raises her fist. It's shaking. She bites her lip, as if conquering it, and makes the two lips to form a wide smile. If nothing else, she wants to greet her mother with a smile.

_**Knock-**_

She planned on knocking three times.

_Planned_, being the opperative word.

Because, after the very first one, as if the person beyond the door was waiting for her, the door swings open. She flinches a bit, fist still raised.

Orange meets orange.

The person's eyes aren't like hers. Rather, the top half of their eyes are a light orange, melting into a darker, volcano-like orange at the bottom. She's mesmerized before realizing-

_This...Isn't my mother…_

Her eyes widen. She stumbles back, but the person reaches forward and snatches up her wrist. In a quarter second, a key fits into a lock, and she knows where she's seen those eyes before. Those eyes, half light and half dark, illuminated by the fire glowing before her, shadows dancing across his small face.

Those little eyes that watched, morbidly entranced, as she murdered his parents.

A quarter second, and she raspily calls,

"Tendaji?" The man standing in the doorway of her house pauses, hand still gripping her wrist. He straightens, pulling her sharply forward into the cottage. She, without strength, complies, shakily grabbing ahold of the table when he releases her from his grip.

Tendaji looks back at her.

"Been a while...Catrina."

* * *

OOOOHHHH CLIFFHANGER HOLY LOOORRDDDDD

I went to a wedding today. It was fun...And a little crazy haha XD

* * *

**Fun Fact: **Tendaji's was born in the capital city, Visurbis

* * *

**Papa!Muu: **Oh the fun I shall have with father-of-the-year..._Poor Masrur._

***Catrina's new Outfit: **Oh my God, _yes_. I've been waiting to give her and everyone else new outfits. I imagine her breast plate to look like Toto's (though gold). Of course, this outfit is going to prob change after the next chapter in order to be more Amala-esque, but I like it for now :)

**Next Chapter**: AMALA TRIBE. Which means: new characters, a new society, and some awesome fight scenes. Prepare for the epic end of the Fanalis-Amala arc! Also holy crap. Say hi to Tendaji, he's about to get super relevant in ways _you did not_ _expect._

If y'all got questions, please ask. I am way too tie-tie right now in order to explain stuff...ALSO VOTE ON MY POOOOOLLLLLLLLL~!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


	37. Chapter 36: Forgive and Forget

Hey guys! Guess what? I'm back! And...Drumroll please...MY BIRTHDAY IS ON JULY 7TH! I'm gonna be old haha. Also, one more thing: I have the results of the poll up on my profile! It is still open for voting, but I think we have a winner. I'll start writing it tomorrow, so get excited~ I know I am~

**Starry Skies**

**By Gold Sparrow**

**ELEVENTH ARC: **Fanalis-Amala

CHAPTER 36: Forgive and Forget

* * *

**6th Month, Continued…**

"Lady Scheherazade!" The attendant calls, quickly rushing down the hallway. He pauses before the priestess, kneeling down onto one knee. The letter is presented to her with both hands, and daintily, Scheherazade lifts it from the messenger.

"Who is it from?"

"I can't say I know, Milady." Scheherazade raises an eyebrow, insinuating with her expression the sheer number of strange letters she receives. Vetting the sender became a necessity after a while; Muu had insisted so that they could scan the death threats she sometimes receives, Scheherazade herself because scanning through the junk mail takes up too much time. The messenger colors, knowing this. "I-I received this by a trusted carrier! I swear it's not the ravings of a lunatic."

"Has Muu read it?"

"No, Lord Alexius is, um…"

"Still crying over his daughter?" The messenger nods. Scheherazade sighs.

"Did she die?" The boy blurts. The High Priestess shakes her head.

"No. She just went on a trip to see her mother."

"O-oh."

"I suppose I won't bother him. Thank you very much."

Scheherazade heads to her office, unrolling the scroll as she goes.

Only to stop dead in the middle of the hallway. Her mouth opens, a quiet 'oh' slipping past her lips. She sighs softly, a touch of a sad smile coating her lips.

"I never thought I'd hear from you again, Aishia Exsos."

* * *

_Dear Lady Scheherazade,_

_It's been a while, huh? I hope that you haven't missed me too much. I've certainly missed you; our conversations were always very intriguing, and over the years I've found myself vying for your adventure stories. It's taken much work, but I've finally found a way to get this to you. Don't ask how, it took a lot more elbow grease than I'm proud of. I thought I was more charming than that, you know? __But all joking aside, I do have a purpose for this letter._

* * *

Scheherazade's eyes open wide as she reads the next line, her softened features turning serious.

* * *

_Lady Scheherazade, I must ask a great favor._

* * *

"_Been a while…Catrina."_

Catrina gulps.

"Tendaji…" She stands in front of the kitchen table, her hands clutching at it to sooth her wrecked nerves. She has no idea what to say, or what to do. Never in a million years did she expect what just happened to happen- for it to be Tendaji, and not Aishia, to be the one receiving her.

"Where…" She searches for her voice, finding it low in her stomach. "Where is my mother?"

Tendaji keeps staring, but answers after a tense minute,

"Visurbis. She left me here to await you." Catrina's eyebrows knit together.

"What...Are you talking about?" Tendaji raises a brow before lowering it, his frown turning even deeper than beforehand.

"You don't know? Just my luck. Who the hell sent you, then?" The Fanalis-Amala tightens her hold on the table, being mindful not to break it.

"No one. I came myself."

"..." Tendaji says nothing, but his frown lightens somewhat, as if not expecting that to be the case. "You just..._Decided_ to come back?"

"Well it's…" She falters. She is, after all, talking to the boy whose parents she killed. They are both tip-toeing around that for the moment, and she'd like to keep it that way for just a while longer...Until she can get her head together. "It's home...And...I promised Mom I'd come home…"

"...Are things always that simple with you?" The pure-blooded Amala asks her, almost grumbles it. He steps away from his place in front of the door, where he had previously been blocking any chance of exiting. He moves fully into the kitchen, searching through some cupboards. She tenses as he goes, but relaxes once realizing that he's not heading towards her. For a moment she contemplates leaving. The door is unlocked and his back is turned; not to mention that, as a Fanalis, she could be out of the house before he knows she took a single step. Instead, she purses her lips and looks around the house, deciding that just for now, she'll place some faith in him.

The cottage is of a similar layout to her old home- actually, it's so similar that at first she doesn't even remember that her childhood house had burned down. There are only two rooms, the kitchen and the living room, which don't have any separation, making one big rectangle of an entryway. On the left side of the house there is a door leading to her mother's bedroom, and to the right there is a door leading to…

_My bedroom._

She feels very nostalgic now, looking around. The furniture is different (because the original burned in the fire), but it retains the comfy, lived-in feel of her original home. The set-up of all of the furniture is exactly the same, and the scent of her mother surrounds her. She breath is in, feeling so much calmer.

_Tendaji's telling the truth. Mom really must be in Visubris._

But, strangely, all the curtains on the windows are closed, leaving the cottage in darkness. Catrina carefully takes a seat at the kitchen table, watching Tendaji's every move.

"Why are the curtains all closed?" She asks, curious. The teen looks over his shoulder at her before resuming to- she stares with disbelief- chop up cheese and bread.

"It really sucks that you didn't get the letter," Tendaji mutters, but she's still able to hear every word he says. "I guess I gotta explain everything."

"Explain what?" Tendaji hands her a plate, and she looks down at the food prepared. Cheese and bread with some fresh grapes on the side. Her eyes melt as she looks at it, fondly picking up the bread with mindful hands. It's food from home, and she's missed the distinct taste of her cow's cheese and Amala grapes.

Tendaji sits across from her, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I guess I don't gotta explain to you who I am. We're acquainted." His words are dry and make both her eyes and her stomach drop. "But you should know that I've, um…"

Her eyes pick themselves up from her food, looking into his curiously. He turns away, coughing.

"I've been living here with Aishia for around five years now." Catrina's mouth drops in shock. She stands, her chair falling to the floor behind her.

"With Mom?!"

Tendaji, quickly, presses a finger to his lips, urgently motioning to her to sit back down.

"Be quiet! We don't want to get found out!" Catrina tilts her head, still in shock and also unsure of what his words mean. She picks up the chair, sitting back down. "To answer you, yes, with Aishia. She took me in after my parents died." He does not look at her when he says this. Her heart lurches.

_Apologize. _Now_. It's time, do it-_

"But I have more important things to discuss than that." He continues on, bulldozing her plans. Her mouth hangs open, and she quickly shuts it. "You're aware of the governing system of the Amala tribe, correct?"

"..." Catrina stares. "I didn't really go to school...And Mom liked talking about magic more than the government."

"Yeah...That seems right." Tendaji sighs, but a small smile plays on his lips. Catrina feels very jealous for a moment before she forces her own feelings down. What Aishia did for Tendaji was an incredible act of kindness...Especially since his parents tried to murder her daughter and her daughter killed his parents. She should not feel jealous of Tendaji for getting close to Aishia while she was gone. "You do know about the three groupings, right?"

"Omega, Beta and Alpha." She repeats. He nods.

"Upon entering school, children are sorted into three groups based on their personalities and strengths. Omegas are chosen by showing traits of gentleness and sensitivity. Betas by intelligence and quick problem-solving skills. Alphas by strength and bravery. Over the course of their time at school, children may appeal to their defined group and switch into a new one after proving that they're meant to be in it."

"Whoa." Catrina leans forward, her chin in her palm. "That's cool. Mom just said I was an Alpha."

"Yeah, you are. Your strength would instantly place you in that grouping."

Catrina's grin splits her face.

"Omegas are in charge of domestic duties and economic regulation. Betas are expected to go into the government and work as administrators or find jobs as lawyers or doctors. Alphas go into the military to refine their necromancer abilities."

Catrina listens intently, even though she already knows most of this information. It's still good to refresh herself though, and who knows, she may find out something new about her tribe_._

"No group is above another, and we all act as family." Tendaji seems happy when he says this, lightly smiling at the table. "When one of us hurts, we help them. That's how the Amala tribe is."

"..." The Fanalis-Amala smiles as well...And tries not to think of her childhood, which firmly contradicts his statement.

"The Betas make laws and the Alphas enforce them. The Beta council presents a law to the Elders, which are of mixed groupings, whom debate the law and pass or reject it. That's how the system works, allowing for a peace that hasn't been disrupted in hundreds of years. But that doesn't mean that there are those who haven't tried to break up this system." Tendaji's face sours and hardens. "And...That doesn't mean that someone _hasn't_."

* * *

_Lady Scheherazade, I told you, right? About the Amala tri__be's government. You had looked at me strangely and asked why we didn't need have King or Emperor. I had responded that the thought to have one didn't even cross our minds. The Amala "Alpha" system has existed for so long even I do not know when it began. Our governing system is so deeply ingrained in our hearts that we have not even thought of other methods of governing as possible. That's why I've always been so amazed by the world outside of our borders; the splendor of Reim's Emperor and the poverty of the lower classes, the advanced societies that flourish and yet still condone slavery._

_I believe that, in it's own way, the Amala tribe is very wonderful and unique as well. __But that's changed, milady._

* * *

_**Knock, knock, knock.**_

The knocking is soft and tentative, but it causes both fifteen year olds to jump. Tendaji cautions her to stay still, before quickly moving to the window. Catrina admires for a moment how his movements are as silent as a ghost's, the only telltale sign of motion being her eyes following him. He moves his index finger between the cracks between the curtains, parting them with the kind of delicacy an elderly noblewoman uses to open a letter. It works, and through only a sliver of a crack, Tendaji is able to peek through to see who's outside. He sighs in relief, moving to the door. The pure-blooded Amala quickly ushers the newcomer in, making Catrina tense up even more. The person who enters stares at her for a moment, shock coating their face. Catrina feels some shock as well.

For one thing, the girl is quite cute. Her hair is long, going all the way to her ankles, like Sheherazade's. But it's not thick like the High Priestess's, instead thin, like Sinbad's. She has it parted on the left, but from there braids flow down her back, mixing with loose strands of black hair. She has tied the locks all back with a white bow, but that doesn't keep her bangs from coating the sides of her delicately shaped face. Her light orange eyes, lined with thick lashes, compliment her tiny, button nose.

_So cute!_

But still, Catrina freezes up, unsure how to react to the newcomer. This _is _a member of her family...And Catrina is essentially the black sheep that got exiled to the world outside of these glorified walls-

"Your hair _is_ the color of the sunset!"

Catrina jolts. The girl presses forward, only stopped by the table. Even then, she uses her long, willowy arms to reach over and cup Catrina's face, slipping her fingers beneath the Fanalis's ears to touch the crimson locks. Then she inspects them closely, her eyes glittering with amazement and curiosity.

"I had always thought people were lying when they said that you had crimson hair, but it's true. It's like blood- no, like the sunset on a hot day!" The girl laughs, bewildered but excited. "And your eyes...What a peculiar shape!"

"...Wh...Who are you, miss?" The girl stares for a moment. Behind them, Tendaji burst out into laughter. The girl whips around, her hands fisting.

"It's not funny, Tendaji!"

"It's hilarious!" Tendaji cackles, before hushing himself, remembering their situation. The girl seems to realizes this as well, taking a seat. Her cheeks flush, making her even cuter.

"It's not funny," She repeats, quieter.

"You should just cut your hair already." Tendaji smiles, sitting as well. "Catrina, this is Faraji. He's not a girl."

Catrina colors, cursing her flaws before-

_...Fa...Faraji?_

"Faraji?" She says aloud, feeling all the blood in her head drain out. Faraji's cheeks lose their color as well, as the gi- _boy _looks down at his lap.

"A-ah, yes...My name is Faraji the Beta, I am the nephew of Faraji the Omega, who…"

_Who I killed._

Catrina sucks in a breath, looking down at her fisted hands. At the moment, she is in the same room as the family of the people she killed. She's sitting across from them, at their mercy, unable to even apologize like she _should_. Why can't she do something so _simple_? Why is that so hard, so impossible? She's a murderer, she knows that...If nothing else, she should repent, even though hell will still await her when she dies. Repentance is the only thing that she has to do here...Repentance is the only thing that she _can_ do here, the only thing that she can give her family. After all, they will never want her back, and she will never be accepted by them as long as she lives.

_That is my fate, as a monster._

"I'm here to help you!" Catrina startles, staring up at Faraji. He blurts this out, eyes wide and somehow..._Desperate. _As if wanting her to snap out of whatever stupor she had fallen into.

"W-with what?" She asks, stuttering shyly.

"A-ah…" Faraji looks to Tendaji, confused. The fifteen year old boy rolls his eyes annoyedly.

"She didn't get the letter."

"Oh." Faraji cups his chin, thinking. "I see…I suppose we'll start with the basics."

"I, uh, already know about the government and the three groupings."

"..." Faraji tilts his head curiously. "You didn't before?"

Catrina's cheeks color.

"Oh, right, Aunt Aishia _is_ really vague, huh?"

"...Yes…"

Faraji smiles kindly, appearing even more girlish than before.

"I meant to talk to you about your grandfather."

"My grandfather?" Catrina's eyebrows knit, confusion taking ahold. "_Zuberi_? I haven't heard that name since...Well, since I was a little kid."

"I knew him before meeting Aishia, but that's because I grew up in Visurbis. General Zuberi Exsos...The strongest Alpha of the military, popular will all the people, and famous for his tactical genius." Tendaji crosses his arms. "Aishia doesn't talk about him...At least, not until a little while ago."

Catrina purses her lips, nodding. Aishia never did talk about Zuberi, except to explain her situation as a child, which wasn't much different from Catrina's. According to Aishia, her mother was an Omega woman whom Zuberi had an affair with but refused to marry. Aishia was born in the Western Omega farmlands like Catrina, and it wasn't until the age of ten that her father recognized her as his legitimate daughter- though that was only because Aishia was turning out to be an Alpha prodigy.

There always seemed to be some bitterness between Aishia and Zuberi, though it was never spoken of aloud. Catrina thinks it's not because Aishia was a bastard, but because Aishia, against Zuberi's wishes, decided to give birth to an outsider's child instead of..._Terminating it. _Although abortion is expressly forbidden in a tribe that cherishes life due to it's magic. But Catrina doesn't understand how Zuberi factors into whatever it is they're talking about.

"Okay...So Zuberi is somehow involved in..._This_. What exactly do you want me to do?"

Faraji frowns.

"Catrina...The Amala tribe is in danger."

* * *

_Lady Scheherazade, the Amala tribe is in danger. We no longer _have _the "Alpha" government._

_My father, Zuberi, has overthrown the government and caused chaos to erupt throughout the land. He has enacted new laws and, through use of the military, scared the people into submission._

_Zuberi has become King._

* * *

Catrina sits still.

"My...Grandfather…? He's _King?_"

Tendaji nods solemnly.

Catrina bites her lip, absorbing the information. Sure, all her knowledge about Zuberi is based off of biased, black-tinted stories, but there was seemingly _no_ sign that Zuberi would _overthrow the government_. She may not have ever met the man, however, from the few tales she heard he seems like a traditionalist rather than a radical.

"But...Why would he do such a thing? It's not as though there was discontent, right? The people all seem happy."

"..." Tendaji opens his mouth before closing it, seemingly trying to decide how to put his thoughts into words. "To be honest...Aishia blames herself."

* * *

_I blame myself, Lady Scheherazade. I shouldn't have, but I told my father about Reim. I couldn't help it. He showed up at my door one night when Catrina was a baby. He demanded to know more about Catrina's father, so I thought that if I told him, he may be able to help make life easier for Catrina. It was a foolhardy hope to think that I could shape the Amala tribe through my father's influence. But he is a powerful man, General Zuberi Exsos of the Alpha Army, and people listen to him. _

_I told him about Muu's strength and valor, about the Fanalis. I told him about the nobles of Reim and the Emperor. That was my big mistake. By telling him about the Emperor, I believe, I sewed the first dark seeds into his head. Dark seeds that have blossomed into an evil that's swallowed my tribe whole._

* * *

"She can't blame herself for that," Catrina insists, fisting her hands. "If anything...It's my fault. She did it for me…"

"You weren't even alive yet." Faraji comforts her. Still, Catrina sighs. "And I agree, she shouldn't blame herself. But Zuberi did start thinking about kingship…However...It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"The timeline. Think about it, it's been over fifteen years since Aishia told him about monarchies in other countries. At the time, he was already popular enough with the people as General of the Army to take over...So why'd he wait? There is no other explanation than an outside force prompted him to."

"An outside source…" The Fanalis-Amala thinks on this. "So you mean, Zuberi was influenced by an outsider into overthrowing the government?"

"Unless he was waiting for you to leave, which is likely," Tendaji throws this into the conversation rather casually, but it makes Catrina gawk.

"_Me_? Why me?" Tendaji looks at her.

"Catrina, your grandfather is King. That makes you royalty."

"..." Her jaw drops. She cannot speak, her fingers frozen like she dipped them in an icy winter pond. Tendaji sighs laboriously.

"Well, a candidate for his heir at least. He made the title hereditary, meaning only his Alpha children can challenge him for the throne."

"..." Catrina is still speechless. She manages to choke out, "Ch-challenge?"

"To climb the ranks in any layer of Amala civilization, you must challenge the person higher up on the rung than you." Faraji explains helpfully. "If you win the challenge, which is more often than not fighting, you take their position and they take yours. In order to curb this law, Zuberi changed it so only those with his blood can challenge him for the throne."

"...Then why didn't Mom challenge him?" Tendaji leans back.

"She did. First she had to re-enlist in the military and reclaim her title as Head Female Alpha...Then she was able to become General...And after that challenge her half-brothers and half-sisters in order to climb the ranks of succession."

"...I have aunts and uncles?"

"Aishia didn't tell you anything, huh?" Catrina pouts, feeling childishly jealous. Seeing this, the Tendaji raises his hands and rolls his eyes. "She didn't tell me either. I just knew because I grew up in Visubris and my father was friends with them."

"Just continue."

"Fine, fine." He laces his fingers together, elbows on the table. "After that, Aishia was Crown Princess. She challenged Zuberi...She intended to end his reign and reinstate the old order. She was the only one who could possibly do so, because all her siblings were loyal to their father. But she lost the fight and, due to yet another bullshit rule, cannot challenge Zuberi for a whole year."

"..." Catrina's jaw clenches. "That's why she's in Visubris…"

"She's stuck there as Crown Princess." Tendaji confirms. "Which is why we sent out a letter asking for your help."

"My help?"

"Yes. Catrina, I think…" Faraji looks increasingly uncomfortable. "I think it was Zuberi who convinced my uncle and Tendaji's parents to try and kill you."

Catrina pales.

"Wh...What?"

"I've been thinking about- about the timeline. Aishia told Zuberi about your father and the Fanalis, meaning that he knew you were going to be strong. This may not have meant anything until the outside force began to prompt him to become King and he made pre-emptive plans to make the title blood-related." Faraji's face becomes serious, far more serious than it had been all that time. "You may have been ten at the time...He saw how strong you were, and how strong you'd become. Which would be why he convinced my uncle and the others to try to kill you- so that you'd never be able to come back and take away the throne."

"W-wait, you can't be serious." Catrina smiles, but it's full of nerves and disbelief, a quivering half-grin. "There's no way that he...He hired them to murder me…"

"He didn't hire them," Tendaji admits. "He just...Persuaded them. Persuaded my father into persuading the others...I remember as a child listening in to some conversations and not understanding…"

He shakes his head.

"But you escaped. Aishia knew you'd survive one way or the other, but Zuberi had no such thoughts, and believed you were dead. The winter of last year, he staged the coup, and by spring was King."

"...Is he a bad King?"

"...He's selfish." The black-haired boy gets up from the table, beginning to pace. The Beta and the Bird stare as he does so, both intent on listening to his analysis on Zuberi. "He thinks that he was born to become King, and has twisted the tribe according to his beliefs. All the classes used to be equal; now the Omegas are considered the lesser group and the Alphas the highest. The Betas have been stripped of their right to participate in government, the Beta council and the Elder council have both been dissolved. Zuberi's government is made with him at the top, his trusted Generals below, and his favored Alphas and Betas working as administrators. There is unemployment and discontent as Betas are forced to migrate into the Omega businesses, forcing Omegas out."

"He's completely taken away Omega rights."

"He's always had a bias against them." Tendaji bites his lip. "He's also made a rule that Alphas cannot marry those of other classes; only other Alphas. The increasing number of restrictions on personal freedom is alarming, and so far no one is happy with the change except those who benefit…"

"Which is the military." Catrina sighs. "The most powerful body in the tribe."

"Exactly." Tendaji stops pacing, gripping the back of the chair he was using. "That's why we sent the letter. Aishia said she knew someone in Reim who could find you and help you get back here to defeat the King."

The Bird takes a moment to herself, contemplating all she's learned. Not just about the government and Zuberi, but also the truths about what happened five years ago...How Jabari, Dalila and Faraji were persuaded into attacking her. That changes so many things in on itself. If Zuberi never convinced them to do it, would they have ever come in contact with her? Would she have killed them?

_I cannot forgive him._

Not one bit. Catrina killed Jabari, Dalila and Faraji, but it was preventable and she cannot forgive him for sending them out to do his dirty work. He was a coward, and _she will not forget that_.

"I understand now." Catrina stands. "The situation is clear to me. You both and Mom want me to challenge Zuberi, right? If I beat him in a fight, then I can reverse Zuberi's laws and restore the Amala tribe's original government."

"Yes." Faraji looks relieved. "That's right. As Aishia's daughter, you can skip ahead of the other Princes and Princesses and challenge the King right away."

* * *

_Lady Scheherazade, I must ask you to find my dau__ghter and send her back home. For the reasons I've explained above, there is no one else who can challenge my father. In truth...I would prefer Catrina not to come back. I miss her so dearly, but the world outside of our tribal lands is beautiful and vast and I _feel _that she must be living a wonderful life exploring it._

_But I have no one else to turn to, and I don't think I can wait another year to challenge Zuberi. _

No. _That's not it. _

_I don't think the _tribe _can wait another year for me to challenge Zuberi. There are strange happens going on in Visurbis, rumors of outsiders visiting the King. My father has changed drastically ever since becoming King, and I fear-_

* * *

"Just...One more thing, Catrina."

"What is it?"

"..." Tendaji reaches across the table and clamps a hand on Catrina's shoulder. "You must defeat Zuberi before the end of the year. Otherwise...Our tribe is going to officially come out of hiding and join a war."

* * *

_I fear that he's soon going to ally himself with a dark country called Magnostadt. Lady Scheherazade,_ _I need your help._

* * *

**2 Weeks Later...**

It isn't as though the training is physically challenging for Catrina.

It's just that it's so _technical._

"Ready?"

"Ah, um...Yes."

"Alright...Start!"

A few clean movements later, and Catrina is flat on her back, her body connecting harshly with the soil. She groans, still unused to the strange feeling of being physically overpowered, and slowly opens her eyes. She's not surprised by losing anymore. It's become more of an frustratingly familiar emotion. That's why she pouts up at Tendaji, whose elbow hovers an inch above her neck, ready to dig in and cut off her air supply.

"Catrina, your physical abilities are amazing...But your martial arts _sucks_."

"Shut up. Fanalis are born situated toward fist-fighting, so learning new styles is difficult." Tendaji sighs, getting off of her. Instead of instantly reassuming the fighting position to start over, he sits beside her, elbows resting on his bent knees.

"It's pretty amazing. Everything Aunt Aishia told me about you is true."

"...Huh?" Catrina sits up slowly, feeling a little flustered at his words. From the sidelines, Faraji emerges, wearing a cheeky smile.

_Mom talked about me._

"Fanalis are super strong. I mean, I knew that already, but you're stronger than when we were children. And it's not like your form of martial arts is _bad_, an untrained Amala would be down for the count before they know it. Every move you make seems to prove what you said: that you were born fist-fighting. It's completely natural for you." Catrina blushes, feeling somehow praised.

"But…" Faraji gently pries into the conversation, plopping down next to Catrina, "Amala martial arts cancels out your martial arts."

"Cancel out? Well, now that I think of it…" Catrina presses a finger to her chin, remembering the past month of training. The three have been hiding out in the West village together, sneaking out early in the mornings to a secluded, abandoned training lot to practice. Apparently the reason that they stressed silence at the cottage was because Zuberi's spies are everywhere, and it's gotten to the point where Omegas in the farmlands fear to journey to the village anymore. It's a miracle that Catrina wasn't caught by a spy when first arriving and carelessly strolling down the main road.. "...It seems like no matter how I approach you, you have a way to counter…"

Tendaji's been teaching her Amala magic and helping her with her martial arts...Thought every day she's been getting her ass kicked. She never knew just how untrained her magic is.

"The Amala tribe and the Fanalis tribe used to be rivals."

"Really?!" Catrina perks up, excited. Tendaji flinches back, surprised by Catrina's sudden enthusiasm.

"Chill," He cautions, frowning. "At least, that's Faraji's theory."

"...Oh." Catrina sighs, disappointed.

"You could try not to react that way, either," Faraji grumbles, now the one pouting. Then he straightens, ready to hypothesize with them. "There's an old story about the creation of our martial arts. They say that the ancient Amalas created it to contend with fighting style of their rival clan, a clan that held superior strength and skill. Once the Amalas developed the art, they were able to finally compete with their rivals. I've been thinking, since the Amala martial art seems to be the only thing Tendaji can use to defend against you, that must mean that the rival clan was the Fanalis, right?"

"...Whoa…" Catrina smiles. "That's cool."

"Thanks." Faraji beams, wrapping his arms around his knees.

"But I don't get it. Why is Ten always able to beat me?"

"Don't call me Ten." Catrina continues like she didn't hear that comment.

"He's weaker and slower. And yet I'm always the one who ends up down for the count."

"Well-"

"It's simple." Tendaji interrupts. He holds up a finger, smirking. "_It's balance_."

_...Balance…?_

Catrina sits cross-legged, turning her full attention to Tendaji. The older boy continues to smugly smirk, acting calm and collected despite his arrogant grin. Catrina's palm itches to smack him.

"Yeah, balance. It's true that you are superior physically. But in order to have such a great advantage over my head, you have to sacrifice balance."

"But I don't trip when I fight." Catrina points out, frowning. "And I never feel like I'm going to fall."

"That's because, when you're fighting, you're changing your center of balance constantly. Let's say that an opponent threw you against a slanted hill. When you hit the hill, you instantly try to jump back at him." Tendaji leans back on his hands, closing his eyes to imagine the analogy himself. "Even though you're sideways when you hit the hill, it doesn't factor into your planning to propel yourself back at the enemy, right?"

"...No. I guess not, huh?"

"That's because, as a Fanalis, you're unconsciously shifting your weight and balance. By focusing your weight toward the hill, you are already prepared to jump back without a problem."

"...There are many things I seem to be doing unconsciously…"

"Yeah, you're right. It's a lot like how you are managing your magoi." Faraji points out helpfully.

"But then how can Ten- ("_Don't call me Ten."_) -throw me off balance?"

"The Amala style is the art of counterbalance." Tendaji says, as if a professional on the subject. Considering that his martial arts _are _superior to Catrina's, she supposes that in comparison he _is_ a professional. "We read the movements of our opponent and shift our weight so we're opposite of them. By doing this, we can hit unguarded points of their body to knock them off balance."

"Oooooh." Catrina claps her hands together. "That's why you always hook your ankle behind my knee!"

"Yeah, cause you always leave your knee open."

"Hey!"

Now Tendaji stands, cracking his back.

"That's a long enough break. You won't be able to beat Zuberi at this rate. Let's go, Cat."

Catrina smiles.

"Hey, Tendaji…"

"Yeah?"

"_Don't c__all me Cat."_

"Oh, _HA_ _HA_."

* * *

Catrina has met and befriended many people in her life. People like Eren, who are strong and surprisingly gentle. People like Centola, who are sweet yet brilliant. People like Bad, who are sly but secretly very fragile. But never, in nearly sixteen years, has Catrina ever met a person quite like Tendaji.

Why? Well, for one thing, she has never felt such an intense rivalry with a started simply: Tendaji offered to sleep on the couch. That's all well and good, but it was Catrina's realization that _her _room was actually _his _room that caused the first hints of jealousy pop up. From there, it blossomed like an ugly weed.

Catrina is not a petty person. She does not mind sharing, she never has, and deeply cares for the people around her; she thinks that her experiences up until now have proved that. But she has a weakness, which is her mother. The Fanalis-Amala would've saved the Amala tribe from their current power struggle even if Aishia wasn't involved, but it's ultimately Aishia's presence motivating her so deeply. Aishia is Catrina's role-model and precious person all in one. Which is why Catrina really thinks of herself from being silly when she feels jealous that Tendaji has grown very close to her.

Of course it's only natural to feel jealous when other children appear to become more close to your mother than you are, Catrina understands that. But she can't put that thinking to use when Tendaji's recalling a "fun fact" about Aishia that she didn't know or some awesome story that Aishia told him about that she never told Catrina.

Maybe she's just being stupid. It's just...For her first ten years as "Catrina", her only friend was Aishia. The only person who cared about her and for her was Aishia. The person who taught her how to smile again and how to love again was _Aishia_. So seeing someone else be so close, possibly even closer than her, to the person most important to her is...Sucky. Really, really sucky. Which is why, like a spoiled child, Catrina has been brooding about this fact and silently staring at Tendaji for long periods of time- which makes the boy oddly uncomfortable.

The worst thing about Tendaji is that he isn't _notice _Catrina's jealousy. He's the type of person who, like Asad, has the ability to remain looking cool and collected during every situation. He doesn't let his emotions show, but can be quite cocky, letting out simpers and quiet, snide comments. He's especially this way when Faraji's around, letting a sharp-toothed smirk dominate his features. But when it's just him and Catrina at night, he shuts down. She supposes she should be thankful he's not a flirt like Asad, not that she has the ability to tell the difference between flirting and pleasant conversation. Still, she sometimes senses his discomfort during dinner, when she's telling a story about Reim or Sindria or her adventurous stay in Balbadd. He listens intently, interested in the outside world, but also unsure of how to ask her questions about things. Sometimes he can say or do nice acts, but he always seems so awkward when doing them, as if…

_As if he's afraid that I won't receive it well. _

And that _perpetuates _her burning sense of rivalry, as if he added another log to the fire. Catrina has decided: _she is going to beat Tendaji_. In Necromancy, in martial arts, in _everything_. He is her designated rival, and while it will be a challenge, there is simply no way that she'll bend to his will. As they sit down for dinner and she continues to look at him over her bowl of soup, she makes a vow.

_I will surpass you. _

Tendaji clears his throat.

"Hey, uh, Catrina. Could you...Maybe not keep staring at me?"

* * *

**7th Month…**

Scheherazade's foot taps impatiently against the floor, and action that is very unusual for the generally patient women. She tries everything: watching the Rukh, reading a book, working...But she can't get her mind off of Aishia's letter...Or her own response.

The answer is supposed to be coming soon, and Scheherazade is feeling increasing pressure to know the Amala's decision soon. After all, Sinbad has been sending many, many letters to her recently. It started around the time when Catrina arrived in Remano. Innocent letters, little things like, _I've read the reports, and I'm glad to see our trade is flourishing _and _Perhaps next time I come to Remano we can sit down for tea._

But soon the letters became more numerous and more detailed. The innocent subjects he brought up soon led to things like _Kou seems to be inching closer to Magnostadt _and _the Seven Seas Alliance is always accepting members, if not friends_. Scheherazade knows what he's doing, and she knows that if she does _nothing_, it'll swallow her up. Kou is zoning in on Magnostadt, which means that a war between the Empires is imminent. Reim isn't just trying to swallow up Magnostadt for territorial purposes, but because should that stronghold of magical knowledge and seaports falls into Kou's hands, bringing war to Reim's shores is a likely possibility- something that hasn't happened in two hundred years.

Kou is the largest Empire in the world at the moment. Sinbad's SSA, if one disregards the Kings other than him, is the only Empire left that has the manpower and territory to counter-balance Kou. Scheherazade is proud of her Reim, and truly does think it's the greatest Empire Pernadius or anyone could've built, but...She'd have to be naive and/or stupid to say that Reim can fight Kou alone and win. That's not going to happen, no matter the fact that their soldiers have experience and their technology has surpassed other countries in the creation of the airship and the bomb. The High Priestess has to think realistically.

_One_: Win Magnostadt. Should she win Magnostadt, she'll have the magic capital of the world at her beck and call. That advantage alone should give her the upper hand against Kou while keeping the warfare out of Reim. But considering Kou's "monster army" (as Nerva so kindly puts it), it's possible that Kou already at the level of Magnostadt, which means that _winning_ Magnostadt will be vital in order to fight on a magical-scale with Kou. Still, the war would be long and bloody and she'd need to find more Dungeon Capturers who can learn to harness their magic in a short amount of time. She's been thinking about that predicament, and has come up with possible candidates, but doesn't know if that will be enough...And Kou is bound to realize her actions through Judal once she starts summoning Dungeons.

_Two_: Ceed Magnostadt. It's painful, but if she were to let go of Magnostadt completely, then she'd be able to keep her armies prepared to fight against the larger threat instead of wasting energy on Magnostadt. If she can launch attacks on their harbors first- like Balbadd and Magnostadt- then maybe she can get the peoples there to revolt with her. And, as history proves, once one revolt starts, it spreads. Plus, it would keep the war out of Reim for at least the beginning. Though, the promise of the beginning isn't enough, and she can't pretend like she doesn't know that a war against Kou _alone_ is one she can win. Which leads to the next few options…

_Three: _Join the SSA. Or, at least forming a coalition with them. That alone will boost the power of the SSA against Kou by the entire landmass of Reim, leading to a large upper hand against them. Should Scheherazade play her cards right, the pressure will be shifted onto Sinbad's shoulders, and the SSA territories will be where the war is fought, and not on Reim soil. Withal, joining with the SSA means bending to Sinbad's will in order to survive, and Scheherazade's not sure she wants her Empire to be sucked up into his...Not to mention that Reim's nobles will ultimately backlash against the necessary reforms to meet the SSA's standards.

_Four: _Join Kou. Scheherazade scoffs. Like that's ever going to happen...At least, not while she lives and breathes. Perhaps she can somehow use the SSA and Kou's obvious rivalry to her advantage...She could make promises to underhanded King Sinbad but have friendly relations with intolerant Prince Kouen, pitting the two powerful men against one another while trying to win Reim's allegiance. However, eventually one will outdo the other, and claim the prize of controlling Reim- or _at least _gaining another ally.

Scheherazade sighs, standing from her seat. She begins to pace, deciding to get out her energy through exercise. The problem with the options and plans she's created so far is that there is a "_but_" to all of them. There is a drawback that keeps Reim from truly winning, because in all of the options, there _is _no way for Reim to win. Reim is powerful. If only pitted against Magnostadt, then they would be able to find some strategy to win the war quickly and efficiently. Really, a war against Magnostadt would last a few weeks at most- Matal Mogamett would have no way of holding out for any longer than that. Reim, on the other hand, has proven their tolerance for warfare by the long and numerous wars with Partevia.

Yes, Reim is powerful. But not powerful _enough_. That's what counts, and that's the reality they're now facing as a country.

_Unless._

Scheherazade pauses.

Yes, there is _one_ exception. Reim could win, but it would mean utilizing an option that only just came into view; an option that relies entirely on the joint alliance between Scheherazade and the Impossibilities. It's risky to try and claim the power of the Impossibilities, the power to change fate as she knows it.

But Scheherazade is sick of "buts".

_The exception: _**Allying Reim with the Amala tribe.**

* * *

Summertime.

Vaguely Catrina remembers that in Alice's world, this month would be titled "July", and there would be a big festival- er, holiday- where people celebrated...What was it? Red, white and blue. Independence. Oh, _America's birthday. _She had actually liked that day. The nurses brought in flags to Alice's room and she watched parades on TV. It was nice.

But in the Amala tribe…

_God, is summer beautiful._

She's forbidden by Faraji and Tendaji to show her face, but their abandoned training ground is at the top of a giant hill lathered with lush, tall trees, and it gives her enough coverage to sit in the shade with her hood up and just _watch_. The sunlight does not blind nor overpower, but lavishes the crops with tenderness, as if scooping up yellow-white light to pour onto thirsty plants. She watches the Omega farmers emerge from their cottages, lugging hoes and shovels out into their crops. They rush to the soil like bees to honey, instantly diving into the work for the day. They weed and plant and pull out the ripe harvests, wiping their sweaty faces on tiny towels. Then they annoyedly look at some farmers, yelling, _you're not doing that right!_

Catrina tilts her head. Those in the fields are adults, sans the children who work in the summer. All of them seem to know what they're doing...At least, half of them do. The other half look frustrated and bored, unsure of what they're even doing, as if they weren't born in the farmlands-

"_There is unemployment and discontent as Betas are forced to migrate into the Omega businesses, forcing Omegas out." _

_...And now Omegas are migrating into the farmlands._

Another part of Zuberi's unfortunate method of rule, no doubt. Considering his bias, he must think that Omegas are meant to live as farmers instead of artisans, peasants and laborers instead of businessmen. His small mindedness is why so many Omegas have been forced to move in with their family in the farmland and take up a hoe...Only, they don't _instinctively _know how to farm. Which places an even greater burden on their relatives hosting them, who now have extra mouths to feed.

Catrina's hands fist.

_It's wrong._

In general, Catrina believes people should be given the choice to chose what they should be. Putting aside her obvious disagreement with the grouping system, what Zuberi's doing is completely wrong. By messing with the status quo, he's intentionally brought a raise in unemployment and homelessness- two things that were virtually unknown to the tribe beforehand. Whereas equality and openness used to rule the Amala tribe, now injustice and secrecy does.

Catrina knows for sure now that she needs to defeat Zuberi. No matter the cost, there is no way she can continue letting such blatant abuse of power spread throughout her homeland and infect her people. She has to stand up for those who cannot, and use her own strength to defeat the King. If for not for this sick disruption of peace, then for her mother, whom she dearly misses...There is nothing more painful than not being able to go see Aishia, especially when she's so close. But if Catrina were to go to Visurbis now, she'd undoubtedly be seen, and Zuberi would be alerted to the fact that she's coming after him.

And, as Faraji continues to tell her, he's planning a much more _interesting _entrance than that-

"Hello there."

Catrina looks to the side, smiling.

"Speak of the devil and he shall come," She jokes as Faraji sits by her side, cross legged. He reaches up and undoes the white ribbon holding back his hair, letting the thin wisps of black hair and silky-looking braids fall over his shoulders and into his lap. Catrina wishes she is as cute as Faraji. It doesn't help that Faraji wears lace and bows. He wears a white button down shirt with lace on the cuffs, and at the collar he has tied a silky purple bow, along with a black vest. His pants are black and appear normal, but his boots are brown, shiny, and make her feel envious. She knows that it's normal for Betas to wear such "proper" clothing, but...He just looks so _girly. _Especially with how his hair makes pretty circles in his lap.

_...Am I 100% certain he's female? I mean, it's not like I checked for myself._

Of course, Faraji the Omega looked like a female the night she met him too...Which was the night of the fire. She learned of his gender by punching him, regretting punching a woman, and then hearing a low, _definitely male _groan coming from him. This was, of course, before she stabbed with him a bone shard.

_...Way to dampen your own spirit, Cat…_

"My mother named me after my uncle."

"...I assumed that." Catrina laughs a bit, trying to lighten the mood. But for some reason, it feels somber, heavy. Faraji lifts his eyes to the sky, playing with a braid.

"My uncle never married. He had offers from Betas and Alphas and other Omegas, but he rejected them all. I didn't know why. I always asked him, 'don't you want to fall in love?' and he'd respond, 'I already have. With a girl who liked my hair'." Catrina listens, mesmerized by the tale. "That was the thing, you know, that troubled him. I don't know why he kept his hair so long. It was lame, really. He was teased about it all his life, and all his suitors asked him if he'd cut it. He always said no…" Faraji sadly looks at Catrina, his eyes watering. "I think that he loved Aishia, you know? I think he loved her because she was the first person to say, 'your hair is pretty'."

The Bird lowers her head, laying her forehead against her knees.

"F-Faraji…"

"He loved her so much that he let Jabari date her. He loved her so much that he listened to all her problems. He loved her so much that he helped her leave the barrier." Catrina's shivering now. Faraji keeps going. "W-when, when I heard what he did...I-I didn't believe it. Because he _loved _Aishia. There was no way that he would've done such a thing to her, y-you know? A-and…"

Faraji sniffles, pausing. He pauses for a long minute, a full sixty seconds. Catrina knows because she counts it, trying to focus on anything else other than the fact that _she killed him. _She _murdered_ this nice boy's _uncle. _

Quietly,

"And then I heard about you for the first time, Catrina."

"...Who told you?"

"My mother. She wouldn't stop crying, for hours...For days." Faraji wipes his nose, she can tell by the sound of cloth against skin. "She said, 'the bloody-haired demon killed my brother…'. But then...My father said, sick of weeks of listening to her sobbing, 'your brother tried to kill a _child_'."

Catrina's head snaps up at that.

Her eyes meet Faraji's, and for the first time since the conversation started, they can see one another's tears.

Faraji takes a shuttering breath.

"And that's when I realized that my uncle tried to kill someone three years younger than me." Faraji reaches out, his hand grasping her own. "That's when I realized that I didn't know you. I didn't know you at all. I can't say that I didn't hate you for a while, Catrina. Because I did. But when I started visiting Aishia, and hearing stories about you, I began to-"

He coughs, wiping his face.

"-To know you better. And I began to wonder, 'would she like me?' and 'is her hair really crimson?' and 'would we have been friends?'." Faraji sniffles some more, looking sadder and sadder as the seconds pass. "I started hating _myself_ for not giving you a chance before the fire. I started hating my uncle for making Aunt Aishia cry when she thought I was asleep beside Tendaji on the couch. I started hating everyone in the tribe who still referred to you as 'the Sharp Tongue'."

Catrina barks out a laugh at the old nickname. It was gained through her biting insults directed at the village kids who bullied her. Faraji chuckles a little too, scooping handfuls of his bangs out of his face as they look down at the farmlands together.

"I didn't know what to do with all that hate. I was so frustrated. So Aishia told me one day, 'Faraji, if you really want forgiveness, then channel that hatred into something better. Channel it into changing this tribe into the kind of place that will make Catrina want to come back'."

Faraji squeezes her hand, kindly.

"So that's what I did. I talked to people. I fought with people. I understood others and helped them understand me." Faraji wipes his nose again, smiling weakly. "I helped them understand you."

"...No." Catrina pulls back sharply. Faraji rears back in surprise, watching her stand. "No. That's wrong."

"What-?"

"I murdered him." Catrina whispers. She presses hands over her eyes, trying not to quiver as badly as she is. "I _murdered _him. I'm a monster."

"No, you're not." Faraji argues, standing as well. Comfortingly, he puts a hand on her shoulder. "Catrina, you were just scared and cornered-"

"There was another way!" The Fanalis shrugs him off, stepping back. "I didn't have to kill him. I was just too stupid to know that."

"Ca-"

"I deserve to be called the Sharp Tongue. I _deserve _to be called the bloody-haired demon." She bites her lip hard. "Because that's what I am."

"That's not true. You're a person, just like me."

_Now. Before it's too late. _

"Faraji…" Catrina removes her hands, letting the sobs roll forth. "_I'm sorry." _

Faraji stills, his hand outstretched. She cries, her shaking knees pressing together.

"I'm sorry I killed him. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-I thought about him everyday, you know. I thought about him whenever I saw something new. I thought, 'I wish I could show you all this'. What I did is inexcusable. You do-on't have to try a-and explain it. You can hate me."

"But the thing is…" Faraji reaches forward, grabbing her hands. "The thing is, Catrina, that I can't anymore. I can't."

"But-"

"_I forgive you."_

Life _isn't __**fair**__. _

That's just a universal fact that spreads throughout all dimensions and all planes. Where there is life, there will always be a certain degree of unfairness that keep the world turning. Alice suffered from it, spending seven years with a loving family and then seven more alone and sick before she died. Catrina suffered from it as well, having been born with a burden based on the way she looked. But for things to be judged unfair, sometimes there needs to be justice.

As Catrina squeezes Faraji's hand, mindful not to break it, she hesitantly accepts her first gift of fairness.

* * *

"_Ah, Catrina! Thank God you're here. We have much to discuss."_

_Catrina opens her eyes to a strange forest of silver and red. While no longer surprised by Kalapini's dream world, Catrina does still find herself admiring the creativity and detail of it. Such a forest must've been constructed with focus and care, should what Catrina's heard about Kalapini's- or, she supposes, Dream's- problems with her magic be true. _

_Catrina sits up, and immediately accepts a hug/tackle from Bad. _

"_Oh, sis!" Catrina murmurs, hugging the child close. "I miss you __more and more every day."_

"_I fear this is just a hallucination," Bad sighs, laboriously rubbing __her muscles in order to relax into Catrina's embrace. "My days are long and strainuous, Cat."_

"_I'm sorry, Bad girl," Catrina cooes, holding Bad tighter._

"_Ahem." From the side, Centola lightly reminds them that she's th__ere, smiling a bit. Catrina smiles back, noting that the older girl looks somewhat drained...At least, she thinks. It can be hard to tell what Centola's feeling, especially since the Temptress hardly lets anything past her mask of gentle beauty now a-days. "I believe we can catch up later?"_

"_True." Catrina agrees, laughing. Centola sits on the grass beside them, patting down her dress. _

"_Forgive me, Catrina. We've been trying to give you less to worry about because of the problems with your grandfather, but we have a progress report." Centola informs her, tucking a stray, wavy lock behind her ear. She looks more serious now, though her eyes take on an almost sad quality._

It must be because her eyes make her look so calm and patient. They can't make her look solemn well.

_A sigh. _

"_Asad has been ambushed by Al Thamen." _

_Catrina's jaw drops, but quickly she closes it again, understanding._

"_Well...He was a mole."_

"_No, I mean they tried to kill him." Catrina stares at Centola before closing her eyes and breathing calmly. _

"_I'm still not that surprised...But killing him? Why? Wouldn't they have wanted to try and force him back into their ranks?"_

"_You don't really know t__he whole story, Cat." Centola informs her, hands lacing together in her lap. "Al Thamen forced Asad out of Al Thamen. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the full version earlier, but you seemed busy with Zuberi, so I'll tell you now-"_

"_I can tell you why they want to kill him," Bad interrupts sourly, her lips curling downwards in an unforgiving frown. "Because _that woman _betrayed him."_

"_Gyokuen?" Catrina ven__tures, worriedly stroking Bad's hair. Usually the young child doesn't look so menacing, so _angry_. Catrina's not sure she's ever seen her look this way, like she's ready to kill and is barely restrained by her own conscience._

_Centola looks at Bad cautiously before shaking her head. _

"_No. I know who you mean, Bad, though I didn't know she was the one behind this series of events."_

"_Who?" Catrina asks, eyebrows knitting. Someone she doesn't trust from Kou...Someone she doesn't trust from Kou-_

_**Ding.**_

_Now Catrina's jaw drops and stays dropped. Centola sighs. Bad growls, _

"_Who else? It was _Hakuei_."_

* * *

**8th Month...**

_Dear Lady Scheherazade,_

_I have thought over your proposal._

* * *

"I'm not sure about this."

"Yes, but I am, so we're doing it."

Catrina huffs, glaring through the shadows at Tendaji.

"Yes, I understand that. But I'm _really_ not sure about this." Tendaji replies with a sharp-toothed grin, looking as sweet as a shark.

"But I _really _am_._" Catrina pouts, and holds out a hand to stop them from moving any farther through the back-alleyways. While the village doesn't have many of them, there is still one route that Faraji has helpfully planned out to get them to their intended destination without being spotted by any members of the village.

"Tonight is-" Catrina lowers her voice, wincing at the loudness of it. She looks off to the side, where the main street can be seen between a crack between buildings. There, children skip through the streets with parents as music drifts through the town. Bright lights are hung on every available post, leaving the alleys in total darkness. Laughter rings in her ears, and she smells the traditional blackberry cakes made every year for this particular festival. Catrina sighs, continuing in a whisper, "Tonight is the first night of the Ekundu Mwezi festival, dummies. Why are we even here? Where are we going?"

Faraji and Tendaji exchange a look.

"It'll better if you just keep calm and let us navigate." Faraji tries to sooth her. Unfortunately, Catrina is not in the mood to be soothed. She turns fully to Tendaji, facing her rival.

"Tell me." She says, eyes flashing in the lights. "Tell me now, Tendaji. I'm not a pawn in this. I'm freeing the tribe because that's what I want to do; so please, tell me where are we going."

Tendaji's eyes, half light orange, half dark, stare into her own. It feels like he's piercing straight into her soul, inspecting the validity of her statement in the same way that her father studies men who approach her. Scanning for strength, nobility, and pure intentions. Of course, when Tendaji sees those things in her, he leans back with something like respect in his face...Whereas Muu would still promptly beat the crap out of any man regardless of what he sees in them.

"Alright." Tendaji says, nodding. Faraji looks to him in alarm, eyes widening.

"Tendaji, we agreed-"

"I know. But Catrina has a point. If she's completely shocked up there, everyone will know something's up."

"...Up there?" Catrina murmurs, tilting her head to the side. Faraji purses his lips, breathing heavily through his nose.

"I suppose you're right," Faraji conceedes, exhaling. "But we did agree that she's able to reign in her emotions most easily when confronted with shock directly."

"What?" The Fanalis-Amala asks, wrinkling her nose. "How does that make _sense_?"

Ignoring her comment, the two turn to face their third companion, looking serious.

"Catrina," Tendaji starts, glancing at the festival-goers outside the alley. "We've taken you here in order to begin our siege on Zuberi."

Catrina suddenly feels faint as all of the blood rushes out of her head.

"...T-tonight? I'm fighting him _tonight_?"

"No, no, no!" Faraji quickly corrects her, laughing a little. "Remember what we told you about matches?"

"To take the position of one's superior, one must beat them in a challenge."

"Exactly. Technically you're not a legitimate heir yet, just a candidate. You must first follow Aishia's footsteps. Then, since your mother is Crown Princess, you automatically will be in place to challenge Zuberi."

"...Wait."

"What?"

"So…If I have to follow Mom's footsteps in order to challenge Zuberi…" Catrina looks just slightly mortified. "Are we going to enlist in the _army_?"

* * *

Catrina really should've expected the answer to be yes.

It's just that she had forgotten about the Ekundu Mwezi festival. In her memories, the only parts she recalls crystal clear was the pure joy of being allowed to enjoy a _festival _with her _tribe_. Because of her hard work in the fields over the summer and the carefree nature of the holiday, her family allowed her to join in the week-long festival. She remembers how happy she was, running through the streets and getting to play games with the other children. And she remembers how happy her mother was, laughing with other mothers who usually scorned her.

There was also this lovely face-painting booth, where village ladies painted skulls onto the faces of the festival goers. Though Catrina usually was fearful of the booth since she thought that the women may paint something awful on her face, her mother once persuaded her to do it with her, and they got matching half-skulls painted around their eyes. Her mother's was in black and orange, and her's was in black and purple, both sharing flower patterns in the designs. That was an amazing time. She never felt so loved than at that festival, where people seemed to magically forget that her hair wasn't as black as a raven's wing.

But there is more to the Ekundu Mwezi festival. It is the festival that celebrates Amala history, tradition, and culture. And what more famous a combination of the three than the first two nights of the festival, centering on their famous Alpha system. By this, she means the legendary enlisting ceremony. Alpha warriors who've come to age congregate in the center of the village, together with their families and the Chief of the Village (In this instance, the Chief is an Omega who has somehow managed to keep his position despite the quickly vanishing rights Omegas have). From there, the Chief calls for nominations for the Alpha warrior army.

One by one, the father or mother (depending on which one has more Alpha ancestry) calls out the nomination for their child who wishes to enlist. The young Alpha is then brought to the stage and looked upon by the Head, who calls for a second nomination, preferably from a Beta. Hopefully a Beta in the audience speaks up, or else an Omega will call out a nomination. The significance of asking for a Beta's recommendation is to signify bringing in all three grouping into the ceremony, and also to draw upon the knowledge and wisdom Betas are famous for. Thus, the logic goes that if a Beta recommends an Alpha, they are seen as a wise choice.

It's sometimes gossiped about that Alphas without a Beta recommendation are often scorned in the military until they manage to prove themselves. It's also well known that an Alpha who drops out of the military without serving at least five years is considered a dishonor to their village for making the Chief Omega go to the trouble of enlisting him in the first place. The whole ceremony itself is a prestigious, sacred one.

One that Catrina never thought that she'd have to go through...Until now. Quivering in her boots at the back of the crowd, Catrina tries to breath easy. She's obscured from view by a heavy cloak so that no one can see her red hair, and is also tucked away in the very entrance to the alley, so that she can escape should the need arise...Not that she knows where she'd run. Sure, she could easily outrun anyone in this village. It's not like they have the same magic tool Ryuji used. But if Catrina were to run again, the only place to escape is through the barrier...And Catrina doesn't want to leave again. Not after coming this far, and facing this much.

She made a promise to her mother that she'd see her again. The reminder of that promise is what makes Catrina not only stop shaking, but straighten. Even though she's about to reveal herself not only to her tribe again, but also alert Zuberi of her status, she can't give up. Shaking isn't going to do any good, not after she promised to defeat the King and remove the false crown from his head.

_Have courage. Have more courage than you've ever had before. _

The center of the town is shaped as a square, with festival stalls lined up on every street except for the one that is blocked by a stage made of bone. Above the stage, hanging from a tree beside it, a bone chandelier glows with orange light- light of their necromancer magic. A ramp leading up to the stage is also made of bone, and fires are lit all around the stage, which flicker in a ominous ways. It makes Catrina want to shiver again, worrying that the stage will catch fire and she'll burn. But then she calms down once more, reminding herself that the stage is bone- meaning that it _can't _catch fire unless directly _in_ fire.

"It's starting!" A little girl to her left squeals, startling her. The child grabs her father, holding him tight around the knees. "Daddy, lift me up!" The father chuckles and does so, setting the girl on his shoulders.

From the left-most street, a procession comes through like a parade. An older man- the Chief of the village- comes through, skeletal dogs walking at his heels. Catrina finds herself in awe. She had never thought of summoning animals with her magic, though assumes it's an easy task. It's interesting to see how the bone-dogs trot beside their master faithfully, even though the Chief seems a wee bit tired from his use of magic. Omegas are chosen by showing traits of gentleness and sensitivity, but also because of their lack of skill or ability to use Amala magic. All children learn the basics of Amala magic, but Betas and Omegas aren't required to nurture it any further than that.

The Chief appears in fine robes of black, orange and purple. Colors of the Amala tribe: orange and black signifying their race's natural hair and eye colors, purple revered as the color of life. Which explains why there are so many banners strung throughout the village with purple fabric. The Chief makes his way onto the stage, before turning to face the assembled crowd.

"Is all who wish to participate in the enlisting here?" He calls. A large wave of 'yes!' echos through the town square. Nodding seriously, the Chief proudly looks upon his people. "Very well. We shall begin!"

First the Chief, as per the ceremonial traditions, recites the tale of the Amala tribe. He describes their decision to erect barriers protecting them from the outside, and how they've lived in peace for hundreds of years since. Then he motions to crowd to come closer, which they promptly do.

"And now, let us commence the enlisting ceremony! All praise the Alpha military!" Although the rest of the speech was done with gusto, the Chief displays obvious discomfort and distaste when saying this final line. The crowd, likewise, doesn't cheer as loudly. "Who shall go first?"

There is quiet as everyone searches the crowd, waiting for a sponsor to appear.

_Don't be afraid Catrina. This is something only you can do._

Catrina closes her eyes and breathes in deeply. Up in the front of the crowd, Tendaji steps forward boldly, looking up at the Chief. The older man's eyes widen, before he calls,

"Tendaji? You're here?" Tendaji nods, wryly smiling. "Here we all thought you returned to the army."

"I came back for an important job." Tendaji responds. "Chief, I have a nomination for the military."

Murmurs race through the crowd, everyone wondering about who he could possibly want to nominate. Him, Tendaji, someone notoriously close to Aishia, who challenged the King and nearly won. The child atop her father's head in front of Catrina wonders aloud,

"I thought I saw Tendaji a few weeks ago."

The Chief raises his hands, calming the crowd. Then he motions to Tendaji to take the floor and announce his candidate.

"Chief," Tendaji says, looking unwavering in front of the crowd. He isn't afraid at all. "My candidate is Catrina Exsos!"

A collective gasp in the crowd.

"Daddy, isn't that the girl who-?" Catrina steps past the little girl and her father, looking up at the child. The girl looks at her, her eyes widening as she stops talking altogether. Catrina continues to go forward, gently pushing people out of the way. Shocked beyond belief, the villagers step back until they form pathway for her to follow. The Chief doesn't stop staring at her, his face paling. Likewise, whispers start to raise up, Amalas shocked to see the return of someone they thought was dead.

Catrina stops walking once she's next to Tendaji. Slowly she reaches up and removes her hood, before letting the cloak fall from her shoulders. The murmurs grow louder upon the reveal of her red hair- children looking up at her with awe at seeing something they've never seen before. Catrina lowers her head before lifting her face to the Chief, eyes blazing with all the courage she has- even though her knees shake a little.

"My name is Catrina Exsos Alexius." She announces, voice unwavering. "I am the daughter of Aishia Exsos. I wish to enlist in the Alpha military."

"Ca...Trina…" The Chief repeats, not even trying to appear anything less than genuinely shocked. "Everyone thought...That you were dead…"

"I am not dead." She says, loudly. She says this to her kinsman around her, who look faint. The Bird makes a slow circle so she can face every part of the crowd, before facing them fully. "I am here, alive. I've returned from outside the barriers, where I encountered many amazing things and took on indescribable adventures. I've returned because I see my people suffering."

Her knees start to shake worse, but she is able to keep her voice loud, crisp and calm.

_Have courage, even though a thousand eyes just like yours are looking at you._

"My grandfather, Zuberi, has done something detestable. He has made it seem wrong to treat one another as equals; he has broken our bonds of family and trust by erecting barriers of hatred to keep us apart. I know what it is like to be hated by family." She doesn't try to be subtle with the way she looks at those assembled, who look away, as if ashamed. "I cannot stand by while my own kin forces this upon my family; much how my mother couldn't. But, I promise you all this:"

Catrina breathes in deeply, before turning back to the Chief. She walks up the ramp and turns back again so that she can be seen by every Amala- every man, woman and child. Her words are meant for all of her people, all of her family. Even if they despise her, or throw her to the wolves, she will never give up on them.

_Because I forgive them._

She prepares herself to deliver this final message.

Her knees stop shaking.

"Omegas, Betas, Alphas! I will not fail you!" She throws her right hand out, grasping her heart with her left. "Even if you despise me, at least tolerate me until I can free you. _I will defeat King Zuberi._ And should you still not believe in what I'm saying…"

Catrina looks into the eyes of everyone she can, trying to communicate with her entire heart that she's speaking the truth.

"Then believe in this." Catrina lifts her chin proudly. "_Family does not hurt family_."

There is silence, and Catrina doesn't know where to look. She can't decide, and can't linger long enough to determine what the reaction to her speech has been. That is, she can't until a hand firmly grasps her shoulder. She gasps, turning to the person.

It's the Chief.

He's smiling at her.

A slow clap. She turns back to the villagers, as more and more begin to clap. The momentum begins to pick up, until there are hoots and hollers and cheering all for her. Her mouth goes dry.

"W-why?" She asks aloud, blinking in shock. "I-I don't understand."

"They know you speak the truth, like your mother before you." The Chief answers her, looking old and somewhat proud of the audience. "It also helps those two brats Tendaji and Faraji have been campaigning for you ever since your disappearance five years ago."

"W-what?"

"...Catrina…" Tendaji comes up the ramp, his hands clapping along with the crowd. He pauses in front of her, before saying, "People changed after the fire."

Her eyes widen.

The Chief looks down.

"They realized that you are a person. They realized that you are a child. They realized you are family." Tendaji reaches forward, grasping her shoulder. "The village helped your mother rebuild her house, and supported her as she tried to salvage her life. They consoled her, and they listened to her...And…"

His hand squeezes her shoulder. His eyes smolder with repressed emotions, pain and relief flooding him.

"We learned from our mistakes. Please, forgive us, Catrina. We need you."  
…

Catrina feels the tear slip down her cheek, wondering if, perhaps, this is all a dream. A hallucination that she made up. Did her family truly learn to overlook her differences? Did they really give up their biases? Catrina swipes at her cheek, the cloth of her sleeve stinging her skin.

_This is real. _

"I-it's-" Catrina stutters, trying to pull herself together. She laughs a little, trying to reign in her joy. "_It's alright."_

* * *

_Sacerdos Maxima._

The translation can be read as either "High Priestess" or "Sacred Priestess". Both terms are correct, but when a noble of Reim addresses Lady Scheherazade, it is considered improper to say anything but the official title, "Sacerdos Maxima". Using "High" or "Sacred" causes confusion and, in order to remain uniform in speech, aristocrats must learn at a young age to only _refer _to Lady Scheherazade in the literal translations...Though for safety, they generally stick to what they learn for a clearer pattern of speech. Reimans also tend to use different words to refer to things as well. A _d__omus _is a noble's home. _Insulae _are apartment buildings used by the lower classes. A _vestalis _is a priestess serving under Scheherazade, a virgin maiden selected from aristocratic family.

This being said, it's perfectly acceptable for an outside noble to refer to Lady Scheherazade as "High" or "Sacred", or call an aristocrat's home a "mansion". There is nothing wrong with them using the terms, since they aren't from the country and are therefore exempt from the gossip that would plague a Reiman noble.

However, sometimes…

"_Sacerdos Maxima_. It's true that your loveliness never fades." Every once and awhile, there comes along a noble who knows what they're doing, and how they're going to be playing the game. Scheherazade, from her throne, purses her lips before forcing a polite smile, nodding her head.

"I believe this is the first time we've met face to face, King Sinbad."

_King Sinbad. In Reim._

She can't believe it herself, but wryly remembers that the Seven Seas are this particular man's playground. Standing before her, flanked on the sides by a short Artemyran and a redheaded Sasanian, King Sinbad smiles at her with the charm that earned him the nickname _Lady Killer of the Seven Seas. _She doesn't find herself swayed by him, probably because she knows that she's old enough to be his great-great grandmother.

"It's true, Lady Scheherazade," Sinbad bows, caught. "But rumors of your timeless beauty reach even Sindria."

"You flatter me," _too much_, but she only adds that in her head. "I had no idea you would be making a trip to my country so soon, Lord Sinbad." Another rule: once into a conversation, switch from "King" to "Lord" and "Sir". She feels a headache coming on.

"I was invited by the Emperor a while back to make a visit when I had the chance. I've heard that Reim is quite beautiful in the fall, so I decided to pay a visit." Sinbad smiles up at her, somehow appearing harmless despite the way that his eyes press into her skin. "And, I thought this would be a good way for us to finish our conversation."

_The letters._

Meaning that his patience has been spent, and he needs his answer soon so he can begin preparations for Magnostadt. Scheherazade's throat tightens. She still needs that answer from Aishia...It should arrive soon, which means stalling the King for now is all that she can do. It was easy to come up with excuses when it was just a quill and paper and Muu's careful proof-reading to aid her. Now she'll need to actively push off his advances...But if she delays too long, he'll grow impatient and pressure her, or withdraw his offer altogether.

The _Sacerdos Maxima _straightens.

"Of course. Perhaps at dinner we can talk? If you would do me the honor of dining at my table, of course."

"I could think of no better way to spend the evening." King Sinbad responds, all smiles. She can see the victory in his eyes, the confidence in his shoulders. He believes that tonight, she'll finally accept his deal and solidify the plans together with him. Scheherazade clenches the fist that rest in her lap, watching the King and his subordinates leave.

_I will not let you take my country, King Sinbad._

* * *

"Ar-are you ready?"

"Listen, scaredy Cat, we have to go in. This is the first day of training. If we're late, we'll get our asses kicked by our superior."

"I know that, idiot. I'm asking if you're ready!"

"The answer should be obvious!"

"_Calm_. We're all nervous-"

"_Shut up, Faraji_."

The first day of training. Yet somehow, it feels more like the first day at a new school for Catrina. But instead of _Can I impress them in class? _and _Am I wearing the right clothes?_, she's thinking things more like, _Can I impress them with my martial arts? _and _Am I wearing my armor right?. _It's surprisingly stressful, and she can't stop thinking about all the thing she's learned with Tendaji. She hopes that she's caught up necromancy-wise with her other trainees...Otherwise she has no hope of keeping the promise she made to her village.

After the cheering subsided, Faraji had sprung out of the crowd and recommended Catrina, providing her with a Beta recommendation. Afterwards she, Tendaji and Faraji were ushered into the corner of the stage as the ceremony continued. Catrina found herself being stared at even as more Alphas filled the stage with her, ready to join the military. Children openly did it, staring at the legendary Catrina Exsos. She tried not to be bothered by it, but internally she was sweating bullets.

The other Alphas stared as well, their eyes piercing and curious. Luckily her Omega village didn't have many Alphas enlisting- or they were planning on doing it the next night, the second and last day of enlisting. But it felt like the whole town was there, having been summoned at the appearance of a local myth. At least she had Tendaji and Faraji with her, standing by her side. After the ceremony finished, she awkwardly asked Tendaji if they were going home. Tendaji had cracked a villainous smile and told her there was still _so much _to do. The sinking feeling in her chest which accompanied those words still haunts her. From there on, they spent the rest of the time at the festival. Catrina was uncharacteristically shy around those of her tribe who openly gawked at her reappearance, but with the help of her new friends, she eventually was able to open up more. She nearly cried when she had blackberry cakes, inhaling the sweet, frosted desert with the gusto of a starving man. People had laughed when she apologized for being a pig, and children sat at her feet with wide eyes.

She relayed to those who slowly gathered her stories. She told them about trekking the desert with three magicians and a Dungeon Capturer, of crossing a sea that stretched across the horizon to come upon the glorious Empire of Reim. She described meeting her father, and then sailing another sea to come upon Partevia, where she was dragged into a quest to steal the crown jewels (now _that _was an adventure). It took hours, really, and many more blackberry cakes, but she eventually was able to fill the air with many of the wonderful things she was able to experience in her short time away. She spoke of meeting beauties with mysterious powers, Kings lathered in jewelry, dark priests and a mysterious swordsman who vowed to protect his dearest princess. All the while, Amalas stood entranced by her, their eyes glazed over as they tried to imagine the things she spoke of.

When she felt tired of speaking, she tried to answer their questions. They asked many things, like "do they speak our language?" and "what is a Dungeon Capturer capable of?". After a while Tendaji felt compelled to cut in, yawning and asking Catrina to carry him home. It was a silly way to break up the party, but Catrina was thankful, overwhelmed by the sudden acceptance she'd been receiving. For the next week, while the festival was ongoing, Tendaji encouraged her to participate. They ate festival food and joined in the fun, dancing in the square with the other Amalas. As the time passed, she grew able to speak more and more freely, until conversing with her village became as easy as speaking with the slaves in the Pits had been.

It was warm.

She smiles at the memories, calming herself by picturing her family and village giving her the best of wishes for the beginning of military training...Which starts the day after the festival ends. Now she stands before a training facility, which looks nothing like the sweet cottages of the Omega farmlands. Instead, it's a big, stone building two stories high located between the Western and Northern Omega villages. At first she had imagined the military to be located in the highly populated Alpha center. Apparently, many of them are, except for four bases in the north-east, south-east, south-west and north-west. They handle the training of new recruits and border patrols. Catrina imagined that they would be more highly populated, since protection of borders is a main concern of all the other countries she's visited, but it's not so in the Amala tribe. Mostly because they haven't had a problem with the borders in hundreds of years...At least, unless you believe the rumors.

Catrina frowns.

_Rumors of visitors coming to see the King in secret._

She stares more firmly at the building in front of her. This is the way she needs to take to get to Zuberi and Aishia. If she gives up now, there will be no point to all that she's done.

"Cat?"

"Don't call me Cat," She jokes, forcing a slight smile. Tendaji stares at her for a moment before smirking.

"_Ace_, then."

"Ace?"

"Alpha Catrina Exsos. It has a ring, huh?"

Slowly, she begins to smile.

"It really does...Though Princess Catrina Exsos sounds good as well."

Faraji laughs.

The day lightens, as if the sun came out from behind a cloud.

Together, the three take their first steps toward their goal.

* * *

"_Lady __Scheherazade, the letter you've been waiting for has arrived!"_

The moment that Scheherazade hears that wonderful phrase, she's off. Throwing manners to the wind, the High Priestess zooms her way through the temple and toward her office, hair weighing her down while on her quest. She seriously considers taking the extra time to cut off the blonde locks, but doesn't in the end because her next meeting with King Sinbad draws ever near. She needs to know what Aishia decided, and she needs to know _now_. The sooner she can consolidate or reject her plans with Sinbad the better, not to mention her own heart can't take much more of this unwelcome excitement.

She bursts into her office, walking straight towards her desk.

Only to freeze. Her bones turn to ice, a change that stills her blood flow throughout her body. No heat comes to her brain, rendering her completely in shock over the sight before her. Muu stands in front of her desk, hunched over a paper. His hands are on either side of it, his long red hair slipping over his shoulders to hang like curtains and block view of his face. A naive, slight hope raises in her chest that maybe Muu is reading another letter, but once she sees his face, that hope flickers out and leaves her chest feeling sickeningly empty.

He looks betrayed. His eyes meet hers, full of agony and hurt.

_Oh no._

"...I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Scheherazade says, feeling that an apology is the only thing she can say. "I was going to eventually, but I wanted to keep my correspondence with Aishia a secret until we could make a deal-"

"_Scheherazade_." The _Sacerdos Maxima _flinches, shocked by Muu's use of her actual name. He does not say "Lady" or "Milady". He says _Scheherazade_, with firmness and barely contained anger. She watches with a tense body as Muu lifts himself up. He holds the letter- _letters_, she winces- in his hands, shuffling through them. His hands shake as he does so- with shock or anger, she can't tell. "I don't know where to begin. These letters…"

"Let me explain-" She tries to calm him, using a soothing voice. He snarls at her, his face looking as beastly as it does when he's fighting in the coliseum. She instantly shuts up, surprised a third time.

"You're trying to use Aishia and _my daught__er_ to gain control of the Amala tribe." Muu's hands fist, and he drops the papers so he doesn't rip them with his strength. He looks enraged, her betrayals slashing through the loyalties that bound him firmly to her. "You didn't tell me that Aishia contacted you. You didn't inform _me_ that _Catrina _has walked into a hostile, unstable country ruled by a man who will probably try to _kill her_."

Scheherazade keeps her mouth shut, deciding to ride out the waves of his anger until the end. Trying to talk to him now, when he's more furious than ever, will hamper her rather than help her.

"_And_," He says, his hands fisting completely. His lower lip curls, and his eyes fill with unshed tears. "_You were the one who sent Aishia away."_

Scheherazade's eyes widen. Aishia never wrote anything about _that_ in the first letter-

Her eyes drift to the new letter resting half-crumpled on the table. Perhaps just as a passing recollection, Aishia wrote a line about what Scheherazade did for her sixteen years ago, when she was pregnant and frightened and needed her help out of Reim. Panicked, the Priestess looks up at Muu frantically, needing to clarify to him what happened between the Priestess and the Amala.

"You told me you had no idea where she went!" Muu continues, squeezing his eyes shut. "You said you had no way to find her, when in truth you knew all along!"

"Muu, please, you have to understand-!"

"I know you never liked Aishia, though I don't know why." Muu raises a hand, stopping her. His anger burns through his reason, and he just barely keeps himself from breaking her desk in two. "But how could you do this to me? _You're the reason I've been separated from my daughter and the woman I love for the past fifteen years_."

"Muu-!"

"I lost out on seeing Catrina grow up because of you!" The Fanalis roars, throwing his hands out. "I missed my child's birth! Do you know that I've never gotten to see any of her birthdays? Do you know how hard I've been trying to make up for how much of her life I've missed? She's so old now. She's going to get married at some point and I'll never have had the chance to spoil her like a little girl. And Aishia too. _We were going to get married_. I _loved_ her with my entire heart."

His words hang in the air, his sorrowful tale caught between them. Everything he'd just said is true. He's had wonderful times with both Catrina and Aishia, but years that have gone by will never magically come back. Muu Alexius lost the chance to be a husband and a father, and only now knows who kept both things from him.

It was the person he trusted most in the world.

_Muu..._

"I'm sorry, Muu." She whispers, lowering her eyes. He says nothing. Then he leaves, his feet stomping against the floor. He does not look at her as he passes, but she can feel his glare tearing up the room with it's heat and intensity. The door shuts after her, leaving her alone in the office. A sigh tumbles from her lips, filling the dead-silent room. She makes her way to the desk, sitting down on her chair. She stares at the crumpled mess of letters, slowly picking them up. She separates the old letter from the new one, bringing the new up to her face.

She reads through it, a sour smile curling at her lips.

"Great." She murmurs, sarcasm dripping from her lips. "Just great."

* * *

**Tales to Know**

**The A-Z Guide on the Amala Tribe, Part 1**

Below is your guide to the fascinating Amala Tribe and their many quirks! Please, read this to understand more about our favorite tribe and their traditions.

**TERRITORY: **The Amala tribe's land is essentially a circular, if not slightly oval-shaped, area. It's protected by a barrier that, along with protecting the people and putting up an illusion of a forest, repels travelers away from it unless they know where they're going. In the north, there is a valley, in the east, a woods, in the west, rolling hills, and the south, a lake. The outside "ring" of the land is the Omega farmlands, split into four villages. In the second "middle" ring is the Beta lands, where government tasks and administrative duties are carried out. In the center ring is Alpha central, including the capital: the city of Visurbis.

**OMEGA: **Omegas are referred to as the "domestic" group. They are picked because of their gentle nature and sensitivity or in some cases if they are weak. They are most commonly found in the outer ring, in the Omega farmlands. No class is considered above another, but in Zuberi's Kingdom, they are considered the bottom tier, causing tensions among the people and discontent. Omegas are considered the "economic builders" and are encouraged to work in and start companies/businesses, or to take up common jobs. Though this places a burden on them (having to take care of domestic duties and hold a job), it's considered a great honor. At least, it was until Zuberi took over.

**BETA: **Betas are referred to as the "intellectual" group. They are picked because of their intellect and quick problem-solving skills. In Zuberi's Kingdom, they are considered the middle class because of their usefulness. Before being reformed, the Betas were expected to put their logical minds to work as the core of the government, the "book keepers" and organizers of the gov. More often than not, there was more Betas on the Elder Council than there were Alphas or Omegas, mainly because Betas were considered level-headed, wise and were supposed to be good judges. They run the government, but are found most commonly in the middle ring, where most government buildings, social services and law, medical and administrative offices are.

**ALPHA: **Alphas are referred to as the "warrior" group. They are picked because of their strength and bravery. Alphas are expected to work in the army or in certain parts of the government. Being an Alpha is considered an incredible honor, as you're training in necromancer magic to protect the tribe from possible outside problems. Alphas are considered natural leaders and the other two groupings look up to them as role-models and leaders. Because of this, being a General in the army (or "top female Alpha"/"top male Alpha") garners a lot of popularity and influence. It was through this way that Zuberi, by being an influential General, was able to overthrow the government and become King.

**SCHOOLING SYSTEM: **Universal compulsory schooling for all children regardless of their parents' groupings nor their gender. Upon entering, they go through tests to determine their grouping, and from there are sorted into different classes. They receive normal education, but also extra education based on their group. If a child believes there was a mistake by being placed in a certain group, they may apply to be transferred out of it and take a test to prove that they're better placed in a different group. This can only happen until the age of twelve. **  
**

**MATCHES: **Positions in the Amala tribe are based on strength and other aspects. It is no surprise then that, in order to progress upwardly, an Amala has to first beat their superior in a "match". For instance, in the military, a trainee may fight their commanding officer in order to take their position. But in other cases, matches can be fought in other ways: for Betas, through a board game like chess. The form of the competition relies mostly on the challenger, except in cases involving the military or a specific post. "Engagement matches" are a tad different. In the Amala tribe, people are allowed to marry between groupings as they wish- and, surprisingly, having more than one spouse isn't uncommon. However, for Alphas, it is considered only right that they challenge their potential spouse's parents for the right to their hand. If they win, they will be allowed to marry. If not, then...Not. It is considered common courtesy for a couple to decide to marry before an engagement match occurs.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: **Tendaji was so irritated at and cold to Catrina at the beginning of the chapter because he was annoyed by his own behavior and the fact that, because she didn't get the letter, she didn't know he was her ally.

**Fun Fact #2: **All the names of the Amala tribe (sans Catrina) are Swahili names.

* * *

Chapter = End! And I know I said that the Fanalis-Amala arc would only be 3 chapters, but I'm gonna have to extend it. This chapter has just proven to be wayyy too long, and I'm only half-way through the events I want to include.

Also...

OMG THIS STORY IS 2 YEARS OLD! If only I could've posted on it's birthday :( But wow, I honestly can't believe it. This story has been with me through my freshman and sophomore years in high school, and has taught me how to truly write. This is probably just me, but I feel like i've had some honest evolution over the years as an writer. I'm really proud of how this story has turned out, and I hope that everyone who has read this together with me over the years continues to enjoy it- especially now that I've been rewriting it. Thanks everyone!

**Tendaji: **He may seem cold and arrogant at first, but he's actually a very calm and casual dude. He views life as precious and believes in equality- traits he shares with Catrina. In a typical "man" manner, Tendaji believes in looking cool and strong in situations he doesn't have to- but cannot help urges to do sweet things for others despite his dismissal of those actions afterwards.

**Tendaji &amp; Catrina: **You think that's the end of it? That there will be no more convos about the fact that she killed his parents? Oh hell nah. I'm going to _milk _that conversation, just like I milked the Catrina &amp; Faraji conversation. Also I've had some people say that they are interesting in CatrinaXTendaji. If that is so, I promise to progress their relationship and maybe make MasrurXCatXTendaji a thing...

**Muu &amp; Scheherazade: **So Scheherazade and Muu's relationship has taken a turn, that's for sure. Of course, if I was Muu, I would be _pissed_. What Scheherazade did was wrong, even though withholding information about a possible deal with the Amalas was the best course of action for Reim. However, by prioritizing Reim over Muu, Scheherazade has hurt him where it counts: placing his daughter and the woman he loved in precarious situations. Not to mention the reveal that Sche-chan sent Ai away! They are going to be needing some serious convos to get through this one...That is, if I find it interesting enough to write :)

**Zuberi: **All this hype for a bad guy y'all haven't even met XD It's pretty funny, imo. But to re-iterate: Zuberi is the grandfather of Catrina (I'm editing ch 4 to include at least _mention _of him). He rose the ranks of the Alpha military to become a general, and holds a bias against Omegas (in a sense, it's like how some men hold sexist biases against women; believing them to be purely domestic beings). This being said, he still had a child with one, Aishia, whom he didn't claim as his child until she proved to be a prodigy. Once Aishia told him about Empires, he began thinking about taking control of the Amala tribe; however, it wasn't until being prompted by a mysterious force that he eventually pulled the trigger...

**Starry Skies Rehaul: **So, I've had some people notice this, but I've been rewriting SS from the beginning! Nothing that affects the over-all plot (except for a total redo of ch 4 that I'm currently slaving over), but I have been doing a lot of work restructuring and rewriting parts of the story. So far the prologue through chapter 3 has been redone. I've added more depth to the prologue and Centola's arc, mostly, with character development to boot. As for chapter 3, where I introduce Bad and Eren, I added more detail to Eren's intro and family...And for Bad I included bits of her backstory which hopefully explains more about her past and her goals. I encourage everyone to check it out!

**Question: **Okay, is is _Reiman _or _Reimian_. I ask this because Reim is based off of Ancient Rome, which was _Roman_. Would Reim therefore have a '-an' ending or an '-ian' ending? I think Reiman. I'm going to use Reiman...But if y'all have something to say, please help a bro.

**POLL RESULTS: **And the winner is...The Black Bird and the Red Beast! Get excited!

Got any questions or suggestions? Something wrong about the chapter? Grammatical errors, something you didn't like? PM me or leave it in the reviews, I will reply and see what I can do to make the story better/clearer for y'all to understand. ILY MY DARLING READERS!

BYE~~~~~~~


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